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In Act II, Proctor's conflict with authority increases as the court comes to arrests his wife. He already does not like the court and for them to come to his own home and take his wife to jail is just out of the question! To help the reader understand the condition of Salem at the beginning of Act II, Kinsella explains that "Salem is in the grip of mounting hysteria" (1267). Kinsella is correct the town first starts out with Betty not waking up, then Abigail Williams acusing practically everyone in Salem about being witches and it moves up from there eventually leading to Proctors fait.
When Reverend Hale has come to inquire at the Proctor house, John defends Rebecca Nurse by exclaiming, "It's hard to think so pious a woman may be secretly the Devil's bitch after seventy years of such good prayer" (1276). This quote really stands out because how proctor describes his wife as being "Pious", to be piety is a desire and willingness to perform religious duties. When proctor said this to Hale it woke him up and that is when he realized that Abigails acusations were fake, at this point and time of the story Hale is starting to believe that Abigail Williams acusations are not one hundred percent true.
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Arguing with Hale, Proctor uses common logic to point out the flaw in Hale's argument when he states, "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?" (1283). Proctor is still using more logical questions to turn Hale, for the most part Proctor is correct just because Abigail is acusing does not make her the holy or devine one it only makes her the accuser. Some of the people in the town starts to notice that refer to the scene in court from Francise's view " Excellency, we have proof for your eyes; God forbid you shut them to it. The girls, sir, the girls are frauds. Danforth goes on to say "What's that!?" Francis "Excellency, I have never thought to say it to such a weighty judge, but you are decieved". This clearly starts to chop down on Abigails roll as an honest accuser. after Abigail's acusings continue the town is scared
James Otis Jr, a lawyer, was very angry because his father was rejected the post of chief justice of Massachusetts by the royal governor.
Towards the middle of the play Hale has begun to see that abigail is out for vengeance than actually finding witches. “Only this consider: the world goes mad, and it profit nothing you should lay the cause to the vengeance of a little girl” (Miller 74). Hale has now realized that the Devil may be at work in Salem but if he is it is not on Abigail and the girls. Once the girls but mainly Abigail accuse Elizabeth Proctor most people especially John Proctor and Reverend Hale begin putting two and two together that these girls are out for blood and not revealing who is conspiring with the
Abigail meets with the other girls and tells them to keep quiet and to not admit to anything. A crowd gathers at Reverend Paris 's house to discover what had happened and Reverend Pars tries to calm them down. During this commotion John Proctor, a farmer who lives outside of the town, speaks with Abigail. Abigail had worked for Proctor but was fired when his wife suspected that they had engaged in an affair. Abigail still desires to be with Proctor and tells him so but Proctor shoots the idea down telling her to stop fooling around with the
Elizabeth and John start to feel the tension when Elizabeth tries to convince John about going to court and persecuting Abigail but he refuses. When he disputes with his wife he argues, “you will judge me no more Elizabeth I have good reason to charge fraud on Abigail and I will think on it” (193). Proctor is not completely satisfied about throwing Abigail under the bus because he doesn’t want to initially hurt her and he would lose his respect in the town if he did. So he isn’t convinced about the fact that his wife is trying to get him to charge fraud at this point of the play. Soon afterward Mary the proctor’s servant comes home with news that Elizabeth has been convicted of witchcraft as well and was arrested by the sheriff in town to be brought to the trials.
Throughout the many acts of the play, we sense the anger rolling off Abigail’s words. “I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the 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? I will not, I cannot! You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!” By these words, we know that Abigail Williams is angry. She’s angry at John Proctor for trying to hide the crime he committed with her, and for the lack of closure she
The Crucible is an incredibly influential play no only in the fact that it displays many important themes, but it also portrays how a theocracy impacts societal actions. The Salem witch trials were the culmination of the problems with theocracy. The actions of society, not only are impacted by their personal thoughts, but also in religious undertones affect them. Act two in the play portrays not only all of these themes, but also some important events leading towards the witchcraft hysteria. Act two in the play portrays how theocracy ultimately leads to chaos.
Elizabeth Proctor was one of many who were accused. She was accused by Abigail Williams, the person whom Elizabeth fired for cheating with her husband, John Proctor. John was a well respected farmer in Salem, who was outraged when Elizabeth was arrested for accusations of using witchcraft. John and Elizabeth were approached by Reverend Hale, a supposed expert with witches, in front of their house, to warn them about Elizabeth being mentioned in court and to ask about their Christian faith. In the town of Salem, everyone knew everyone else very well and things got out of hand very quickly.
John Proctor had broken some religious laws, including, working on the Sabbath day, adultery, and others, but witchcraft wasn 't one of them. John Proctor, though, was accused of witchcraft as a result of all the mass hysteria that had taken place. He, in fact, did not commit the crime of witchcraft though. John Proctor was urged to confess to doing the act of witchcraft and initially did. Reverend Hale had been asked to come to Salem to reconnoiter the area to see for sure if Lucifer was involved with the current events that had taken place. Reverend Hale soon realized all the lunacy that was taking place and began to suspect that the girls accusing everyone were pretending. His prediction was correct. When John Proctor was condemned, Reverend Hale was doing everything in his will power in order to persuade John to confess to witchcraft. If Mr. Proctor did this, he would be freed and his name would be written on the church. If he did not confess, though, he would be hanged by a noose. So this is why Reverend Hale urged John Proctor to
The Final Act of The Crucible The final act in the play, act four, fits into the plot three months later, after the court case and all the hangings of the condemned have taken place. It is a scene full of tragedy, defeat, misjudgement and misery. The audience should be left finding themselves asking questions, as 'The Crucible' is a reminder of how evil can be committed by everyday people. This final act shows all the journeys the characters have travelled, in some cases from beginning to end. The way in which some of the characters act reflects the society they live in where in some cases the characters will be of principles and in others they will not.
He asked John Proctor if he believed in the people that are being accused are real witches. “Hale: (quietly-it has impressed him) ...It’s said you hold no belief that there may even be witches in the world. Is that true, sir?” (Miller 73). John Proctor can either answer true or false to this question if he answer true than Hale may think he is a witch. If he answers falsely then he will also think he is a witch. No matter what you answer the person can still be right is called a gotcha question. Hale is now doubting his former convictions. “Hale: But it does not follow that everyone accused is part of it,” (Miller 103). Hale is starting to believe that the girls are being hypocrites and is faking the witch-hunt. So far, several women and men went to jail because of the accusations that were being made. Hale now believes John Proctor after he states that he has committed adultery because John Proctor wants to save his name and wouldn’t tell anyone. “Hale: I believe him!...This girl has always struck me false! She has- (Abigail...screams up to the ceiling.)” (Miller 119). He now believes that the witch accusers is all fake and made up so the group of girls can have attention on them. Abigail told them that if they go to the judge and tell them the truth then “...I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you…” (Miller 20). Hale has chosen that Proctor is telling the truth and the group of girls including Mary Warren, who is the Proctor’s servant, is lying about the people in Salem being
John Proctor and Reverend Hale are similar as they have both detected the corruption beneath the witchcraft accusations and attempt to prevent false testimonies and innocent people being hanged. John Proctor easily realizes the truth of the witchcraft trials because of his affair with Abigail Williams, one of the leading culprits of the hysteria in Salem. Abby exclaims that “Elizabeth hates me, uncle, she must, for I would not be her slave. It’s a bitter woman, a lying, cold, sniveling woman, and I will not work for such a woman” (Miller 12). Abigail feels this way, not because Elizabeth has mistreated her, but instead because Elizabeth is Proctor’s wife, a nuisance to Abigail and Proctor’s relationship. Additionally, after Elizabeth found out about the affair, she fired Abigail, thus ridding Abigail
It is then that suspicions about witchcraft begin. It is in Act 1 that the audience first meets John Proctor. He comes across as a young, respected and confident man who is happy to speak his mind. Early on we discover that in fact John had recently had an affair with Abigail Williams, one of the teenage girls, who had before been a servant in his house. Abigail appears to still have feelings for John, although the feeling doesn’t appear to be mutual.
Before Abigail starts going crazy and accusing people of witchcraft a couple pieces of information are revealed about John Proctor and how selfish he is. He became involved with Abigail sometime before the play began. His actions showed he only cared about himself and didn’t care about his family at all. It is clear he is ashamed when he tries to deny his actions after Abigail confronts him. He tries to get her to forget about the things that happened between them when he says, “Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time…. We never touched Abby” (Miller 22). He is tries to get her to forget about what happened because then he will be able to move on with his life and protect his reputation at the same time. His actions in this scene are selfish and he is just thinking of how to protect his name in the town and erase his past transgressions and by the end he does several things that help the town. People in the town begin to look up to him and he takes up the role of a leader despite his normal behavior of shirking away from the spotlight. Proctor is the one who has to step up and put Putman in his place and he tells Putman “You cannot command Mr. Parris. We vote by name in this society, not acreage....
Proctor: Abigail Williams. ”(Page 68-69). Originally, Hale only provided evidence that witchcraft was occurring in the town. Now that he has visited the Proctor’s home, he finds more support for his suspicion of the girls’ claims as he finds truth in the words of John Proctor.
...without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it” (Miller 99). What made a minister of the Lord do such a thing? The oppressive views of the townspeople of Salem. Being in the town of Salem, surrounded by people judging and others and condemning them for crimes, forced Reverend Hale to do things he wasn’t comfortable with. So, what would stop the town of Salem from doing the same thing to Abigail Williams, who is still a child with an easily impressionable mind?