1. Francis Nurse:
- Husband of Rebecca Nurse and a respected farmer in Salem.
- Known for his honesty, integrity, and devotion to his family and community.
- Serves as a selectman, demonstrating his involvement in local governance.
- Despite his good reputation, he becomes entangled in the witchcraft hysteria due to false accusations.
- Maintains his innocence throughout the trials but is ultimately executed along with his wife, Rebecca.
2. Rebecca Nurse:
- Wife of Francis Nurse and a virtuous, elderly woman in Salem.
- Highly admired for her wisdom, kindness, and moral uprightness within the community.
- Known for her nursing skills and willingness to help others, making her a revered figure among the townspeople.
- Her strong beliefs and refusal to submit to false accusations during the witch trials lead to her arrest and conviction.
- Despite overwhelming evidence in her favor, Rebecca, like her husband, is executed as a result of the rampant paranoia and injustice prevalent during the witch trials.
The characters of Francis and Rebecca Nurse serve as moral compasses in "The Crucible." Their unwavering honesty, integrity, and commitment to justice highlight the absurdity and tragic consequences of the Salem witch trials. Their deaths symbolize the erosion of moral values and the destructive power of mass hysteria and baseless accusations.