The Crucible - Test
What quote did Proctor use to help Mary remain brave?
"Do that which is good, and no harm will come to thee." It is ironic in a layman's point of view that proctor later does that which he believes to be good and yet he is hanged. From a religious standpoint, though, one could interpret the quote as being correct since Proctor's soul is saved later in the play.
What does Mary tell Danforth?
"It was pretense, sir." The girls have been lying.
"...a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there is no road between." Explain the importance of Danforth's statement.
Danforth and the Puritan doctrine left no room for in between cases. Either people were witches or they were not. There was no room for "appearances." If one opposed the court, one would be in contempt. There was no room for error on the part of the court and no room for question or correction of the court. Thus, it could go on forever in its incorrect path.
(From Act One) Is this a true or false comment? "Being under such strict laws and commandments, the Puritans had to repress a lot of their anger and spirit of revenge towards their neighbors. When the witch hunts started, it was an excellent opportunity for them to 'let their hair down' and get revenge on their neighbors for whatever petty squabbles they had been having."
As we have learned about the Puritans, this is MOST DEFINITELY TRUE.
What do the girls do at the end of Act One?
At the end of Act One, the girls admit they were bewitched, and they start naming names of people they had seen with the devil.
Why does Giles accuse Putnam of tampering with the accusations?
Because Putnam has much to gain when others lose
Why doesn't Giles enter a plea in response to the charges against him?
Because he wants his land to go to his sons
Why doesn't Elizabeth try to convince John Proctor to save himself?
Because she admires his desire to do what is right
(From Act Three) When asked why Abigail was released from her service, what did Elizabeth respond?
Because she was dissatisfied with her She, in her sickness, thought Abigail and John fancied each other and she knew John was not a lecher
Why won't Judge Danforth honor Reverend Hale's request to pardon the prisoners who won't confess?
Because the integrity of the court is at stake
Who does Elizabeth think called out her name and why?
Elizabeth believes that Abigail denounced her in order to have John as a husband.
Proctor calls Abigail a "w h o r e", and he confesses his lechery. Danforth tests Proctor's statement by calling for Elizabeth and asking her why Abigail was dismissed. What does Elizabeth say and why?
Elizabeth lies to protect John
What does Elizabeth want John to do to Abigail?
Elizabeth wants John to go to Abigail and call her a w h o r e. Elizabeth hopes Abigail will see the futility of trying to get him.
What does Elizabeth want John to do?
Elizabeth wants John to go to the officials and tell them what Abigail had said about the witchcraft having been made up.
Describe Francis Nurse
Francis is a level headed man, greatly respected by many in the village.
Of what does Giles accuse Putnam?
Giles accuses Putnam of killing his neighbors for their land. If a person were hanged as a witch, his or her land would go up for auction. Putnam was the only man with enough money to buy up all the land.
Who is the Marshal of Salem?
Herrick
Explain Danforth's reason that a pardon would not be a good idea.
If Danforth would pardon the remaining accused, the people who had hanged would have died in vain. Rather than admit that the court could have been wrong, and therefore admit the others may have been hanged unjustly, he thought it better to continue hanging people so all accused would get the same treatment from the court.
When Danforth hears that Elizabeth is pregnant, what does he allow?
If they do not, and she is truly pregnant, he will allow her one year before she is hanged to have her baby. The point is that if Proctor is just trying to save Elizabeth, he need not continue with his arguments; she is saved for another year.
Describe John Proctor
Proctor is a farmer, strong, and in his thirties. He is even tempered full of authority, confident. However, he is described as a "sinner not only against the moral fashion of the time, but against his own view of decent conduct."
According to legend, what is the fate of Abigail Williams?
She becomes a prostitute in Boston
What "confession" did Elizabeth make to John?
She feels she is also responsible for his indiscretion/affair with Abigail.
(From Act Two) Why doesn't Mary Warren want to testify about the doll (Poppet)?
She is afraid of what Abigail might do to her.
Why won't Mary Warren testify that she gave the doll to Elizabeth?
She is afraid of what Abigail will do to her.
As he is about to "whip" Mary Warren, John stops short. What was it she told him?
She saved Elizabeth's life by saying that she has never seen any evidence of witchcraft
What does Mary testify?
That all of the girls are pretending to be bewitched
What does Mary Warren reveal about Elizabeth?
That she was accused of witchcraft
What does Elizabeth want her husband to say in court?
That the trials are a charade
What does Elizabeth lie about?
Why she fired Abigail
Is Elizabeth really pregnant?
Yes
When did Elizabeth Proctor remarry?
4 years after John's death
What is John Proctor's reason for holding out?
He wants his opponents to feel guilty about his death.
What happened to Giles?
He was pressed to death during questioning.
What is the fate of Reverend Parris?
He was voted out from office and never was heard of again
Where is John Proctor being kept?
He's chained to a wall in the dungeon
What will delay Elizabeth's hanging?
Her pregnancy
Where is Abigail supposedly on in Act IV?
A boat
What happened in Andover?
A court in the town was overturned for thinking that people in the town were witches
How much money did Abigail steal from Rev. Parris?
31 pounds
How long has it been since Abigail ran away?
3 days
How long has it been since Act 3?
3 months
Describe Abigail Williams
Abby is the ring leader of the girls, naughty, and is in love with John Proctor. Her goal is to get rid of Elizabeth Proctor so that she can marry John.
What will Abby do if proctor goes into court to denounce her, according to Mary Warren?
Abby will charge him with lechery (adultery), which is a capital offense.
What prompts John Proctor to confess his affair with Abigail?
Abigail accusing Mary of witchcraft
Why can't John prove what Abigail told him? Why does Elizabeth pick up on this?
Abigail and John were alone when she told him. The fact that they had been alone is disturbing because John had said Abigail was in a crowd. Elizabeth immediately becomes suspicious again.
What did Abigail do?
Abigail stole money from Parris and disappeared.
Who stuck the pin in Abigail's belly and why?
Abigail stuck the pin in herself to point suspicion to Elizabeth. Abby apparently got the idea after she watched Mary Warren make the poppet and stick the pin into it.
What happened between Abigail and John Proctor prior to the opening of the play?
Apparently, Abigail and John Proctor were involved in an extramarital affair.
What explanation does Cheever give for Parris' "mad look?"
He thinks it is caused by the cows.
What did Proctor do after he signed the confession?
He tore it up.
Describe Betty
Betty is the daughter of Reverend Parris. She is pretending to be bewitched and accuses others of witchcraft.
Who writes John Proctor's confession?
Cheever
What does Hale want Elizabeth to do?
Convince John Proctor to confess
Before the play begins, what did Parris catch his daughter and other girls doing?
Dancing in the forest
Who interrogated John Proctor?
Danforth
To what does Hale attribute the calamity that has befallen Salem?
Hale attributes the calamity that has befallen Salem to that it must be God's punishment for some terrible sin that was committed and kept secret
What is Hale's problem as Proctor and his friends present evidence to Danforth?
Hale begins to realize that Proctor and his friends have a valid point and that the people who had been accused and sentences so far could very well have been innocent.
Reverend Hale says,"This is a strange time." How might that comment have applied equally to the McCarthy Hearings?
Hale believed that "the powers of the dark are gathered in a monstrous attack upon this village." in 1952, many Americans felt that way about the communist threat.
Hawthorne thinks of a test for Mary. What is it? Can she do it? Why or why not?
He asks Mary to faint, as she fainted in the courtroom. No, she can't do it in front of Hawthorne on demand. She says that she was able to in the courtroom because the mood was set and she got caught up in the mood with the other girls, which enabled her to do it there.
What happens to John Proctor at the end of Act 3?
He is jailed for contempt of the court and his suspicious activities.
What does this "calamity" mean to Proctor?
He knows his hidden secret sin is one of adultery. God must punish the village for Proctor's sin. Ironically adultery was the one commandment he couldn't remember wine reciting them for reverend Hale.
What does Hale do when Proctor is arrested?
He quits the court.
What does John Proctor do with his own confession?
He tears it up and renounces it.
Parris says, "Oh Abigail, what proper payment for my charity! Now I am undone!" What does that mean?
It means that Parris is more concerned with his reputation than everything around him.
What is John Proctor's reason for his not regularly attending church?
John Proctor's reason for not attending church is that he doesn't like Reverend Parris. There is little mention of a God, yet too much mention of fire and brimstone and Hell.
Why is John reluctant to go down to Abigail's house to call her a w h o r e?
John is reluctant to do so because he had never made Abigail any promises; the affair was not out of love.
Of what does John accuse Elizabeth?
John says Elizabeth lacks charity. it has been 7 months since he had been with Abigail and, apparently, he admitted to her, yet his wife still can't put it behind them.
How would you describe the relationship between John and Elizabeth Proctor at the beginning of this scene?
John tries to please Elizabeth but Elizabeth remains separated from him. she appears somewhat aloof or withdrawn. This distance is obviously due to John's infidelity.
In what way has Mary Warren changed and what changed her?
Mary Warren used to be meek and quiet but she no longer is. She thinks she is important because she is an official of the court
Why is Mary afraid to say anything in court?
Mary is afraid to say anything in court because she is afraid of what Abigail will do to her.
What is Mary's argument to Abby?
Mary's argument to Abby is that if Abby tells the truth, she will only get a whipping for dancing in the forest.
What is Parris's position in Salem?
Minister
Why does Mrs. Putnam believe there are witches in Salem?
Mrs Putnam believes that there are witches in Salem because she lost seven of her babies and she blames witchcraft
What confession does Mrs. Putnam make to Reverend Hale?
Mrs Putnam's confession to Rev. Hale was that shr sent Ruth to Tituba to ask her to conjure up spirits to find the reason why her children died.
What is Parris' argument against Proctor?
Parris is saying that Proctor is trying to overthrow the court
What does Parris want?
Parris wants the deed to his house and firewood in addition to his salary.
What is Proctor's response to the idea that Abby will charge him with adultery?
Proctor says "Good." because it'll end Abigail's saintliness and put an end to the madness. Although it will mean death for him, it will free Elizabeth and the guilt he has been feeling.
As proof of witchcraft, Rev. Hale points out that a number of people have already confessed to being witches. What is Proctor's response?
Proctor says that people will say anything when pressured
What do Putnam and Proctor argue about? What does this show?
Putnam and Proctor argue about lumber and the ownership of a piece of land on which lumbers grow. It shows us that Putnam is a land grabbing man who will use devious means to get what he wants.
Describe Rebecca Nurse
Rebecca is Francis' wife, truly a good woman, kind and gentle. She helped deliver some of the Putnam's children
What did Rebecca do to betty?
Rebecca stood over Betty and quieted her.
What is Rebecca's explanation of the girl's behavior?
Rebecca's explanation for the girl's behavior is that the girls made up a story to get some attention and that in a few days, they will become bored of it all and everything will be forgotten.
Why does Rev. Hale come to Salem?
Rev. Hale has come to Salem to do what he can to help the town rid itself of witchcraft.
Why has Reverend Hale come to the Proctor house?
Reverend Hale is a stranger in town and is trying to get a better understanding of the citizens, particularly those under suspicion. it is an official visit as such
Who is Reverend John Hale?
Reverend Hale is an expert in witchcraft from "Beverly."
Who said "You cannot hang this sort. There is danger for me."?
Reverend Parris
What evidence is used to bring Elizabeth to trial?
The doll that Mary Warren has given her
What do the girls do to Mary? What is her response?
The girls pretend that Mary's spirit is coming to get them, that she is herself doing some bewitching. Mary tells them to stop it, but when they don't, she ends up breaking down and joining them (for her own protection).
Explain the political relationship between the Putnam and Nurse Families.
The political relationship between Putnam and nurse families are that the nurses are not liked by the Putnams because of some land disputes. This leads Ann to accuse Rebecca of bewitching her newborn babies.
What was the "sign" that proved that Betty was bewitched?
The sign that Betty was "bewitched" was that she could not stand to hear the Lord's name.
What kind of government does Salem have in The Crucible?
Theocracy
Why do Giles and Francis want to talk to Danforth?
They go to try and persuade the judge that their wives are good women and not witches
What paper did 91 people sign?
They signed that Rebecca, Elizabeth, and Martha Corey were all good, upstanding, God-loving citizens.
What will happen to the accused witches if they do not confess?
They will be hanged.
Why is Thomas Putnam such a bitter man?
Thomas Putnam is a bitter man because his brother in law didn't get to be minister and he wants more respect since he's one of the richest men in the village and his family has lived in Salem the longest.
To what did Tituba confess?
Tituba confesses that she conjured up spirited and met with the devil and signed his book
Describe Tituba
Tituba made a spell with the girls in the forest, she was reverend Parris' slave from Barbados, she had knowledge of witchcraft and was accused of conjuring spirits and witchcraft.
Why does Tituba confess to witchcraft?
Tituha confesses to witchcraft because Parris was leading her in answers and if she didn't confess, she would have been hanged.
Why has Hale come back to Salem?
To encourage the accused to confess and save their lives.
What are Sarah Good and Tituba doing at the start of Act IV?
Waiting for the "Devil" to come and get them to bring them to Barbados
