The Crucible

1
The Crucible

• Act II Exam Review

2
Important Characters

• John Proctor
• Elizabeth Proctor
• Mary Warren
• Reverend Hale
• Ezekiel Cheever

3
Themes

• Integrity v. Reputation
• Hysteria feeds itself and grows
• Social order v. Personal freedom
• Hysteria changes peoples reception of reality

4
How would you describe the relationship of John
and Elizabeth Proctor at the beginning of this
scene?

• John and Elizabeth Proctor seem to have a
  somewhat strained relationship, but their
  affection for each other is still clear.
• John tries hard to please Elizabeth, but it is
  extremely difficult for him due to her
  depression.
• Elizabeth clearly loves her husband, but she has
  a difficult time trusting him because she thinks
  he has been unfaithful.
• His indecision is a source of frustration for
  her. She knows what he needs to do but she is
  unable to persuade him to do it as expediently as
  she would like.

5
What is it Elizabeth wants him to do?

• Elizabeth wants John to reveal what Abigail told
  him about how the dancing has nothing to do with
  witchcraft.
• This would stop the trials and prevent the deaths
  of those accused.
• For John, the issue is not as clear-cut as
  Elizabeth makes it. While his relationship with
  Abigail is over, he is still less than exuberant
  about publicly debasing her.
• Going to the court would also mean involvement in
  his community, which he would prefer to avoid.

6
Why can't John prove what Abigail told him? Why
does Elizabeth pick up on this?

• John can't prove what Abigail told him because he
  was alone with her when she said it, making him
  the only witness.
• Elizabeth picks up on this because it differs
  from the story John told her originally. It is
  understandable that John would alter the story in
  order to avoid hurting his wife, but alterations
  are more dangerous than beneficial if not used
  with consistency.
• Now he has hurt his wife twofold-- first by being
  alone with Abigail and second by lying about it.

7
Of what does John accuse Elizabeth?

• John accuses Elizabeth of judging him too
  harshly. He points out the fact that she, too,
  has faults that she should correct before she
  passes judgment.
• This belief is strengthened by his quote, "Some
  dream I had must have mistaken you for God that
  day. But you're not, you're not, and let you
  remember it! Let you look sometimes for the
  goodness in me, and judge me not."
• This is vital later in the play when Proctor
  specifically seeks his wife's judgment. She
  admits her sins, in addition to the fact that
  judgment is not hers to give-- it is between John
  and God.

8
How has Mary Warren changed and what changed her?

• Mary Warren has changed from a subservient maid
  to a defiant, rebellious young woman.
• Her position and authority as a part of the Salem
  court system has caused this change.
• She feels like she no longer has to answer to
  Elizabeth Proctor because, if it weren't for her,
  Elizabeth would have been convicted of
  witchcraft.
• Therefore, she feels that Elizabeth owes her life
  and is in no position to make demands.
• Witchcraft gives the formerly powerless Mary a
  new sense of strength, which becomes a
  subconscious motive for her to believe that the
  witchcraft is real.

9
As he is about to whip Mary Warren, John stops
short. What was it she told him?

• Mary Warren tells John Proctor that the saved
  Elizabeth's life at the courthouse.
• Her name was "somewhat mentioned" (as is the
  style during shady court proceedings) and Mary
  objected, saying that she had never seen any sign
  of Elizabeth's witchcraft during the time she
  worked for her.

10
Who does Elizabeth think Abby called out her name
and why?

• Elizabeth thinks Abigail called out her name.
• Elizabeth believes that Abigail means to take her
  place when she is dead.
• This may sound like the paranoia, but it is not
  far from the truth.
• Foreshadowing Abigail reveals she means to do
  exactly that, thereby justifying Elizabeth's
  fears.

11
What does Elizabeth want John to do now?

• Elizabeth wants John to go to Abigail and destroy
  once and for all any illusions she has that John
  loves her.
• Elizabeth feels that Abigail may be
  misinterpreting John's shame for passion, and
  this illusion causes Abigail to accuse her of
  witchcraft.

12
Why is John reluctant to do so?

• John Proctor has a number of qualms regarding his
  character, but he has no doubt about is his
  honesty.
• John Proctor sees himself as an honest man and to
  "break the promise," as Elizabeth puts it, seems
  deceitful.
• The fact that the "promise" is to a lying young
  woman is irrelevant-- deceit, in whatever form,
  is against John's nature.
• Foreshadowing John will later have to decide
  whether or not to give in to dishonesty.

13
Why has the Rev. Hale come to the Proctors
house?

• The Rev. Hale has come to the Proctor house to
  inquire about the family's Christian nature.
• Despite Mary's statements to the contrary,
  Elizabeth has been accused of being a witch.
• Rev. Hale intends to use what he finds out in the
  court when it comes time for her to be tried.
• The first sign of Hale's integrity he's
  uncomfortable with the trials.
• Unlike the court, which demands confessions on
  pain of death and then uses those false
  confessions to condemn innocent victims, Hale
  searches for actual evidence.

14
Reverend Hales visit reveals

• John Proctor rarely attends church
• One of their children is not baptized
• John Proctor cannot say all of his commandments
• Proctor doesnt like Parris
• Elizabeth and John Proctor do not believe that
  witches are among them

15
Hale points out that a number of people have
already confessed to being witches. What is
Proctor's response?

• Proctor's reasonable response is that people will
  confess to just about anything to save themselves
  from death.
• This has already been proven to be true in
  Tituba's case.
• Proctor describes the vicious cycle created by
  ideological power. That Hale perceived this
  problem and overlooked it shows the Puritan
  authorities' inability to question themselves.

16
The arrest of Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey
proves

• Though troubled, Hale defends the court and says
  it will certainly send Rebecca home. Yet Hale has
  no answer when Corey says his wife was charged by
  a man named Walcott as retribution for once
  buying a pig from her that soon died.
• Hale thinks the Puritan court is blessed by God,
  and therefore believes that it will make the
  right decision. But his doubts have begun to show.

17
Who stuck the pin in Abigail's belly and why?

• Abigail stuck the pin in her own belly and
  started screaming about it.
• It was all part of her elaborate plan to frame
  Elizabeth Proctor.
• The same day she prompted Mary Warren to make the
  poppet, stick a needle in it, and give it to
  Elizabeth Proctor.
• Abigail believes that the poppet, coupled with
  her act in court, will be enough to convict
  Elizabeth to hang.

18
To what does Hale attribute the calamity that has
befallen Salem?

• Hale attributes the calamity to someone or
  something in the village that drew the wrath of
  God.
• This is a logical explanation when one considers
  that the Bible is the basis of Salem society. The
  majority of Biblical catastrophes are sparked by
  someone or something invoking the wrath of God
  therefore, it only makes sense that this disaster
  should follow the same trend.

19
Why does this hit home with Proctor?

• Rev. Hale's statement hits home with Proctor
  because it leads him to wonder if he may be the
  cause of it.
• He knows he has not been pure of heart, that he
  is not a perfect man. He knows he lusted for
  Abigail, which in Puritan society might as well
  be the same thing as committing adultery-- one of
  the worst sins in Puritan society.
• In the back of his mind the thought begins to
  fester that perhaps his transgression brought
  this upon the village.

20
What does Mary say Abby will do if Proctor goes
into court to denounce her?

• Mary says that Abby will charge Proctor with
  lechery if he goes to court.
• This would not only ruin his good name but would
  also leave him open to the legal punishment
  related to adultery.

21
What is Proctor's response?

• Proctor's resolution is not shaken he is
  determined to bring down Abby and save his wife,
  whatever the cost to him.
• He will not allow Abigail to have her way even if
  it does mean his reputation will be irreparably
  damaged.
• He feels at fault because his sins have made his
  wife to subject of Abigails vengence.

22
Why is Mary afraid to say anything in court?

• Mary is afraid to say anything in court because
  she knows Abby's power and recalls her threat
  vividly.
• Mary fears for her life, knowing that if Abby
  accuses her of witchcraft her only options will
  be to back down or face death.

23
Proctor as the voice of reason

• Points out to Mary that not being able to say her
  commandments does not make Goody Good a witch
• Its strange work for a Christian girl to hand
  old women.
• Its hard to think so pious a woman be secretly
  a Devils bitch after seventy year of such good
  prayer.
• Wonders if the court will believe his story when
  Hale doubts Elizabeth.

24
Proctor as the voice of reason

• In response to Hales argument that those who
  have been convicted of witchcraft have confessed
  to it, he says, And why not, if they must hang
  for denyin it?
• I am only wondering how I may prove what she
  told me, Elizabeth. If the girls a saint now, I
  think it is not easy to prove shes fraud
• It may be I have been too quick to bring the man
  to book, but you cannot think we ever desired the
  destruction of religion.

25
The charges

• For the marvelous and supernatural murder of
  Goody Putnams babies
• For bewitching Walcotts pigs
• For sending her spirit to stick a needle in
  Abigail Williams

• Rebecca Nurse
• Martha Corey
• Elizabeth Proctor

26
My wife is the very brick and mortar of the
church

• Francis Nurse uses a metaphor comparing his wife
  to the church.
• Francis Nurse was saying that his wife is the
  material of which Salems religious community is
  built and the substance that holds it together.

27
I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay his
hand upon my baby. I see no light of God in that
man.

• The Puritans think they have God on their side,
  and therefore cannot make mistakes. If a man has
  been ordained as a minister, then he must be good
  and wise. And if someone disagrees with that
  assessment, then he or she must be against God.
• The Proctors refuse to have their third son
  baptized
• Proctor thinks Parris is a greedy hypocrite, and
  he cites as evidence Proctor preaching for gold
  candlesticks.

28
Pontius Pilate! God will not let you wash your
hands of this!

• Allusion Pilate is best known as the judge at
  the trial of Jesus and the man who authorized his
  crucifixion.
• When the masses cried out that Jesus should be
  crucified, Pilate replied, Why, what evil has He
  done?
• But the crowd cried, Let Him be crucified!
• When Pilate saw that he could not prevail, he
  took water and washed his hands before the
  multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of
  this just Person. You see to it.
• By doing nothing to stop the accusations, Hale is
  guilty of whatever happens to the accused people.

29
What keeps you so late? Its almost dark!

• Helps to characterize Elizabeth as suspicious of
  John Proctors actions.
• She thinks he has been to see Abigail.
• It is representative of the strain that now
  defines their relationship.

30
There is a misty plot afoot so subtle we should
be criminal to cling to old respects and ancient
friendships.

• Hale defending the witch trials when Rebecca
  Nurse is arrested.
• While Hale is astute enough to notice that there
  are issues with the accusations, he is still a
  believer in witchcraft and it powers.

31
I cannot think the Devil may own a womans soul
when she keeps an upright way.

• Represents Elizabeth Proctors view about the
  charges of witchcraft.

32
You are a broken minister.

• Hale has broken his covenant with God, so in
  Proctors mind, Hale no longer has any moral
  authority.

33
Dramatic Irony

• Hales statement to Proctor that the world goes
  mad, and it profit nothing you should lay the
  cause to the vengeance of a little girl is
  dramatic irony because while he suggests that it
  is foolish to blame what has happened on the
  vengeance of a little girl, the audience knows
  that is the precise cause.