The Crucible
Act II
Setting
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How much time has passed between Act I
and Act II?
8 days
In the exposition of this act, what is the
condition of the relationship between John
and Elizabeth Proctor?
They are very polite with each other and
the relationship seems uncomfortable and
strained. The awkward conversation
between them eventually retards quickly
into an argument.
Allusion
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What does Elizabeth’s allusion to
Moses’ parting of the Red Sea reveal
about Abigail’s new standing in the
community?
The comparison between Abigail and
Moses suggests that she has become
a power in the community. The
Israelites looked up to Moses
because God spoke to him directly.
Allusion
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In Proctor’s argument with Elizabeth,
he alludes to a court, and compares
Elizabeth to a judge. What is the
effect of these allusions?
We see that the Proctors have not
resolved the anger resulting from
John’s affair with Abigail; although
he has confessed and repented, John
still feels that Elizabeth judges him.
Mary Warren
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Mary is physically weak when John Proctor
confronts her about going to town after he
expressly forbid it. Why is Mary in such
shaky physical condition?
She has been in court all day; she has
probably heard people condemned and
arrested. She probably feels guilty and
frightened because of her lies.
Characterization
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Mary Warren
• Cowardly
• Easily led by the other girls
• Basically honest
• Melodramatic
• Does not handle pressure well
Character Change
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What change has Mary’s participation
in the court proceedings brought in
her attitude toward the Proctors?
Mary has acquired a sense of her
own importance and will no longer
accept being treated like a servant.
Accusation
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Of whom is Elizabeth speaking when
she says,” She wants me dead”? How
do you know?
She believes Abigail is the one who
accused her. She knows that Abigail
is jealous of her and wants to take
her place.
Hale’s Visit
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Why would Hale come to visit the
Proctors without the court’s
authority? What are his intentions?
He may not agree with the court’s
judgments so far.
He may decide the time has come to
rely on his own judgment.
He may hope that he can help the
Proctors.
Elizabeth
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Why is Elizabeth horrified when she learns
that Rebecca Nurse has been discussed?
She knows that this is no laughing matter;
she also knows Rebecca is in great danger.
Everyone recognizes that Rebecca is truly
a good person; Elizabeth realizes that if
Rebecca isn’t safe, then no one is safe,
including herself.
Word Study
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Theology
• theo – Greek word meaning “God”
• “-logy” – suffix meaning “the science or
study of”
Allusion
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What do you know about the
Puritans and their “plain style” that
affects your interpretation of the
golden candlesticks?
The Puritans scorned material goods,
especially in church; their churches
were as plain as possible.
An insistence on gold candlesticks
was not appropriate for a Puritan.
Proctor’s Attitude
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What does Proctor’s conversation
with Hale reveal about his attitude
toward Parris?
Proctor believes that Parris does not
belong in the clergy.
He distrusts Parris’s fitness to give
the sacraments.
Irony
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What commandment does John leave
out?
Adultery
Why is this ironic?
This is the commandment he has
broken.
Irony
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Commandment – “Thou shalt not
bear false witness.”
The children and the other accusers
are bearing false witness against the
accused, but they are praised for it
rather than condemned.
Irony
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Proctor tells Hale about Abigail’s admission
to him in Betty’s room. What is ironic
about Proctor’s statement, “I have no
witness and cannot prove it, except my
word be taken”?
The same is true of all the accusations;
they are made on people’s unsupported
word.
Proctor is the only one who hesitates to
accuse without witnesses, and yet he is
the only one speaking the truth.
Allusion
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Explain Francis’s allusion to the “bricks
and mortar of the church.”
It is a metaphor that compares Rebecca to
the church building.
The church is the house of God, and the
bricks and mortar are both the walls and
the substance that holds the walls
together.
Rebecca is a good and holy woman, and
she is compared to the lasting bricks of
the building.
Drawing Conclusions
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What really happened to Abigail at dinner?
Since Mary sewed the doll in court, Abigail
probably saw her doing it.
She probably saw Mary push the needle
into the doll.
She knew that the doll would be in the
Proctor’s house with the needle in it.
She stabbed herself with a needle to make
her accusation match the “evidence.”
Trust
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Why is Hale unwilling to trust Mary
Warren?
Mary is easily persuaded to believe
and do what she is told. Hale is a
good judge of people and he can see
that Mary is the type to lie under
pressure.
Allusion
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“The keys of the kingdom” alludes to
Jesus’ statement to the apostle Peter: “I
will give unto thee the keys of the
kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:19).
St. Peter uses his keys to let souls into
heaven. Proctor is saying that by believing
their accusations, the court has given the
“little crazy children” the power to decide
who will be saved and who will be
damned.
Allusion
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Pontius Pilate knew that Jesus had been
unjustly convicted, and he offered the
people a choice: to crucify either Jesus or
the robber Barabbas. The people chose
Jesus, and Pilate literally washed his
hands before the crowd as a symbol of his
refusal to accept responsibility for the
death of Jesus.
Proctor parallels Hale with Pilate; Hale is
not accepting any responsibility for the
court’s decisions.
Critical Thinking
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Why is Hale so unwilling to believe that
Abigail is guilty of fraud and murder?
To condemn so many innocent people to
death, Abigail must be profoundly evil.
Hale does not want to believe this about
anyone.
He prefers to blame it on the Devil rather
than on a person.