The Crucible Act 1 Summary

The first act of The Crucible sets the stage for the disturbing sequence of events that
will unfold in Acts 2, 3, and 4. Most of the major characters are introduced, and there
are critical insights into various political and personal conflicts that threaten to disrupt
the social order in the town of Salem. We also learn how the witchcraft craze got
started and why it spiraled out of control.

The Crucible
Act 1 Summary — Short Version
Ten-year-old Betty Parris has contracted a mysterious illness that renders her mute
and bedridden. Her father, Reverend Samuel Parris, caught her dancing in the
woods the night before with a group of girls. The group included his teenage
niece, Abigail Williams, and his slave, Tituba. Rumors have spread around town
that witchcraft is the cause of Betty’s illness, and people are now gathered at the
Parris household. Parris questions Abigail about the rumors, but she claims the
girls were just dancing. Ann Putnam says that her daughter, Ruth, who was with
the group in the woods, is also afflicted with a strange illness. All of Ann’s children
except Ruth have died as infants. Ann sent Ruth to Tituba in hopes that she would
be able to communicate with her siblings and find out who or what was responsible
for their deaths. To her uncle's dismay, Abigail admits that Tituba and Ruth were
conjuring spirits in the woods.

Abigail and two girls named Mercy Lewis and Mary Warren, who were also in the
woods, are left alone with Betty. They try to wake her up as they get their story

1
straight. Betty blurts out that Abigail drank chicken blood in an attempt to cast
a spell that would kill Elizabeth Proctor, and Abigail warns her to keep quiet (or
else). John Proctor enters the room, and Mercy and Mary leave Abigail alone with
him. John and Abigail had an affair when Abigail worked as a servant in his
house, and Abigail wants it to continue. John insists that he has recommitted
himself to his wife, Elizabeth. Betty whimpers when she hears the Lord’s name in a
psalm that people are singing outside the room. Everyone who is singing outside the
room rushes in to check on her. Betty's distress is taken as additional evidence of
witchcraft by Ann Putnam, and some of the others start to come around to this theory
as well.

An intellectual church leader named Reverend Hale arrives from the town of
Beverly to investigate the situation and see if he can detect any signs of
witchcraft. Abigail confesses that Tituba called the Devil after more details about
the previous night are revealed. Tituba isn’t allowed to tell her side of the story (that
Abigail was actually the instigator), and when she is threatened with hanging she
confesses that she’s been forced to work for the Devil. She also names Sarah Good
and Sarah Osburn as fellow witches after prompting by Parris and Hale. Abigail and
Betty then admit their unwilling involvement in witchcraft and shout out the
names of several other women who they claim to have seen with the Devil. 

I want YOU to join my plot to totally mess

with a super lame town in Massachusetts.

The Crucible Act 1 Summary — “Oops I Didn’t Read

It” Version
Act 1 opens on a bedroom in Reverend Samuel Parris’ house in the spring of
1692. Parris’ daughter, 10-year-old Betty, is in a deep sleep as a result of an
unknown illness, and Parris is kneeling in prayer next to her bed. A woman named

2
Tituba is introduced as the Parris family's middle-aged slave from Barbados; she
tries to check on Betty, but she is immediately ordered out of the room by Reverend
Parris.

Abigail Williams, Parris’ 17-year-old niece, enters the room. She tells him that
Susanna Walcott is there with a message from the doctor. Susanna is a teenager a
little younger than Abigail. She says that the doctor can't find anything physically
wrong with Betty, and they should start to consider supernatural forces as a
potential culprit. Parris is very concerned about damage to his reputation if
witchcraft is discovered in his house. He urges Susanna to tell the doctor to
continue looking for medical reasons for Betty’s condition. However, he has
also summoned Reverend Hale from the neighboring town of Beverly to quietly
investigate whether there is any truth to this supernatural hypothesis.

Susanna leaves, and Abigail and Parris are alone with Betty. Abigail reveals that
the rumor of witchcraft has already spread around town, and many people are
gathered in the parlor of the house. Parris is reluctant to discredit these rumors
because he fears they may be true. The previous night, he saw Abigail and Betty
dancing in the forest with Tituba. He also saw a dress on the ground and a girl
running naked through the woods. Abigail says that they were just dancing, but
Parris knows that she’s not telling the whole truth. Parris demands to know
whether witchcraft was involved.

He thinks that his reputation is shaky in town and that there’s a group of people who
would like to oust him from his position of power. He doesn’t want one of his
enemies to find out what really happened before he does and use it against
him. Abigail continues to insist that the girls were just dancing.

Parris still doesn’t trust her, and he brings up another suspicious scenario. Abigail
was dismissed from the household service of a man named John Proctor
without explanation, and Proctor’s wife Elizabeth seems to strongly dislike
her. Abigail says Elizabeth is just a big ol’ meany and she didn’t do anything to
deserve this.

At this point in the conversation, a tormented middle-aged woman named Ann

Putnam enters the room along with her husband, Thomas Putnam. Ann’s only
daughter, Ruth Putnam, is acting catatonic, and Ann thinks Betty is afflicted
with the same apparently supernatural illness. Ann is a firm believer in witchcraft
because seven of her babies have died in infancy, leaving her with only one living
child. She sees no possible explanation for this that is not supernatural in nature.
The Putnams are glad that Parris has summoned Reverend Hale to investigate the
situation because Hale supposedly caught a witch in Beverley recently. 

Parris is still trying to shut down the witchcraft conversation because of the damage
it might do to his reputation. Ann reveals to Parris that she actually sent Ruth to
consult with Tituba the night before because Tituba can communicate with the
dead. Ann wanted Ruth to talk to her dead siblings and find out who killed them. The
Putnams say they are convinced that a baby-killing witch is running rampant. Abigail
realizes that she can’t hide the truth completely now that Ann has revealed that she

3
sent Ruth to Tituba to try and communicate with the dead. Abigail admits that
Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits. Parris is convinced his livelihood is ruined
now that someone who lives under his roof has been revealed to be a
witch. Thomas Putnam tells Parris he should get ahead of the situation and
make the witchcraft accusations himself so no one can accuse him first. 

A girl named Mercy Lewis, who is Putnam’s servant, arrives to check on how Betty is
doing, and the Putnams and Parris leave so that Parris can lead everyone in a
psalm. Abigail and Mercy are left alone, and they try to rouse Betty to no avail. The
two girls decide their official story will be that they were just dancing, and
there was no magic involved. Then, another teenage girl named Mary Warren
enters the room. She was also with them in the forest the previous night, and she is
convinced they must confess to what they’ve done because of the rumors swirling
around. 

Suddenly, Betty gets a burst of energy. She reveals that Abby drank chicken
blood in the forest in an attempt to cast a spell to kill Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail
slaps her and tells everyone that they had better stay quiet about the details of
what really happened. Abigail says that she's seen some stuff (i.e. her parents
were murdered by Native Americans right in front of her), so she has no qualms
about resorting to violence to force them to keep her secret. 

John Proctor, a farmer, then enters the room. He yells at Mary Warren, who is his
servant, for leaving his house when he forbid her from doing so. Mary and Mercy
both leave, and Abigail and John are left alone. Abigail and John had an affair that
was discovered by his wife, which was the reason for her dismissal from their
household. Abigail is still in love with Proctor, but he wants to distance
himself from her and recommit to Elizabeth. Abigail is angry and frustrated that he
won’t return her advances. She insults his wife and continues to insist that he still
loves her. 

Their attention is diverted because Betty starts whimpering after the words

“going up to Jesus” are uttered in the psalm people are singing in the other
room. Reverend Parris, the Putnams, and Mercy Lewis all rush in to check on
her. Ann Putnam is convinced that they upset Betty by saying the Lord’s name and
that her reaction clearly means that she is bewitched with black magic. 

Rebecca Nurse, and old and highly respected woman in Salem, enters the room
along with an old man named Giles Corey. Rebecca stands calmly next to the
bed, and Betty quiets down. Everyone is impressed with this, and the Putnams ask
if Rebecca can also help Ruth, but Rebecca doesn't think there's anything
supernatural going on. Betty is just acting up as kids are prone to do. John Proctor
questions Reverend Parris on his decision to summon Reverend Hale. This action
seems to imply that Parris believes witchcraft could be the source of Betty’s
illness. Rebecca suggests that they should rely on the doctor and avoiding
bringing Reverend Hale into the situation because it will cause unnecessary
conflict. Thomas Putnam takes issue with this, and he tells Parris that when
Reverend Hale arrives they must look for signs of witchcraft. 

4
Proctor says Putnam can’t tell Parris what to do just because Putnam owns a lot of
land in the town. Putnam fires back that he hasn’t seen Proctor in church recently, so
he clearly doesn’t care that much about upholding the integrity of their
society. Proctor claims he doesn’t go to church because all Parris talks about is
Hell. Parris says that a lot of people in Salem need to hear more about Hell
because he hasn’t been properly compensated for his job based on his
qualifications. He then implies that Proctor is the leader of a faction against
him in the church. Proctor is unaware of the existence of this faction, but he says
he would gladly join it because he’s fed up with Parris’ superiority complex. 

He expects Giles Corey to be on his side, but Giles unexpectedly suports Parris
because he thinks there may be something to the witchcraft hypothesis. Giles has
been in court six times that year for various lawsuits. He says that everyone
has been suing each other left and right, so there must be some sort of dark
magic going on behind the scenes. Proctor points out that Giles is the cause of
many of these suits because he is always suing people for defamation for no
reason. Proctor and Putnam argue briefly about who owns a certain tract of land
near the woods where Proctor plans on gathering lumber. It turns out that there is
a lot of ambiguity in Salem over who owns which tracts of land because in his
will Putnam’s grandfather claimed land that he didn’t actually own. 

Reverend Hale enters the room with a stack of academic books. He speaks
briefly with everyone, and it’s clear that he’s well-respected. Hale views the
investigation of witchcraft as serious scientific inquiry. He makes everyone
agree not to push the issue if he doesn’t find anything pointing to the Devil’s
work. He brought the books because they explain all the different forms the Devil can
take. With this information on hand, he's sure that he can find out whether Betty's
illness is linked to the work of Satan. Rebecca Nurse is skeptical of the whole
situation, and she leaves the room before Hale begins his investigation. Giles tries
to consult Hale about his wife, Martha, who he says has been reading strange
books. He is worried that this might signify something sinister because he was
unable to say his prayers while she was reading. Hale is somewhat intrigued and
says they can discuss the issue later. 

Hale addresses Betty, asking her if someone is bewitching her. Betty does not
respond to his questions at first. Abigail is pressed with more questions about
what exactly was going on in the woods. Parris says that when he came upon the
girls, he saw that they had a kettle with a frog in it. Faced with this damning evidence
of black magic, Abigail admits that Tituba called the Devil. Tituba is dragged into
the room to face these charges. Immediately, Abigail places all the blame on her,
claiming that Tituba made her drink chicken blood from the kettle. Tituba
protests that Abigail was the one who instigated the meeting in the woods, but she is
drowned out by further accusations from Abigail. Parris and Hale also talk over her
attempts to explain herself. 

Parris says Tituba must confess to what she’s done or he will whip her to
death, and Putnam says she must be hung. Tituba is terrified, so she breaks
down and says the Devil forced her to work for him. She claims someone else is
bewitching Betty because she’s seen other people with the Devil. Putnam, Parris,

5
and Hale encourage her to tell them who she has seen (and plant the names of
Goody Good and Goody Osburn in her mind as potential witches). They claim that
after renouncing her allegiance to the Devil, she is now God’s instrument in the
village sent to help them uncover the full extent of his Satanic plot.

Tituba says the Devil told her to kill Reverend Parris, and he promised her a better
life if she worked for him. She claims that she saw Goody Good (Sarah Good)
and Goody Osburn (Sarah Osburn) with the Devil. Goody Osburn was Ann
Putnam’s midwife three times, so this accusation confirms the Putnams' suspicions
that witchcraft was involved in the deaths of their babies. Abigail soon chimes in
with her own hysterical set of confessions, claiming that she saw the Devil and
wrote in his book. Abigail adds more people to the list of the accused. Betty
suddenly wakes up and joins her in shouting out additional accusations. Hale
and Parris rejoice at Betty's apparent miraculous recovery. Putnam summons the
marshal so that they can arrest the witches and bring them to justice. 

The Devil apparently has some kind of special friendship book that he makes people
sign when they join his crew. Adorable.

The Crucible Act 1 Quotes

In this section, I'll go over a few quotes that I think are important in establishing
the themes and characterizations that emerge in Act 1.

6
 “I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and
now, just now when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you
compromise my very character.” (Reverend Parris pg. 11)
This quote shows the gravity with which Parris views his position in the town and the
degree of authority he thinks should accompany it. He’s less focused on spreading
the word of God than on exploiting his position as a religious authority so he
can gain greater power in the community. Now his reputation may be ruined,
which means he’ll be back to square one and have to rebuild the control he has
worked so hard to acquire. 

“My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody
Proctor is a gossiping liar!” (Abigail Williams pg. 12) 
The value of a person's name is a recurring topic in The Crucible. Reputation is
hugely important to these characters because it’s inextricably linked to
respect and power in a highly interdependent community. Here Abigail shifts the
focus away from her own reputation by trashing the reputation of Goody Proctor. If
she can convince people that Goody Proctor is not to be trusted, the rumors about
her own sins will lose credibility.

“Now look you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam’s dead
sisters. And that is all. And mark this. Let either of you [Mary and Betty] breathe a
word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the
black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will
shudder you. And you know I can do it; I saw Indians smash my dear parents’
heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at
night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down!” (Abigail
Williams pg. 19)
Abigail threatens the other girls (Mary Warren, Betty and Mercy Lewis) with violence
if they dare tell anyone that she tried to kill Goody Proctor with black magic. This
quote tells us that Abigail has experienced severe emotional trauma in the
past that almost certainly affects her current mental state. It also gives us a
taste of how far she’s willing to go to achieve her desired outcome and/or exact
revenge. 

She also sets the entire blame on Tituba and Ruth Putnam as to have conjured the
spirits of the seven Putnam babies. This lie would allow Abigail and others to go scot
free of practicing witchcraft in the woods. 

“I look for John Proctor who took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my
heart! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew what lying lessons I
was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you
bid me tear the light out of my eyes?” (Abigail Williams pg. 22)
Abigail pleads with John Proctor to continue their affair, which she feels has
enlightened her to the hypocrisy that permeates Salem’s culture. She can’t go back

7
to her ignorant state after she’s already seen the light, and the affair is the only
outlet available to her to feel special and different within a community where
she has little power or outlets for honest expression. After John's rejection, her
angst will find another, even more destructive path to follow.

“There are wheels within wheels in the village, and fires within fires!” (Ann Putnam
pg. 26) 
Ann Putnam says this because she’s convinced that there are supernatural Satanic
forces conspiring against her that have led to her family misfortunes. However, this
quote has a much broader secular meaning that applies to the events in the play
overall. There are all kinds of underlying motivations that trigger accusations
of witchcraft in Salem. Petty vengeance, greed, and jealousy are festering
beneath the surface of an outwardly respectable community, and they’re about
to find their release. 

“We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise; the marks of his
presence are definite as stone, and I must tell you all that I shall not proceed
unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of Hell upon her.”
(Reverend Hale pg. 35)
From our modern viewpoint, this quote is a very strong example of
irony. By searching for marks of the Devil’s presence in the first place, Hale has
already subscribed to superstition. People are also condemned throughout the rest
of the play for involvement with the Devil when there’s absolutely no hard evidence
besides the word of one other person. Hale's adherence to scientific principles will
give him just enough insight to see the injustices that have been committed in Salem
after it's too late for him to turn back the tide of hysteria. 

One is not sure what Hale expected to find.

8
The Crucible Act 1  
Irony

Irony and hypocrisy are recurring concepts in The Crucible. There are several
exchanges in Act 1 that are rife with irony. Abigail claims that John Proctor opened
her eyes to the pretenses of Salem (pg. 22). She realized all the lies she’d been told
by people who supposedly adhered to the conventions of respectable
society. However, in distress from Proctor’s refusal to acknowledge their
relationship, Abigail creates her own lies that give her increased control over
the society she resents. By putting on a false front to advance her status and get
what she wants, she becomes just like the hypocrites she claims to despise. 

The most prominent example of dramatic irony in this act is the quote from Hale (pg.
35) that was explained in the last section. Hale claims that they must avoid
superstition and hasty conclusions in their investigation of Betty’s affliction. We, the
modern audience, know that searching for "the Devil's marks" as the potential
cause of an ailment is an inherently superstitious practice. Hale, however, is
convinced that a scientific inquiry based only on facts and reality can be conducted
to detect a supernatural presence.     

The Crucible Act 1 Summary: Conclusion

In Act 1 of The Crucible, the roots of the witch hysteria are established, and we learn
critical background information about many of the characters. Let's do a super short
bullet point recap of the important plot points:

 The play is set in the town of Salem, MA, and the year is 1692.
 Betty Parris, a young girl, is sick, but no one can figure out why.
 Rumors spread around town that she's been bewitched.
 Betty's dad is Reverend Parris, the new-ish church leader in Salem, who
is paranoid about his reputation amongst the townspeople.
 Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris' teenage niece and Betty's cousin, is
questioned by Parris about the cause of Betty's illness.
 He knows that Abigail, Betty, and Parris' slave, Tituba, were dancing in
the woods the night before and perhaps conducting some kind of ritual.
 Abigail claims there was no witchcraft involved.
 Abigail had an affair with a farmer named John Proctor while serving in
his house, and she's still into him, but he wants to forget it ever happened.
 Betty says that Abigail tried to put a curse on John's wife, Elizabeth
Proctor, in order to kill her and take her place, but no one else knows
about this, and Abigail warns her to keep quiet.
 Reverend Hale, the church leader from the town of Beverley, is
summoned to examine Betty because he's an expert on witchcraft.

9
  Tituba is accused of calling the Devil in the woods based on Abigail's
testimony, and she confesses under pressure from Hale.
 Tituba names Goody Good and Goody Osburn as fellow witches after
their names are suggested.
 Abigail plays the victim and accuses more women of witchcraft.
 Betty wakes up and makes accusations of her own, following Abigail's lead.

In Act 2, you can look forward to learning more about the state of the Proctors'
marriage and just how crazy things have gotten in Salem in the weeks after the initial
accusations. Also, John Proctor throws a few more tantrums borne of emotional
immaturity, so get PUMPED.

The Crucible Act 2 Summary

Act 2 of The Crucible takes us to the Proctor household, where we learn just how
crazy things have gotten in Salem after the initial flood of accusations. We'll also find
out the extent to which John Proctor's relationship with Elizabeth has suffered after
his affair. By the end of Act 2, characters who were thought to be beyond reproach
will find themselves in mortal peril as a result of unchecked hysteria.

The first is a short summary intended for quick review of the plot, and the second is a
long summary (the "oops I didn't read it" summary) for those of you who want more
specific details on exactly what happened, including smaller side conversations and
minor plot points. 

The Crucible Act 2 Summary — Short Version

John and Elizabeth discuss the trials in Salem, and they both realize things are
getting out of hand (though John still believes the court would never actually hang
anyone). Elizabeth tells John he has to go into town and inform them that
Abigail is lying. John's hesitance leads to an argument rooted in his affair and the
lack of trust that continues to pervade their marriage.

10
Mary Warren, who went to Salem to testify against the Proctors' wishes,
returns to the house and gives Elizabeth a poppet (doll) she made in
court. Mary reveals that Elizabeth was accused in court, but she spoke up in her
defense. It's clear that Abigail is accusing Elizabeth because she hopes to take her
place as John Proctor's wife. This leads to another argument where Elizabeth urges
John to tell Abigail that there's absolutely no possibility of them ever being
together.

Hale arrives and questions the Proctors about their religious devotion based on
the accusations levied against Elizabeth. John tells him that the girls are frauds,
and Hale actually starts to doubt the validity of the accusers' claims. Giles Corey and
Francis Nurse come to the house in distress, revealing that both of their wives have
been arrested for witchcraft. Then, Ezekiel Cheever and Marshal Herrick arrive
with a warrant for Elizabeth's arrest. They find the doll that Mary gave her and
notice that it has a needle stuck in it. This matches up with the "attack" on Abigail
allegedly perpetrated by Elizabeth's spirit.

Proctor gets Mary to tell the truth about the doll. She says that she made it in court
and stuck the needle in herself with Abigail sitting right next to her. However, the
authorities are not convinced by this story. Proctor tears up the arrest warrant in
frustration, but Elizabeth agrees to go peacefully.

When everyone else has left, Proctor tells Mary that she must testify on
Elizabeth's behalf in court. Mary is terrified to do this because she knows that
Abigail will turn the rest of the court against her. Proctor begins to feel a sort of
relief because he senses that he and all the other hypocrites are finally being
punished for their sins.

Judgment, both internal and

external, is a constant throughout The Crucible.

11
The Crucible Act 2 Summary —"Oops, I Didn't Read
It" Version
Act 2 takes place at the Proctor household eight days after Act 1. Elizabeth
Proctor serves John dinner, and they chat about his day. There's some tension
between them because of the lingering effects of John's affair with Abigail. Elizabeth
says that Mary Warren went to Salem that day, and John is angry because he
forbid her to go. Elizabeth claims she tried to stop her, but Mary insisted on
participating in the court proceedings.

Elizabeth then reveals the full extent of the situation in Salem to John. Four
judges have been summoned from Boston to preside over the trials, and fourteen
people are jailed on accusations of witchcraft. Abigail has been exercising a great
deal of power in court and continues to feign being attacked by witches. Elizabeth
says John must go to Salem to tell the court that Abigail is a fraud. He has
some reservations because it will be his word against hers. She thinks he wouldn't
be so hesitant to do this if he had to discredit a different girl. John gets angry that
Elizabeth still won't fully trust him around Abigail, and he feels liks he's always
being judged. Elizabeth points out that it's really his internal guilt about the affair
that's making him feel judged.

At this point, Mary arrives back from Salem appearing drained from the day's
proceedings. She gives Elizabeth a poppet (a rag doll, essentially) that she made
in court. Mary tells the Proctors that there are now 39 people arrested. She
breaks down and starts crying. Mary reveals that Goody Osburn is set to hang, but
Sarah Good confessed, so she will live. Mary is genuinely convinced that Sarah
Good tried to kill her by sending out her spirit. She then claims to remember other
times that she was bewitched by Sarah Good. Sarah Good was ultimately
condemned after being unable to recite her commandments.

Mary insists on going back to court the next day because she feels that she's doing
God's work. John Proctor tries to whip Mary for her insolence, but Mary
interjects that she saved Elizabeth's life by defending her against accusations
in court. Proctor dismisses Mary. After this, Elizabeth is pretty sure that Abigail
wants her dead. She thinks Abigail is trying to take her place as Proctor's wife and
will continue to accuse her until she is arrested. Proctor tries to allay these
suspicions even though he knows that she's probably right. Elizabeth insists that
John go to Abigail and tell her explicitly that there is no possibility of them
ever being together in the future. John gets angry (again) that Elizabeth presumes
that he's still attached to Abigail and is leading her on in some way.

At this point, Reverend Hale arrives at the house to speak with the Proctors
about the accusations made against Elizabeth. He has just come from
questioning Rebecca Nurse, who was accused despite her solid reputation in town.
Hale asks why John doesn't go to church often, and he says it's because his wife
has been sick and he dislikes Parris' displays of materialism. Hale asks Proctor to
say his commandments, and, ironically, the only one he forgets is adultery. Hale is
not satisfied.

12
Elizabeth insists that John tell Hale that the girls are faking. After hearing what
Proctor has to say, Hale starts to doubt the accusers as well. Still, Proctor balks
at testifying in court because the atmosphere sounds so hysterical ("I falter nothing,
but I may wonder if my story will be credited in such a court." pg. 65). Elizabeth says
she actually doesn't believe in witches at all, and Hale is taken aback because
witches are specifically mentioned in the Bible.

Giles Corey enters the house accompanied by Francis Nurse. They reveal to
Hale and the Proctors that their wives have been arrested and sent to
jail. Rebecca Nurse is suspected of murdering Ann Putnam's babies. Hale says if
Rebecca Nurse has fallen under the control of the Devil, no one is safe. Corey now
realizes he made a mistake by voicing his suspicions about his wife's reading habits
in the previous act. The man who accused Martha Corey bought a pig from her that
died soon after. He was bitter that Martha wouldn't refund him the money, so to get
revenge he accused her of casting spells with her books.

Ezekiel Cheever and Marshal Herrick then arrive at the house. They have a
warrant for Elizabeth Proctor's arrest, and they confirm that she was accused
by Abigail. Cheever orders Elizabeth to hand over any dolls she has in the house.
Elizabeth is confused and says she hasn't had dolls since she was a kid. She forgot
about the one Mary gave her earlier, which Cheever sees and examines. John
Proctor tells Elizabeth to go get Mary so she can confirm that the doll was a
gift. Cheever finds a needle in the doll, which he takes as proof of Elizabeth's
guilt. Abigail fell on the floor screaming at dinner and pulled a needle out of her
stomach, claiming that Elizabeth's familiar spirit stabbed her.

Mary and Elizabeth return, and Mary admits she made the doll in court while
Abigail was sitting next to her. John Proctor thinks that this makes it pretty clear
that Abigail is lying, but it's not enough for Hale to discount the "proof." Hale warns
Mary that she's making severe accusations against Abigail.

Proctor is fed up with the court's blind trust in Abigail and the other accusers.
He rips up the arrest warrant and tells everyone to leave. Elizabeth sees that
there is no way out of the current situation and agrees to go with the marshal
to avoid a scene. John promises to bring her back soon and calls Hale a coward for
being too passive about the situation. Hale counsels patience and reason so that
they can get to the bottom of what's really happening.

Everyone exits the house except Mary and John Proctor. Proctor tells Mary she
must testify in court about the real story behind the doll. She is concerned about
Abigail's potential reaction. Mary knows about the affair, and she thinks Abigail
will come clean about it and ruin Proctor's reputation if Mary tries to discredit
her. Mary also believes that the court will turn against her if she tells the
truth. Proctor is adamant that Elizabeth will not die for his mistakes with Abigail
and starts getting aggressive with Mary to scare her into telling the truth. Mary
continues to insist that she can't testify because of the potential
consequences.

13
 Does your target always get stabbed with the
same implement that you used to poke the voodoo doll? And does that mean you
can only use voodoo dolls to give people you hate superficial puncture wounds?
Luckily for Abigail, no one is in the right state of mind to care about how little sense
all of this makes.

The Crucible Act 2 Quotes

This section lists the most important quotes in Act 2 with short explanations for
each that elaborate on their significance.

"I have not moved from there to there without I think to please you, and still an
everlasting funeral marches round your heart. I cannot speak but I am doubted,
every moment judged for lies, as though I come into a court when I come into this
house!" (John Proctor pg. 52)
In this quote, John Proctor criticizes his wife for continuing to mistrust him after he
ended things with Abigail. He claims that "an everlasting funeral marches round
[her] heart," meaning that she insists on continuing to mourn for the damage
the affair did to their relationship rather than allowing him to repair it. He feels
that Elizabeth is constantly suspicious of him now, to the point where he can't do
anything without being judged. In fact, Elizabeth doesn't show many signs of
being overly judgmental of John (she's actually doing pretty well considering
he just had an affair with a teenager), and most of these issues are a projection
of his own guilt.

14
 "I do not judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you." (Elizabeth
Proctor pg. 52)
The real court in Salem is mirrored by a metaphorical court within the mind of John
Proctor. Here, Elizabeth points out that John is his own harshest judge. If
anyone is judging him, it's a mini-John Proctor with a judge wig banging a tiny gavel
right on his heart strings. Since he's unable to forgive himself for the affair, he
projects his guilt onto her even when she's not acting particularly judgmental.

"I am amazed you do not see what weighty work we do." (Mary Warren pg. 56)
Mary uses "weighty" as a synonym for "important" or "vital." She feels that
she's doing God's work, and she is given a sense of purpose and duty through her
participation in the trials. In a sense, the trials really are "weighty work" because
they overhaul the entire community. They provide an outlet for the repressed
resentments and jealousies that were simmering under the surface.

"Theology, sir, is a fortress; no crack in the fortress may be accounted small."

(Reverend Hale pg. 64)
This quote from Hale is a testament to the power of the church in this community and
the perception of religion at the time. There is an "either you're with us or you're
against us" mentality that encourages persecution of anyone who deviates
even slightly from accepted Christian behavior. One misstep can derail a
reputation completely, so everyone is eager to conform out of concerns for self-
preservation.

"There is a misty plot afoot so subtle we should be criminal to cling to old respects
and ancient friendships. I have seen too many frightful proofs in court - the Devil is
alive in Salem, and we dare not quail to follow wherever the accusing finger
points!" (Reverend Hale pg. 68)
This quote from Hale sums up the atmosphere of hysteria that has emerged in
Salem. Everyone is afraid to question any of the accusers because that might
mean falling for the Devil's tricks. They feel that the consequences of doubting
these accusations could be more dire than the risk of having some innocent people
caught up in the mix. Reputation has been conquered by paranoia.

Both Parris and Hale will cite different theological examples over the course of
the play where someone who was once thought to be virtuous turned out to be
evil. In this case, it's "Man, remember, until an hour before the Devil fell, God
thought him beautiful in Heaven" (Reverend Hale pg. 68). In the next act, Parris will
say "You should surely know that Cain were an upright man, and yet he did kill Abel"
(Reverend Parris pg. 85). On some occasions in the Bible, people who were
thought to be good turned out to be bad. This shaky precedent is extrapolated

15
to the current situation and gives the church leaders reason to mistrust even
the most well-reputed citizens of Salem.

"Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always
holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God's fingers? I'll tell you
what's walking Salem - vengeance is walking Salem. We are what we always
were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the
kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!" (John Proctor pg. 73)
John is incredibly frustrated because the accusers are all taken at their word, and the
accused are denied a fair opportunity to defend themselves. He points out that many
of these accusations are clearly driven by revenge. Though that desire for
vengeance was always there within the people of Salem, it has only now begun to
affect judicial processes and societal power structures in dramatic ways. "The little
crazy children" are the accusers, mostly teenage girls who previously had no
power in Salem. They are now "jangling the keys of the kingdom," or testing
their ability to provoke widespread chaos that favors their own agendas.

"Now Hell and heaven grapple on our backs, and all our old pretense is ripped
away - make your peace! Peace. It is a providence, and no great change; we are
only what we always were, but naked now." (John Proctor pg. 76)
This an aside John makes to himself at the end of Act 2. He views the witch trials
as an unveiling of the true nature of the people of Salem. No one has suddenly
become vengeful, paranoid, and unjust - they were always like this underneath
a shallow layer of decorum. Proctor has also been burdened by the secret of his
affair with Abigail and the guilt he has about it. He sees himself as an immoral
person, and he is relieved in a certain sense that he's about to be exposed for the
hypocrite he is so his sins will stop eating him up inside.

John was referring to his two cats, Heaven and Hell.

Metaphorical pet names were all the rage in 17th century New England.

The Crucible Act 2  
16
Irony

This act sees one of the most blatant examples of irony in the play. When John is
asked to recite the ten commandments, the only one he forgets is the one
most applicable to him, adultery ("Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife."). This
shows how hard John is trying to repress his guilt. He hopes to leave the affair in the
past and pretend it never happened, but he can't ignore the impact it has had on his
relationship with Elizabeth, his sense of self-worth, and Abigail's psyche.

Even before his

arrest (spoiler alert), John is a prisoner of his own guilt. He probably deserves it.

The Crucible Act 2 Summary Conclusion

In Act 2, the situation in Salem goes from worrisome to straight up
horrifying. It becomes clear just how far the characters are willing to go to protect
themselves against the town's burgeoning hysteria (even if it means setting others
on a path to the gallows). 

 Elizabeth informs John that more people have been arrested, and he needs to
go to Salem to tell the court that Abigail is a fraud.
 Mary returns from Salem after participating in the trials and gives Elizabeth a
ragdoll she made in court.
 Mary tells the Proctors that Elizabeth was mentioned briefly, but the
accusations were dismissed thanks to Mary's favorable testimony.

17
  Elizabeth knows Abigail will continue to accuse her until something sticks, and
she tells John he has to go directly to Abigail and tell her that they're NEVER
gonna be a thing.
 Hale warily questions the Proctors about their skimpy church attendance, and
John tells him Abigail is a fraud. Hale has fleeting doubts about the legitimacy
of the girls' accusations.
 Francis Nurse and Giles Corey come to the house and say that their wives
have been arrested.
 Then, Ezekiel Cheever and Marshal Herrick arrive with a warrant for
Elizabeth's arrest.
 They find a needle in the doll Mary gave Elizabeth that corresponds to the
needle that Elizabeth's familiar spirit supposedly used to stab Abigail.
 Elizabeth goes with them peacefully after realizing she can't prove her
innocence.
 John angrily insists that Mary must tell the court Abigail is lying.
 Mary says she's too scared of the consequences and doesn't think she can do
it.

This is all a set-up for the heightened drama of Act 3. John Proctor is prepared to
tell the whole truth about Abigail to save his wife and the rest of the accused, but will
that be enough to stem the tide of witch-related hysteria? Hint: no.

The Crucible Act 3 Summary

In Act 3 of The Crucible, we meet the judges who have been conducting the witch
trials. John Proctor and Mary Warren finally confront the court with the truth, but, as
you'll see, the truth has limited currency when it doesn't align with what people have
already chosen to believe.

The Crucible Act 3 Summary — Short Version

18
Judge Hathorne is questioning Martha Corey off-stage. Giles Corey interrupts
the proceedings to defend his wife, and he is dragged into a room off of the
court (on stage) by Marshal Herrick. They are accompanied by Judge Hathorne,
Governor Danforth, Reverend Parris and Reverend Hale, Francis Nurse, and Ezekiel
Cheever.

After a short discussion where the truth of the accusers’ claims is disputed by
Francis Nurse and Giles Corey, Mary Warren and John Proctor enter the room. Mary
admits to Danforth that she and the other girls were faking the whole
time. Danforth is not convinced that this is the truth based on the evidence of
witchcraft he's seen in court (people being choked by familiar spirits and slashed with
daggers).

Proctor presents a petition signed by 91 people who are willing to vouch for
the good character of Elizabeth Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, and Martha
Corey. Danforth orders warrants drawn up for all the people who signed the petition.
Proctor then presents a statement from Giles Corey where Corey testifies that
Thomas Putnam encouraged his daughter, Ruth Putnam, to make accusations
against George Jacobs so Putnam could snatch up Jacobs’ land. However,
Giles refuses to reveal who gave him this information, so he is arrested for contempt
of court and his accusations are dismissed.

Finally, Proctor gives Danforth Mary Warren’s statement where she admits in

writing that she and the other girls were faking. The girls are brought in from the
courtroom for questioning by Danforth. Abigail denies Mary’s accusations. The
judges doubt Mary even more when she is unable to pretend to faint like she says
she did in the courtroom. Abigail then says she feels a spirit in the room, which
enrages Proctor. He calls her a whore and admits that they had an affair so that
she will be discredited. Danforth brings Elizabeth Proctor in for questioning on this
issue, but she covers up the affair to protect John’s reputation. She is unaware that
he has already confessed. John’s accusations are subsequently dismissed.

Abigail claims to see a bird on the rafters that she insists is Mary Warren’s spirit
poised to attack her. The other girls follow Abigail’s lead and gang up on Mary. A
terrified Mary breaks down under the pressure of these accusations and
confesses that John forced her to work for the Devil. Proctor and Corey are
arrested, and Hale quits the court in disgust at this blatant display of irrationality.  

19
 You probably saw this
coming. John Proctor wasn't going to get away with being so Devilishly handsome
for much longer (ew sorry).

The Crucible Act 3 Summary — Long Version

This act takes place in the vestry room of Salem meeting house, which is right
outside the courtroom. The audience hears Judge Hathorne questioning
Martha Corey off stage (in court). He asks her a series of leading questions in an
attempt to get her to confess to witchcraft. Giles Corey tries to interrupt, claiming
that the accusations are just a product of Thomas Putnam’s greed for
land. Giles is dragged from the courtroom and into the vestry room (on stage) by
Marshal Herrick. They are followed by Francis Nurse, Reverend Hale, Judge
Hathorne, Deputy Governor Danforth, Ezekiel Cheever and Reverend
Parris. Danforth admonishes Giles for interrupting the court proceedings. He
insists that if Giles wishes to submit evidence in his wife’s defense, he must follow
procedure and submit an affidavit. Francis Nurse says he has proof that the girls
are frauds. This claim is disturbing to Danforth because he has already condemned
many people based on their testimony. 

At this time, John Proctor leads Mary Warren into the vestry room. Mary doesn’t
speak at first, but Proctor tells Danforth that she has signed a deposition indicating
that she never saw any spirits. Mary hesitantly tells Danforth that the girls were
faking the whole time. Danforth warns Proctor that he had better be sure this new
evidence is truthful and questions him about his intentions. Proctor says he has no
desire to undermine the court, and his only goal is to save his wife.   

Cheever reveals that Proctor tore up the arrest warrant when they came to take
his wife, and Danforth becomes suspicious again. He asks Proctor a couple of
questions about his religious devotion and his lapses in church attendance, and
Proctor reiterates that he hasn’t been to church lately because he hates
Parris. Danforth still feels that the girls must be telling the truth because he's seen
them stabbed with pins and choked by spirits in court. Proctor counters by pointing
out how weird it is that all these people who always had great reputations are now

20
suddenly being accused of witchcraft. Danforth and Hawthorne then tell John that
Elizabeth is pregnant, meaning they will spare her at least until the child is
born. Proctor refuses to drop his accusations of perjury against the girls even though
his wife is safe. His friends' wives are still in danger, and he is determined to expose
Abigail as a liar. 

Danforth agrees to look at Proctor’s evidence, which is a petition signed by 91

respectable people testifying to Rebecca Nurse, Martha Corey, and Elizabeth
Proctor’s good characters. Parris insists that those who signed the petition should
be summoned for questioning. Danforth orders warrants drawn up for their arrest, to
the horror of Francis Nurse, who promised the people who signed the petition that
there would be no negative repercussions for them. Danforth says they should have
nothing to fear if they’re truly good Christians.

Proctor then gives Danforth Giles Corey’s deposition. Corey says that Putnam
told his daughter, Ruth, to accuse George Jacobs of witchcraft so Putnam
could take Jacobs’ land. However, Corey refuses to tell Danforth the name of the
person who gave him this information, and when Putnam is asked directly, he denies
it. Hale says that Giles can’t be faulted for preserving the anonymity of his informant
because everyone in town is terrified of the court. Danforth insists that innocent
people have no reason to be afraid. Giles is placed under arrest for contempt of
court. 

Proctor tries to calm everyone down and gives Mary Warren’s deposition to
Danforth. It states that she never saw the Devil or any other spirits, and the other
girls are lying. Before Danforth takes the deposition, Hale tries to talk him into letting
a lawyer argue Proctor’s evidence in court rather than asking Proctor to defend it
alone. Danforth says witchcraft is an invisible crime, so the witch and the victim are
the only real witnesses. That means only the victim is left for reliable testimony in
court (since obviously the witch can't be trusted), so lawyers are unnecessary. 

Upon reading the deposition, Danforth asks Mary if Proctor threatened her to get
her to change her testimony. Mary says no, she is telling the truth
now. Danforth orders the other girls brought into the room. Danforth informs them of
the charges Mary has made against them, and Abigail denies Mary’s accusations
vehemently. Proctor points out that there’s no reason for Mary to make these claims
unless she’s telling the truth. He urges Mary to tell Danforth about the girls dancing
in the woods. Parris is forced to admit that he discovered them dancing, and Hale
corroborates. Danforth is disturbed by this information and becomes less trusting of
Abigail.

Hathorne then questions Mary about her past behavior in court in light of her new
testimony. Mary says she was faking when she fainted in court before. Hathorne
and Parris tell Mary to pretend to faint again right now if she’s such a good
actress. Mary is unable to pretend to faint outside of the courtroom
environment.

Danforth asks Abigail if it’s possible that the spirits could have been all in her
head. Abigail is insulted by these accusations, pointing out how much she has
suffered at the hands of witches. She stops talking suddenly and claims to feel a

21
spirit in the room. The other girls imitate her. Danforth buys into the act and
immediately suspects Mary of witchcraft, which is Abigail’s intention. Mary tries to
run away, fearing for her life if the other girls accuse her. Proctor stops Mary
from leaving and grabs Abigail by the hair in fury, calling her a whore. He admits to
their affair and explains that Abigail accused his wife of witchcraft because
she wants to be with him. Danforth is horrified, and Abigail refuses to respond to
the accusations, which disturbs Danforth even further. 

Danforth orders Elizabeth Proctor brought in for questioning on this issue

after John insists that Elizabeth is incapable of lying. John and Abigail are both
forced to turn their backs to her as she is questioned, so she doesn't know that John
has already confessed to the affair. Elizabeth says she dismissed Abigail because
she was suspicious of Abigail’s close relationship with her husband. When
questioned further, she lies and says that her suspicions were unfounded to
protect John's reputation. Danforth takes this as proof that Proctor is lying
about the affair and dismisses Elizabeth. Hale points out that it makes complete
sense that Elizabeth would lie to protect her husband’s reputation. He believes
Proctor is telling the truth. 

Abigail prevents further rational conversation by pretending to see and talk to

a bird that she claims is Mary Warren’s spirit. All the girls start repeating
everything Mary says. Danforth once again is convinced by this charade. He
pressures Mary to confess that she’s in league with the Devil. Mary is terrified for
her life, so she blurts out that Proctor is the Devil’s man and has coerced her
into witchcraft (to be fair, he did pressure her into changing her
testimony). Danforth asks Proctor a couple of accusatory questions. 

Proctor condemns Danforth for contributing to fear and ignorance by failing to

expose the girls as frauds. He also blames himself for hesitating to come
forward with the truth. He sees that the darker tendencies within himself and
others have led to this calamity, and they will all go to Hell in the end. Danforth
orders Proctor and Corey arrested and sent to jail. Hale is disgusted with the way
Danforth has conducted the investigation and refuses to be a part of the proceedings
any longer.

The Crucible Act 3 Quotes

Here's a list of the key quotes that are most relevant to the thematic
developments that unfold in Act 3 with explanations and the significance of each
in context.  

“But you must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be
counted against it, there be no road between. This is a sharp time, now, a precise
time - we live no longer in the dusky afternoon when evil mixed itself with good
and befuddled the world.”

22
 Danforth, pg. 87
Here, Danforth affirms the black and white nature of the court’s
viewpoint. Anyone who isn’t fully supportive of the court's actions is considered
suspicious. The judges can’t afford to have any ambiguity or doubt infecting
their decisions because their authority will suffer overall. To maintain control,
they seek to create an illusion of precision in the sentencing process. It’s an illusion
created as much for themselves as for the rest of Salem. They want to feel secure in
the knowledge that they’re doing the right thing, and they can only do that by
completely crushing all of their uncertainties.  

“In an ordinary crime, how does one defend the accused? One calls up witnesses
to prove his innocence. But witchcraft is ipso facto, on its face and by its nature,
an invisible crime, is it not? Therefore, who may possibly be witness to it? The
witch and the victim. None other. Now we cannot hope the witch will accuse
herself; granted? Therefore, we must rely upon her victims - and they do testify,
the children certainly do testify. As for the witches, none will deny that we are
most eager for all their confessions. Therefore, what is left for a lawyer to bring
out?”

Danforth, pg. 93
This quote shows Danforth’s rationale for the way these trials have been
conducted. It gives us insight into the twisted logic that court officials have adopted in
the face of hysteria. Since the crime is invisible, there are no unbiased witnesses
available; the only people who can testify to what really happened are the “witch”
and her victim. This means every case is inevitably a he-said-she-said
situation where the accused person is immediately mistrusted and coerced into
confessing without any chance to defend herself. The terror surrounding
witchcraft and the Devil is so great that officials ignore the fact that the
accusers might have reasons to lie about their experiences.    

“I heard the other girls screaming and you, your honor, you seemed to believe
them, and I - It were only sport in the beginning, sir, but then the whole world cried
spirits, spirits, and I - I promise you, Mr. Danforth, I only thought I saw them but I
did not.”

Mary Warren, pg. 100

Mary Warren attempts to explain her actions earlier in the play with limited success.
She is faced with skepticism from the judges after such a drastic change in her
testimony. There’s no consideration of the psychological elements at play in all
of the girls’ testimony and how peer pressure and the approval of powerful
adults might encourage their behavior. Mary tries to describe getting swept up in
the experience of being in the courtroom. All of her friends were screaming about
witches, Danforth believed them, and then the town believed them as well. It’s easy

23
to see how a person like Mary, who is portrayed as an impressionable follower,
would mirror the actions and beliefs of others to fit in and feel valued.

“A fire, a fire is burning! I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! And it is my
face, and yours, Danforth! For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I
have quailed, and as you quail now when you know in all your black hearts that
this be fraud - God damns our kind especially, and we will burn, we will burn
together!”

Proctor, pg. 111

John Proctor is at his wit’s end by the time this act is over because he’s so frustrated
with the way the court officials have chosen to shut their eyes to the lies being told
right in front of them. This has become a matter of pride for them. They don’t have
any real desire for justice; they just want to be proven right. John describes a
vision of Hell in which the Devil’s face is merely a reflection of his own face
and the faces of all the others who have allowed this tragedy to happen. He
delayed disclosing his knowledge of Abigail’s lies to the court, and the officials
continued to trust the accusers. They have all actively chosen to encourage
ignorance and paranoia out of self-interest rather than inject critical thinking
and logic into the proceedings. 

There's no turning back now.

 The Crucible Act 3  

Irony
When Hathorne questions Martha Corey, she says she can’t be a witch because "I
know not what a witch is" (pg. 77). Hathorne counters by saying that if she doesn’t
know what a witch is, she can’t know for sure that she isn’t one. While the officials
purport to be on a mission to discover the truth, they’re really just weaving a
narrative out of lies that fit their biases while ignoring everything the accused
person says. 

24
There is also an instance of tragic irony at the end of this act when Elizabeth is
brought in for questioning after John confesses to his affair with Abigail. Not knowing
that he has already confessed, she lies to protect him. She portrays herself as an
irrationally jealous wife, "I came to think he fancied her. And so one night I lost my
wits, I think, and put her out on the highroad" (pg. 105). The one time when the
perpetually honest Elizabeth chose to lie also happened to be the time when it
was most critical for her to tell the truth. Both she and John take actions to
protect each other in different ways, but they end up worsening the situation because
their priorities are misaligned. 

   No one who's in a position to reverse the course of

events figures out the truth of what's lurking under the metaphorical floorboards in
Salem until it's too late.

The Crucible Act 3 Recap

Now for a quick review of what happened in Act 3. Cue bullet points!

 Martha Corey is questioned by Danforth.

 Giles Corey objects to this and argues with the judges, insisting that the
accusations against her are phony.
 Mary and John arrive, and Mary reveals that she didn't actually see any
spirits.
 John presents a petition as evidence of the good character of Elizabeth
Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, and Martha Corey, but it backfires; Danforth has
warrants drawn up for the signees.
 Giles informs Danforth that Thomas Putnam told Ruth Putnam to accuse
George Jacobs so Putnam could get Jacobs' land.
 However, Giles won't reveal who told him this, so he's arrested for contempt
of court.
 Danforth reviews Mary's deposition where she testifies that the girls were
faking.
 The girls are brought in and questioned, and Abigail denies the accusations.
 Mary is unable to pretend to faint on command, which makes Danforth, Parris,
and Hathorne doubt her revised testimony. 

25
  John admits to his affair with Abigail in desperation, but the usually truthful
Elizabeth does not corroborate his claims because she doesn't know he's
already confessed.
 Abigail and the other girls act like they are being bewitched by Mary, who
accuses John of working for the Devil out of fear that she will be condemned
by the court.
 John Proctor and Giles Corey are arrested, and Hale quits the court. 

Act 3 makes it clear that the court officials are not willing to see
reason. However, there's still a question of who will ultimately face the death penalty
over these false accusations and what the fallout of the trials will be in Salem. All this
and more will be revealed in Act 4, the final chapter.

Act 4 gives us the exciting conclusion to this saga of madness. How are the citizens
of Salem and their governing officials dealing with the fallout from the trials? Will the
"witches" falsely confess to avoid execution? Does John Proctor still, like, totally hate
himself? Act 4 answers all these questions. This section includes key quotes from
the final act of The Crucible.

The Crucible Act 4 Summary—Short Version

Act 4 opens with Herrick removing Tituba and Sarah Good from a jail cell so
the court officials can hold a meeting there. Reverend Hale and Reverend Parris
are off praying with the other condemned prisoners, which is unsettling to Danforth
and Hathorne. When Parris arrives at the meeting, he explains that Hale is trying to
get the prisoners to confess to their crimes rather than lose their lives needlessly.
He also reveals that Abigail and Mercy Lewis have run away, and they stole his
life's savings.

The authorities then discuss the state of social unrest that has emerged in
Salem after the jailing of so many citizens. Hathorne denies that there is any
possibility of rebellion ("Why at every execution I have seen naught but high
satisfaction in the town" (pg. 117)), but Parris is very concerned about what will
happen if they hang people who are well-respected. Parris has already received
a death threat in the form of a dagger wedged in his doorway. He advises that they
postpone the hangings and continue pushing for confessions, but Danforth
refuses because it would make him look bad.

Hale arrives and says that he hasn't extracted any confessions yet. The one
prisoner who he hasn't talked to is John Proctor. The officials decide that they will
bring in Elizabeth Proctor to speak with him and convince him to confess. Elizabeth
and John are left alone, and Elizabeth informs John of Giles Corey's
death. Giles was pressed to death with heavy stones since he refused to plead guilty
or innocent to the charges of witchcraft. John begs her to tell him whether or not he
should confess. He's leaning towards confessing because he doesn't think very
much of himself and feels his soul is already beyond redemption. He asks for
Elizabeth's forgiveness, but she says her forgiveness doesn't mean anything if he
won't forgive himself. She also places some blame on herself for the way things went

26
down with Abigail. She tells him that only he can decide whether or not to
confess.

John tentatively agrees to confess, but he refuses to name any names and then is
reluctant to sign the confession. He decides he can't go through the rest of his
life after signing his name into disgrace in this permanent way. He snatches the
signed paper away at the last minute and rips it to shreds, thus sealing his
fate. Rebecca Nurse and John are then led off to the gallows by Marshal
Herrick. The others beg Elizabeth to convince him to reconsider, but she refuses to
deprive him of this choice when it's clearly the only way he can break free from his
self-hatred.

"Ain't nobody dope as me I'm dressed so fresh so clean" -John Proctor at the end
of The Crucible

The Crucible Act 4 Summary— Long Version

This act takes place in a jail cell in Salem. Marshal Herrick wakes up the
occupants, Sarah Good and Tituba, to move them to a different cell. The two
women speak of their plans to fly away to Barbados after the Devil comes for them
and transforms them into bluebirds. They mistake the bellowing of a cow for the
arrival of Satan to carry them away (could've happened to anyone). Herrick ushers
them out of the cell as Tituba calls to the Devil to take her home.

Once they leave, Danforth, Hathorne, and Cheever enter the cell, and Herrick
returns to join their meeting. Danforth is disturbed to learn from Herrick
that Reverend Hale has been praying with the prisoners. Reverend Parris is also
supposed to meet with Danforth and Hathorne, so Herrick goes to get him.
Apparently, Parris is praying with Reverend Hale and Rebecca Nurse. It turns out
that Parris told Herrick to allow Hale to see the prisoners.

Danforth is concerned that Parris is acting weird. Hathorne mentions Parris has

had looked a little crazed lately and thinks it might not be wise to allow him amongst
the prisoners. He said good morning to Parris a few days earlier, but Parris just
started crying and walked away. Hathorne is worried about Parris appearing this
27
unstable since he's supposed to be the town's spiritual leader. Cheever says he
thinks Parris' distress is a product of the ongoing property disputes in
town. Abandoned cows are wandering all over the place because their owners are in
jail. Parris has been arguing with farmers about who gets to claim these cows for
days, and he doesn't handle conflict well, so it makes him upset. Parris finally enters
the cell, looking haggard. Danforth and Hathorne immediately criticize him for letting
Hale speak with the prisoners.Parris says Hale is trying to persuade the
prisoners to return to God and save their lives by confessing. Danforth is
surprised, but he welcomes this news.

Parris then reveals why he called this meeting with the court officials. Abigail and
Mercy Lewis disappeared a few days before. Parris says he thinks they've
boarded a ship, and they stole his entire life's savings to pay for passage. He's
been upset lately because he's completely broke. Danforth is exasperated and calls
Parris a fool. Parris says that the next town over, Andover, rejected the witch trial
trend and threw out the court, which has sparked the beginnings of a rebellion in
Salem. Abigail most likely left for fear that people in Salem might turn against
her.

Hathorne doesn't buy into the idea that a rebellion is fomenting in Salem because the
town has been supportive of the executions so far. Parris points out that this is
because all of the people who have been executed up until now had bad reputations
for other reasons (Bridget Bishop lived with a man before marrying him, Isaac Ward's
alcoholism left his family in poverty). Now they're about to hang Rebecca Nurse
and John Proctor, people who are still well-liked and respected in the
community. That's not going to sit well with many of the townspeople. Parris
advises Danforth to postpone the hangings so he and Hale can continue to
push for confessions and avoid social unrest. Danforth is adamant that
everything will proceed as planned. Parris reveals that he has received a death
threat and fears for his life if they don't postpone the executions.

Hale enters the cell, saddened and exhausted, and says he hasn't been able to
get anyone to confess. He begs Danforth to pardon the prisoners or at least give
him more time to bring them around. Danforth insists he can't pardon anyone or
postpone the hangings. Twelve people have already been hung for the same
crime. Pardon or postponement would be unfair and, what's worse, it would make
him look weak.

John Proctor is the only prisoner Hale hasn't spoken to yet. The officials decide to
summon Elizabeth Proctor to see if she will speak to her husband and
persuade him to confess. Hale keeps pushing Danforth to postpone the
executions, arguing that it would show that he is merciful rather than weak, but
Danforth won't change his mind. Hale points out that society in Salem is on the verge
of collapsing because of the upheaval caused by the trials. Danforth asks Hale why
he has even bothered to return to Salem, and Hale says it's because he can't
live with the part he played in condemning innocent people to death. There will
be less blood on his hands if he can get them to confess.

Elizabeth Proctor is led into the cell. Hale begs her to convince her husband to
confess. He says it's better to tell a white lie than to sacrifice a life for pride, but

28
Elizabeth is not convinced ("I think that be the Devil's argument." (pg. 122)). She
agrees to speak with her husband, but she doesn't promise to persuade him to
confess. A ragged John Proctor is escorted in by Marshal Herrick, and he and
Elizabeth are left alone. Elizabeth reveals to John that many people have confessed
to witchcraft, but Giles Corey refused to plead one way or the other on the charges
leveled against him. He was pressed to death by his interrogators, but his sons will
inherit his farm (his property would have been publicly auctioned off if he officially
died a criminal).

Proctor has been contemplating making a confession, and he asks Elizabeth

what she thinks he should do. He feels he has already committed so many sins
that it's stupid for him to bother holding up his integrity on this one point. John says
he has only refrained from confessing out of spite, not nobility. He asks for
Elizabeth's forgiveness. She says he needs to forgive himself first, and her
forgiveness doesn't mean much if he still feels he's a bad person. She blames
herself for pushing him into Abigail's arms and says he shouldn't take responsibility
for her issues as well.

Hathorne returns to the jail cell. Elizabeth tells John that he has to make his own
choice on whether or not to confess. John says he chooses to have his life, and
Hathorne assumes this means he will confess. John asks Elizabeth what she would
do, but his question ends up being rhetorical. He knows she would never give into
the pressure and lie. However, he still hates himself and thinks he's not good enough
to die a martyr.

Danforth, Parris, Cheever, and Hale return and start questioning Proctor so they can
write down his confession. John begins to confess, but he falters when Rebecca
Nurse is led into the cell and expresses her disappointment. John refuses to
name any names of other people he's seen with the Devil, and Danforth becomes
frustrated. Hale manages to persuade Danforth to accept this and allow John to sign
the confession as-is. John balks at actually signing his name to the confession.
He finally does so, but then he snatches the signed paper away. He doesn't
want to be held up by the court as an example to other prisoners.

John says he can't bring himself to bind his name to such a shameful lie. Danforth is
incensed and insists that the document must be an honest confession, or Proctor will
hang. Proctor tears up his confession. He finally decides he does have some
decency within him, and it will be manifested in this final sacrifice. Danforth
orders the hangings to commence. Parris and Hale beg Elizabeth to convince
John to reconsider as John and Rebecca are led off to the gallows. Elizabeth
refuses; she realizes that this is what John needs to do. He'd rather die with
dignity than live in shame, and she respects his choice.

The Crucible Act 4 Quotes

29
A few of the most important quotes in Act 4 and their explanation

 "Oh, it be no Hell in Barbados. Devil, him be pleasure-man in Barbados, him be

singin' and dancin' in Barbados. It's you folks - you riles him up 'round here; it be too
cold 'round here for that Old Boy."

Tituba, pg. 113

This is probably the most substantive line spoken by Tituba in the play. She
recognizes the culture in Salem as overly repressive and conceives of "the
Devil" in a different light. The Devil is not an evil presence; he represents freedom
from the bonds of a society that forces people to deny their humanity
constantly. Tituba feels that the Devil is provoked into mischief by the
hypocrisy of the citizens of Salem.

"Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must

cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now. While I speak God's law, I will
not crack its voice with whimpering. If retaliation is your fear, know this - I should
hang ten thousand that dared to rise against the law, and an ocean of salt tears
could not melt the resolution of the statutes."

Danforth, pg. 119-120

This quote provides deeper insight into Danforth's character and state of mind. He
feels that he can't postpone the hangings now because he may be seen as weak
and indecisive. He definitely can't pardon the prisoners because people might
suspect mistakes were also made in past convictions. Every person brought in by
the trials and convicted must receive an equally harsh punishment, or
Danforth's reputation will be decimated. He is so authoritarian that he would hang
ten thousand people who objected to a law without stopping to consider whether this
big of an uprising could indicate major flaws in the law itself. Danforth is dependent
on this concept of the infallibility of the law because it allows him to maintain
control.

"I came into this village like a bridegroom 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.
Beware, Goody Proctor - cleave to no faith where faith brings blood. It is mistaken
law that leads you to sacrifice. Life, woman, life is God's most precious gift; no
principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it. I beg you, woman, prevail
upon your husband to confess. Let him give his lie. Quail not before God's
judgement in this, for it may well be God damns a liar less than he that throws his
life away for pride."

Reverend Hale, 122

30
Hale is a disillusioned shell of the man he was at the beginning of the play. He
initially felt that he was bringing enlightenment to Salem, but he inadvertently brought
destruction instead. His good intentions rooted in a strong faith led to the loss
of innocent lives. Hale argues that throwing away one's life, even if it's done in
adherence to God's commandments, leaves a darker moral stain on the world than
giving a false confession. This advice is largely an effort to assuage his guilt
about the situation. He won't be able to live with himself if all these people die
because of his mistakes.

"Let them that never lied die now to keep their souls. It is pretense for me, a vanity
that will not blind God nor keep my children out of the wind."

John Proctor, 126

John is convinced that he is not worthy of dying as a martyr because he has
already lied and committed immoral acts in his life. He feels his soul beyond
saving, so he should stop acting all virtuous and just confess. There is no point in
remaining honest if he is already going to Hell with or without this false
confession. At least if he lives, he can continue to provide for his kids and postpone
an unpleasant afterlife.

"Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie

and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feel of them that
hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my
name!"

John Proctor, pg. 133

Proctor has this outburst after he snatches his signed confession away from
Danforth. He can't bring himself to permanently sacrifice his reputation by
signing the confession. He feels his self-loathing and inevitable suffering in the
afterlife is punishment enough ("I have given you my soul"). He can't stomach the
idea of also being defined by his confession in the eyes of society and history. He
knows his name will forever be associated with cowardice and a lack of
integrity.

"He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!"

Elizabeth Proctor, pg. 134

Elizabeth refuses to dissuade John from revoking his confession. She can see that
he has achieved freedom from his own self-loathing through this final truthful
act. If she persuades him to return and confess, she might as well not save his life at
all because he will feel so utterly worthless after throwing away this last bit of
integrity.

31
John's destruction of his confession is similar to ripping up a check and throwing it in
someone's face when they offer to pay off your debts just to show that their power
over you. In both cases, for better or for worse, pride wins out over self-preservation.

Act 4  
Irony

Danforth makes a few ironic statements in Act 4 as he interrogates Elizabeth and

John. In observing Elizabeth's lack of emotion when he asks her to help them
convince John to confess, he says "A very ape would weep at such calamity! Have
the Devil dried up any tear of pity in you?" (pg. 123) He is shocked that she isn't
acting more upset even though he has shown no remorse for condemning
people to death throughout the play. In fact, he expressed his viewpoint that "I
should hang ten thousand that dared to rise against the law, and an ocean of salt
tears could not melt the resolution of the statutes" (pg. 120). He can't understand
why Elizabeth doesn't fall apart and beg her husband to confess because he
doesn't grasp the idea that an action can be legally prudent but morally
distasteful.

Later in Act 4, Danforth becomes angry at the implication that John's confession may
not be the truth. He says "I am not empowered to trade your life for a lie" (Danforth
pg. 130). This is an example of tragic irony because Danforth has been trading
people's lives for lies this whole time. He has sentenced numerous people to
death based on lies about their dealings in black magic, and he has accepted the
false confessions of those who would rather lie than be executed.

 The Crucible Act 4 Review

A quick recap of the events of Act 4, the frustrating conclusion of The Crucible:

 Danforth and Hawthorne meet in a jail cell and discuss their concerns with
Parris' erratic behavior and Hale's return to Salem.
 Parris joins them and reveals that Hale is advising the prisoners to confess.

32
  Parris also reveals that Abigail ran away with his life's savings, most likely
because of the rising societal discontent with the court's activities.
 Both Parris and Hale beg Danforth to either pardon the prisoners or postpone
the hangings until confessions are obtained because Rebecca Nurse and
John Proctor still have such good reputations, and their executions could
cause an uprising.
 Danforth refuses because he's already executed other prisoners accused of
the same crimes, and he doesn't want to look weak.
 They decide to bring in Elizabeth Proctor so she can talk to John and
hopefully convince him to confess before he is sent to the gallows.
 John and Elizabeth discuss this decision, and John is leaning towards
confessing because he doesn't feel he's worthy of martyrdom.
 Elizabeth tells him he has to make his own choice.
 John begins to confess, but he falters when he is ordered to sign his name to
the confession and learns that it will be displayed publicly.
 He tears up the confession and decides he will go to his death rather than
permanently ruin his reputation and sacrifice the only integrity he has left.
 The officials try to convince Elizabeth to stop him, but she refuses because
she recognizes this is the only way John can end his feelings of self-hatred.
 John and Rebecca Nurse are led to the gallows to be executed.

In Miller's short afterward, entitled "Echoes Down the Corridor," he states that Parris
was soon voted out of office, and the families of the victims of the witch trials were
later provided with compensation by the government. He claims that in the aftermath
of the trials, "the power of theocracy in Massachusetts was broken." However, the
events of The Crucible provide an all too clear allegory for many modern-day
tragedies borne of prejudice, fear, and ignorance.

---------------o---------------

33