In act one of The Crucible, chaos is the dominant atmosphere. The scenes are full of tension and the general feeling that it would take very little to over stress these very tense people. Mrs. Ann Putnam is, "A twisted soul of forty-five, a death-ridden woman, haunted by dreams." Her character adds to the feeling of tension in The Crucible.

Mrs. Putnam is a rickety old woman who does not have a problem with wreaking havoc upon troubled souls. Her first entrance into the play is taunting. "It is surely a stroke of hell upon you," Mrs. Putnam says to Parris, referring to his comatose daughter. Mrs. Putnam adds to the chaos felt by everyone. She enters the scene and the tension rises dramatically.

Mrs. Putnam's character is the main representative of chaos in act one. She repeats gossip she has heard to the people who will find...