Name: ________________________________________________
Date __________
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Act IV Study Guide
Directions: Answer each question in complete sentences. Be sure to answer all parts of
the question.
1. What is the setting of Act IV?
2. What is the effect of Sarah Good and Tituba’s talk about flying south? Why does
Miller include it?
3. What are some of the indications that life in Salem is now in complete chaos? Why
are these things happening?
4. Where is Abigail Williams? Is this what you expected? Why or why not?
5. What happened in the town of Andover? Why was Reverend Parris afraid of this
news? Describe the change in Reverend Parris. How do you feel about the change?
Why?
6. Hale says two very important quotes in Act IV:
 “There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head?”
 “I would save your husband’s life, for if he is taken I count myself his murderer.”
What do these quotes reveal about Reverend Hale? How has he changed?
7. Why do each of the following characters want to extract a confession from John
Proctor?
Hale:
Danforth:
Parris:
8. If you were Elizabeth Proctor, how would you advise your husband to choose
between being hanged and confessing to witchcraft? What do you think the better
choice would be? Why? What are the possible implications of both decisions?
9. How and why does Giles die? Why wasn’t he hanged?
10. How has John and Elizabeth’s relationship changed?
11. Explain John Proctor’s moral conflict at the end of the play. Why will he not name
names? Why will he not let Danforth have his signed paper? Why does John Proctor
choose to hang? What does he thereby accomplish? Do you believe he made the
right decision? Why or why not? What decision would you have made in his
situation?
12. What does Elizabeth mean when she says, “He have his goodness now. God forbid I
take it from him”?