NAME_________________________________________________________________
Act IV Quote Analysis
1. “Beware, Goody Proctor – cleave to no faith when 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 judgment in
this, for it may be well God damns a liar less than he that throws his life away for
pride.” ~Rev. Hale to Goody Proctor
PARAPHRASE: ________________________________________________________
Why does Hale want people to confess?
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What might “quail not before God’s judgment” mean?
2. “I cannot mount the giblet like a saint. It is a fraud. I am not that man. My honesty is
broke, Elizabeth; I am no good man. Nothing’s spoiled by giving them this lie that were
not rotten before.” ~John Proctor
PARAPHRASE: _________________________________________________________
What does he mean when he says “It is a fraud. I am not that man”? Why does he say
this? What is his opinion about himself, and
why?___________________________________________________________________
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3. “I’ll have you see some honesty in it. Let them that never lied die now to keep their
souls. It is pretense for me…” ~John Proctor
What does “pretense” mean? __________________________________________
What is John trying to Justify to Elizabeth, and why?
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4. “John, I counted myself so plain, so poorly made, no honest love could come to me!
Suspicion kissed you when I did; I never knew how I should say my love. It were a cold
house I kept.” ~Elizabeth to John
How does Elizabeth blame herself for the affair? ________________________________
5. “I speak my own sins. I cannot judge another. I have no tongue for it.” ~Proctor
PARAPHRASE:__________________________________________________________
Why does John, as he confesses, refuse to name other names?
6. “I have three children. How may I teach them to walk like men in the world, and I
have sold my friends? ...I blacken all of them when this is nailed to the church the very
day they hang for silence.” ~Proctor
Why does signing the confession sell out or blacken the names of the ones who will not
confess? ________________________________________________________________
7. “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 feet of them that hang! How
may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” ~Proctor
Why is a person’s “name” so important? What does Proctor mean when he says “leave
me my name”? _________________________________________________________
8. “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him.” ~Elizabeth Proctor
Why won’t Elizabeth beg John to confess? ___________________________________
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