Crucibles

When Mary Warren returns from court, what does she tell the Proctors about the trials?

39 people have been arrested Goody Osburn will hang Sarah Good has confessed to sometimes making a pact with Lucifer Sarah Good is pregnant (and nearly 60 years old) Elizabeth Proctor has been accused of practicing witchcraft

Why does Abigail say she was dismissed by Elizabeth Proctor?

Abigail claims that Elizabeth wanted a slave to do all her work and Abigail will work, but not as a slave.

What has Abigail said about John? What does John decide to do at the end of this act?

Abigail has said she'll charge John with lechery. John has decided to stand up for his wife: "My wife will never die for me!"

After the genuineness of Mary Warren's fainting has been questioned, suspicion then falls on Abigail. What does Abigail do when the court questions her authenticity?

Abigail says that Mary Warren has sent a cold wind to her (evil spirits).

What does Betty Parris say happened in the woods? What threat does Abigail make towards the other girls?

Betty says that Abigail drank blood in the woods. Abigail says, "I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you." She threatens to kill them.

Why does John Proctor confess?

Confessing will keep him alive.

Once John has confessed, what does Danforth ask him to do?

Danforth asks John to write his confession.

What reasons does Elizabeth give for Proctor's willingness to hang?

Elizabeth believes John will now have goodness within him, and she doesn't want to take that away from her husband.

When Elizabeth is brought into the court to answer questions about her husband's relationship with Abigail, she denies their affair. Why does she do this? What is the result of her denying the relationship?

Elizabeth denies the affair because she wants to protect her husband's reputation. By denying the relationship between Abigail and John, Elizabeth has sealed her fate. Her husband's honesty was the only thing that might have saved her.

What has Elizabeth Proctor said about Abigail?

Elizabeth has told many people in Salem that Abigail is not an honest person. Elizabeth has said enough that Abigail can't find another job in town.

What surprising news does Judge Hathorne tell John Proctor about Elizabeth

Elizabeth is pregnant.

John Proctor admits to being in a room alone with Abigail. Why does this upset Elizabeth?

Elizabeth knows about their intimate relationship and worries it might start again. Elizabeth is very suspicious.

Elizabeth says she doesn't believe in witches. Why not?

Elizabeth says, "I cannot think the Devil may own a woman's soul, Mr. Hale, when she keeps an upright way, as I have."

Why does Ezekiel Cheever come to the Proctor's home?

Ezekiel has come to arrest Elizabeth Proctor.

What accusation does Giles Corey make at the beginning of this act?

Giles Corey accuses Thomas Putnam of trying to steal land.

Giles Corey accuses Thomas Putnam of lying about his neighbor's involvement in witchery. Giles says that Thomas Putnam wants his neighbor dead so that Putnam can take over his neighbor's land. Why won't Giles reveal his source of the proof?

Giles is afraid his source will be arrested and jailed if he tells the name.

Why does Giles Cory come to the Proctor's home? What news does he share?

Giles says his wife, Martha, has been arrested. He also says that Rebecca Nurse has been arrested.

When Proctor is arrested, what does Reverend Hale do?

Hale denounces the proceedings and quits the court.

Why does Reverend Hale ask the judge to postpone the hangings?

Hale says, "If you postpone a week and publish to the town that you are striving for their confessions, that speak mercy on your part, not faltering." Hale believes that more time is needed to donsider all the facts before people are hanged, which can't be reversed.

What happened to Giles Corey?

He has died. "Great stones they lay upon his chest until he plead aye or nay. They say he give them but two word. 'More weight,' he says. And died."

At the beginning of the play, why did Reverend Parris ask for the doctor?

He wants a doctor to figure out what's wrong with Betty.

At the beginning of the scene, John Proctor says, "it is winter in here yet." What does he mean by this?

His house is cold, both literally and figuratively.

What does John Proctor tell the court to discredit Abigail?

John admits to having an intimate relationship with Abigail.

Why does elizabeth think John is a good man?

John did not confess, or even consider confessing, until his life was on the line.

How does John Proctor feel about Reverend Parris?

John doesn't respect Parris. He thinks Parris is pompous, unreasonable and incompetent.

Abigail has told John Proctor that the girls were not practicing witchcraft, but instead were just pretending. Why hasn't John told this to the court? Why does Elizabeth think he hasn't told the court?

John hasn't told the court because then he would have to admit to being in a room alone with Abigail. Elizabeth thinks John hasn't told the court because she suspects John still has feelings for Abigail.

What it means to be a good Christian is a recurring topic in this play. What two pieces of evidence are used to question John Proctor's Christian nature?

John only goes to church once a month, and John plows his fields on Sundays.

Reverend Hale says that John Proctor has only attended church twenty-six times in seventeen months. How does John Proctor respond?

John says his wife was sick and he couldn't leave her; he says he prayed in his own house; he says he helped to build the church.

At the end of this act, John Proctor asks Mary Warren to tell the court the truth about Abigail Williams. Why is Mary afraid to do what he asks?

Mary is afraid to tell the court the truth because she's afraid of what Abigail might do to her. (retribution)

Parris questions his niece Abigail. What is he asking her?

Parris asks Abigail what she and the other girls did in the forest.

Why does Reverend Hale come to Salem?

Parris has asked him to come; he is an expert in witchcraft and has experience dealing with it.

Abigail starts accusing people of being witches. Why?

Perhaps she does this to deflect attention away from herself; perhaps it is to feign God entering her and freeing her from her sins.

What reasons does Hale give for Proctor's willingness to hang?

Pride and vanity.

Reverend Hale says that Abigail "has always struck [him] false!" What does Abigail do when the Reverend says this? What is Mary Warren's reaction to Abigail at this point in the play?

Reverend Hale has never trusted Abigail. When this is said, Abigail starts to cry wildly. She screams up to the ceiling. Mary pleads with Abigail to stop.

What does Reverend Parris tell us about his niece, Abigail?

Reverend Parris believes Abigail has vanished.

Who does Tituba accuse of being a witch?

Sarah Good and Goody Osburn.

When Elizabeth finds out that she has been accused, what does she ask John to do?

She asks John to go to Abigail and talk to her.

Who does Abigail blame when questioned by Reverend Hale? What evidence does she have?

She blames Tituba, who has admitted to giving Abigail chicken blood.

When Mary Warren says she pretended to faint in court, what is she asked to do? What happens?

She is asked to pretend to faint again. She says she cannot faint again because she cannot see spirits.

Why did Mary Warren disobey the Proctors and go to Salem?

She said she was an official of the court.

How has Elizabeth changed since the beginning of the play?

She stands up for herself; she speaks openly and honestly to her husband; she is stronger and more self assured.

What did Parris see in the woods the previous night?

Singing, dancing and running around naked.

What rumors have circulated around the town about Betty Parris?

That Betty was able to fly.

What do we learn about Rebecca Nurse

That she was condemned that morning.

Judge Danforth refuses to postpone the hangings. Why?

The judge is afraid of a rebellion.

Of what has Rebecca Nurse been accused? Why?

The murder of the marvelous and supernatural murder of Goody Putnam's babies; Rebecca was the nurse who delivered the babies and they all died.

What is the controversy between Thomas Putnam and John Proctor?

There is a dispute about property lines--who owns what.

What do Reverend Hale and Judge Danforth request of Elizabeth Proctor?

They ask Elizabeth to persuade her husband, John, to confess. They feel he is lying out of pride.

In the past, what has happened between John Proctor and Abigail?

They have had an intimate relationship.

Ninety-one people have signed a testament stating their good opinion of Elizabeth, Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse. What is going to happen to those who signed the testament?

They will be called to the court for questioning.

At this point, who does Abigail accuse of conjuring spirits?

Tituba and Ruth.

Why did Mrs. Putnam contact Tituba?

Tituba knows how to speak to the dead.

Why does Reverend Hale visit the Proctor's?

To discuss the Proctor's lack of church involvement and to report his findings back to the court.

What does Reverend Parris accuse John Proctor of trying to do when Proctor first arrives in court in this act?

Trying to overthrow the court.