The Crucible is a play brimming with accusations and defenses, with characters constantly lying and deceiving each other. Lives are on the line, and so are honor and reputation, so these are desperate times.
Let's take a look at three accusations directed at Reverend Parris, who's one of the villains in the story, as well as three lines of defense that could be used by Thomas Putnam, the sneakiest villain, who causes misery to others only indirectly, when he ensures that they are found guilty so that he can purchase their land. (It would be much easier to argue, in a persuasive essay for example, that accusations hurled against Putnam are quite valid! But let's take a look at his defenses anyway, since that's what this question asks for.)
The page numbers below refer to the Penguin Classics edition of this play. If your version is a different one, you can find the page numbers by referring to an online text of The Crucible, searching for the relevant phrase in your quote, and seeing where it falls in that particular act of the play so you can quickly skim for it in your own copy.
Accusations aimed at Parris:
1. Page 11: Near the beginning of Act I, Abigail's voice is full of resentment as she accuses her uncle, Parris, of not wanting her in his home. "Do you begrudge my bed, uncle?" she asks. She's had trouble holding a job, and Parris's long string of harsh accusations of wrongdoing are making her feel ashamed and unloved.
2. Page 28: In Act I, Proctor shouts at Parris: "Can you speak one minute without we land in Hell again? I am sick of Hell!" He means that Parris focuses too much on the idea of eternal punishment in his sermons, and it's actually driven Proctor away from church—which is, as we see throughout the play, something that easily degrades someone's reputation at that time in Salem. And a bad reputation can be extremely dangerous, even deadly, in this play—Proctor's failure to go to church regularly is later brought up in court, to Proctor's detriment.
3. Page 45: Toward the very end of Act I, Tituba has a sort of insane fit, and she tells Parris that the Devil told her to kill Parris. "He say Mr. Parris must be kill! Mr. Parris no goodly man, Mr. Parris mean man and no gentle man..." It's hard to tell what's come over Tituba and why she's saying this, but as his slave, and considering what a terrible, manipulative person Parris is, Tituba certainly has reasons to hate Parris and use the excuse of being possessed to voice that hatred.
Defenses for Putnam:
1. Page 13: Near the beginning of Act I, Reverend Parris begs Thomas Putnam to avoid assuming that anything supernatural is going on. Parris wants to prevent rumors and keep his own job safe. "I know that you—you least of all, Thomas, would ever wish so disastrous a charge laid upon me." Parris is hinting that Putnam is a good man who wouldn't harm others' reputations or cause them to lose their jobs. Of course, readers beg to differ.
2. Page 35: In Act I, as Hale greets Putnam, he says: "Putnam! I had not expected such distinguished company, sir." The compliment pleases Putnam, and he'd gladly point out that it's evidence of his strong, morally upright character. Again, as readers, we know better.
3. Page 89: In Act 3, when Giles Corey accuses Putnam in court, Danforth defends Putnam, suddenly caring about proof needed to substantiate an accusation. Danforth says: "Mr. Putnam says your charge is a lie. What say you to that?" And a moment later, he berates Giles: "But proof, sir, proof!" The charge doesn't stand. These lines may be used as a defense of Putnam; Giles can't seem to furnish evidence of Putnam's crimes, and so Putnam remains safe from the violence perpetrated by the court.
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