Crucible Act IV Context

Penitence

I have confessed myself! Is there no good ______ but it be public? God does not need my name nailed upon the church! God sees my name; God knows how black my sins are! It is enough!

excommunication

It cannot be forgot, sir, that when I summoned the congregation for John Proctor's ______ there were hardly thirty people come to hear it. That speak a discontent, I think, and

Gibbet

Let Rebecca stand upon the ______and send up some righteous prayer, and I fear she'll wake a vengeance on

Bridegroom

Let you not mistake your duty as I mistook my own. I came into this village like a ______ to his beloved, bearing gifts of high religion; the very crowns of holy law I brought, and what I touched with my bright confidence, it died; and where I turned the eye of my great faith, blood flowed up

Empowered

Mr. Hale, as God have not ______ me like Joshua to stop this sun from rising, so I cannot withhold from them the perfection of their punishment.

Spite

______ only keeps me silent. It is hard to give a lie to dogs. Pause, for the first time he turns directly to her. I would have your forgiveness, Elizabeth,

Sibilance

A sound - the sibilance of dragging feet on stone. They turn. A pause. Herrick enters with John Proctor. His wrists are chained. He is another man, bearded, filthy, his eyes misty as though webs had overgrown them.

Cleave

Beware, Goody Proctor - ______ to no faith when faith brings blood. It is mistaken law that leads you to sacrifice.

Conciliatory

Danforth, ______ : You misunderstand, sir; I cannot pardon these when twelve are already hanged for the same crime. It is not just.

Adamant

Danforth, to Herrick: Is he yet ______ ? Has he struck at you again?

Utmost

Danforth: I shall do my ______. Which of them do you have hope for?

Beguile

Danforth: Now hear me, and ______ yourselves no more. I will not receive a single plea for pardon or postponement.

Indictment

Elizabeth, quietly, factually: He were not hanged. He would not answer aye or nay to his ______ ; for if he denied the charge they'd hang him surely, and auction out his property. So he stand mute, and died Christian under the law. And so his sons will have his farm. It is the law, for he could not be condemned a wizard without he answer the indictment, aye or nay.

Disputation

Goody Proctor, you are not summoned here for ______. Be there no wifely tenderness within you?

Belie

Hale: Why, it is all simple. I come to do the Devil's work. I come to counsel Christians they should ______ themselves. His sarcasm collapses.

Embodiment

He reaches out his hand as though toward an ______ not quite real, and as he touches her, a strange soft sound, half laughter, half amazement, comes from his throat.

Gaunt

He turns, as do Hathorne and Danforth, hearing someone coming up the corridor. Danforth raises his head as Parris enters. He is ______, frightened, and sweating in his greatcoat.

Beguile

Proctor: ______ me not! I blacken all of them when this is nailed to the church the very day they hang for silence!

Agape

Parris: Excellency, I think they be aboard a ship. Danforth stands ______. My daughter tells me how she heard them speaking of ships last week,

Floundering

Postponement now speaks a ______ on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now.

Reprieve

Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; ______ or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now.

Flailing

Proctor, pauses, then with a ______ of hope: Giles wife? Have she confessed?

Faltering

Proctor, with the faintest ______: Why, no, sir.