How much time has elapsed
between Act III and Act IV?
What does Herrick’
Herrick’s
drunkenness on execution day
imply?
The Crucible
Act IV study guide
Approximately three months, since it is
now fall
That he finds the proceedings too
distasteful to face without the numbness
of alcohol. He knows injustice is taking
place, but feels powerless to stop it
Why is Reverend Parris acting
strangely?
What has happened in Andover
that has made Parris so fearful?
Why is Rev. Hale at the jail
speaking to the prisoners?
Parris has lied from the beginning and
bears a great deal of responsibility for the
hysteria. He is now suffering from guilt
and shame for having condemned
innocent people to death and he fears
townspeople may be looking to retaliate
against him
A similar hysteria broke out in this
nearby town, and the people there
reportedly overthrew the court and he’
he’s
afraid the same could happen in Salem
He is trying to convince them to confess
to witchcraft so their lives will be spared
What request does Parris make
of Danforth?
Danforth?
What has happened to Abigail and
Mercy Lewis? Why do you think
they have done this?
Why is Parris anxious to postpone
the death of Rebecca Nurse and
John Proctor?
He asks him to postpone the hangings for
a time because there is growing
resentment in the town
They have disappeared, along with 31
pounds of Parris’
Parris’ money
They are afraid the town’
town’s opinion has
turned against them, just as it happened
in Andover, so they fled Salem
Because they still carry great weight in
the village, and he’
he’s afraid that their
executions could cause the town to revolt
What does Danforth give as his reason
for not being able to pardon those who
refuse to confess?
Because postponing the executions
would indicate indecision on his part and
cast doubt on the guilt on all those who
have died up until now
What has happened to Salem?
Orphans are wandering from house to
house
Abandoned cattle wander through town
Why do you believe Danforth is so
unwilling to postpone the hangings?
He doesn’
doesn’t want to risk the court’
court’s
reputation. He thinks the people will
interpret this as a sign of weakness on
their part
What does Rev. Parris find stuck in
his door? What does this suggest about
the town?
A dagger
That the townspeople are on the verge of
rebellion
Why is Elizabeth Proctor brought
in to see John?
Why does Danforth want John
Proctor to confess?
They want her to convince her husband
to confess
Because Proctor’
Proctor’s name carries weight in
the village and he hopes that his
confession will convince others who are
holding out to do the same
Crops are rotting in the fields
No man knows when the girls’
girls’ cries of
witchery will end their lives
What does Hale mean when he
says to Elizabeth, “Cleave to no
faith when faith brings blood”
blood”?
How does Elizabeth react to Hale
and Danforth?
Danforth? Why do you think
she feels as she does?
He is suggesting that a person should not
follow a faith that believes in killing its
own
She acts with contempt toward both of
them
It also suggests that the church is wrong
for executing those it suspects of being
witches, and that John should not allow
himself to be killed because of pride
Because both men were a part of the
court that allowed her and John to be
jailed on false accusations. She doesn’
doesn’t
trust either of them
What happened to Giles Corey?
Why did he allow this to happen?
He was pressed to death because he
would not answer yes or no to his
indictment
By doing so, he died a Christian,
meaning his sons would inherit his land.
If he would have died a witch, his land
would have been auctioned off
What is John’
John’s objection to being
hanged?
Since he’
he’s already committed adultery,
he feels he is a sinner. Therefore, he
doesn’
doesn’t feel he deserves to go to the
scaffold as a martyr like Rebecca Nurse
and the others
How has Elizabeth changed since
her conversation with John at the
beginning of Act II?
In Act II, she judged him because of his
having committed adultery. Now, she
refuses to judge him because she sees that
she is partly to blame. She has learned
humility
What is Elizabeth’
Elizabeth’s advice?
She says she will not tell him what to do.
It is his decision alone whether or not to
confess. She will not judge him
At what points in his confession
does Proctor falter?
When he is told his name must be written and
posted on the church door
When Rebecca Nurse is brought in to witness the
confession
When he is asked to name people he has seen
with the Devil
When he finally must sign his name to the
confession
Why does Elizabeth say, “He has
his goodness now. God forbid I
take it from him!”
him!” as he is led to
the gallows?
She believes that he did the right thing – at
least in his own mind – by dying with honor
by not giving the court the lie they desired
As for Proctor, he realizes that his own soul,
his honor, and his honesty are worth more
than a cowardly escape from the gallows if
he would have confessed
What apology does Elizabeth
make?
She claims that she is to blame for John’
John’s
affair with Abigail because she was cold
toward him and did not know how to
show affection
What won’
won’t John allow Danforth
to do once he signs the confession?
Why is this important to him?
He won’
won’t allow him to have his signature posted on
the church door for all the townspeople to see
Because Proctor equates his name with himself, or
his identity. His name symbolizes who he is. The
honor of his name is a deeply personal thing and he’
he’s
unwilling to destroy it for both his sake and his
children’
children’s sake
He also says that by signing the confession, he
blackens no only his name, but the names of all those
who will hang for refusing to confess to witchcraft