Scene I

1. Introduces the four most important themes

2. The “unseen” scene in the woods

A. sets the stage

B. serves as a catalyst

C. symbolizes the suppression of desire

A. Desire refers toher sexual longingfor Procter

1. Interpretations of desire

B. Putnam desires land

C. Parris desires control and authority

1. Place where the girls can indulge in physical pleasure - dancing

2. Naked girl symbolizes sexual desire present in all Salem inhabitants

3. Puritans view them as Satan’s stronghold

1. Action in the woods introduces deception as a major theme

2. Abigail is the instigator

3. Abigail has an agenda

a. has slept with John Procterb. wants to kill Procter’s wife

c. desire motivates her to drink blood and cast a spell on Elizabeth

d. uses intimidationto create an atmosphere of fear that pervadesthe entire play.

e. threatens the girls

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Foreshadows Abigail’s accusations against others Ultimate

goal

Abigail is the exact opposite of

Abigail represents the repressed desirespossessed by allPuritans

difference

She doesn’t suppress her desires

She wants to take Elizabeth’s place

Her onlyvulnerability

1. Abigail thinks Proctor still cares for her.

2. Proctor rejects her.

3. She blames Elizabeth.

1. Proctor’s determination to remain faithful toElizabeth establisheshis moral character.

2. He is Abigail’ssole motivation throughout therest of the play

1. Abigail knows that she must deal withElizabeth or loseProctor completely.

2. Realizationforeshadows actions in scene 5.

Scene 4

1. Reveals old animosities that later drive the action of the play

2. Not uncommon for babies to die at birth,but seven is an unusually highnumber

1. Bitter womanLost seven children

2. Self-righteousBelieves she is a victim

3. Devotes her energies to finding out why

4. Solicits Tituba

5. Focuses her jealousy on Rebecca Nurse

6. Goody Putnam’s anger foreshadowsRebecca’s arrest.

Scene 4 introduces greed and the quest for power as the other two major themes in the play.

Parris’s argumentwith Proctor andCorey revealsthat money causesdisputes inSalem

Proctor accuses Parris ofcaring about material gain rather than ministering tothe people of Salem.

Obsessed withhaving goldencandlesticksrather thenpewter ones.

Proctor’s anger

1. Consistent with his character

2. Lives according to the morals and work ethicin the Bible.

3. Not perfect

Parris’s side

1. Job security

2. Wants deed to his house

3. Thinks like a secular person

4. Battle to obtain authority

1. Feels animosity towardProctor

2. Accuses Proctor of stealingwood from his land

3. Has a lucrative reason to accuse others ofwitchcraft

4. Foreshadows the arrest of Rebecca andMartha Corey

Scene 5

Pivotal for two reasons

1. Establishes expectation of witchcraft inSalem.

2. Abigail exerts her power and begins herquest to obtain Proctor

1. Hale warns everyone that he willnot examine Betty unless theyacknowledge that witchcraftmay not be involved.

2. Idea of discovering witchcraft isexciting and provides explanationfor the unexplainable.

3. Goody Putnam - easier to blame witchcraft than admit she gave birth to unhealthychildren.

4. Betty and Ruth - ailments result from witchcraft easier than admitting that goodPuritan girls were out dancing in the woodsand attempting to cast spells.

1. Betty’s illness

2. Ruth’s condition

3. Tituba’s ability to conjure spirits

4. Dancing in the woods

5. Death of seven Putnam children

6. Martha Corey’s strange books

1. Tituba confesses to witchcraft

2. Black female slave - nopower

3. Can’t defend herself againstAbigail’s accusations

4. Implicates Sarah Good andGoody Osburne

5. Tells them what they want to hear

1. Hale’s response toTituba’s confessionprompts Abigail’sadmission ofguilt

2. Realizes she canachieve immediaterespect and authorityby confessing.

3. She now seeksredemption.

4. Demonstrates herkeen sense of self-preservation.

5. Knows that shewill be viewed as anexpert witness.

6. Considered aninstrument of God.

7. She is now in aposition to get rid ofElizabeth Proctor.

8. After Abigailrenounces the devil,Betty wakes up. Thisevent underscores Abigail’s authorityand establishes hercredibility.

Act 2 provides the audience with the first

glimpse of Elizabeth and John together.

1. Abigail describesElizabeth as a “cold, sniveling”woman who cannot satisfy Proctor or make him happy.2. Proctor has vehementlydefendedElizabeth.

Proctor Household

1. Seems to be the typical Puritan household

2. Tension exists in the home.

3. Elizabeth knows about the affair.

4. Elizabeth has forgiven - but doesn’t trust him

5. Proctor is sorry but feels that Elizabeth is constantly scrutinizing his actions.

Relationship

1. Tension and mutual frustration define it.

2. Elizabeth is frustratedwith Proctor because ofinfidelity.

3. Thinks he still has feelingsfor Abigail.4. Frustrated with herself.

5. Demonstrates her faith in Proctor.

6. Time spent alone withAbigail shatters herconfidence.

7. Automatically suspectsProctor of wrong-doing.

John Proctor

1. Regrets his affair withAbigail.

2. Wearied by his ownguilt and Elizabeth’srecriminations.

3. Doesn’t know how todeal with her feelings orthe distance between them.

4. Has tried to please Elizabeth.

5. Current argument anotherexample of the strainedrelationship.

6. Irritated with himself

7. Now he must faceElizabeth’s anger.

Scene 2 reveals the impact of the witch trials.

1. Townspeople revere the youth.

2. Anyone who has crossed the girls lives infear of being accused of witchcraft

Abigail

1. Leader of the group

2. Achieved the power shewanted

3. Can use it to obtainProctor.

Mary Warren

1. Servant to the Proctors

2. Paid for her services

3. Under the authority of John Proctor

4. Could be disciplined like a child

5. Acceptable and normal in Puritan society

After the witch trials

1. Social hierarchy becomes unstable

2. Powerless obtain power andrefuse to submit to those who usedto have power over them.

Example: Mary refuses to take orders from Elizabeth and stands up to Proctor when he threatens to whip her.

Mary Warren

1. Begins to cry

2. Serving on the court has tiredand upset her

3. Tries to convince herself thatthere is solid evidence against theaccused.

4. Secretly questions the trials

5. Doesn’t want to be an outcast

Abigail

1. Scheme becomes apparent to Elizabeth and Proctor.

2. Central to the play

3. Before scene 2 bothProctor and Elizabeth knewthat Abigail had lied aboutwitchcraft.

4. Both suspect thatAbigail wants to get ridof Elizabeth.

5. Scene 2 confirms their fears.

6. Poppet that Mary Warrengives to Elizabethforeshadows her arrest.

7. Abigail accuses Elizabeth

8. Time becomes animportant element

9. With each arrest Abigailgains credibility.

10. She is becoming irrefutable in the eyes of the court.

Proctor has two chances to save Elizabeth.

1. Convince Abigailthat her plan will notwork.

2. Speak to Hale beforeAbigail accuses her.

Scene 3 Rev. Hale

1. A fair individual who honestlytries to administer justice.

2. Remains uninvolved in thepetty rivalries and power plays.

3. Several issues disturb him andmakes him suspicious of the Proctors.

A. Proctor’s poor churchattendance

B. One of the children is notbaptized.

C. Proctor cannot recite theten commandments.

4. Comes to the Proctor home totest the Proctors and warn themof Elizabeth’s possible arrest.

5. Giving Proctor an opportunityto explain the items shows hisfairness.

6. Realizes that Proctor is notan evil man.

Tension arises between the Proctors and Hale over issues of faith.

1. Elizabeth and Proctor refuse to believethat Rebecca could be guilty of witchcraft.

2. Issue of good works introduced.

3. Elizabeth denies the existence of witches.

4. Proctor’s accusation against Abigail forces Hale to reexamine his own faith andactions.

A. good intentions and a firmcommitment to God governhis actions.

B. may have imprisoned innocentpeople and condemned to deaththose who refused to confess tosomething they did not do.

Scene 4

1. Abigail begins to executeher plan against Elizabeth.

2. Realizes she will have tohave tangible evidence.

A. constructs a plot basedon deception andmanipulation of Mary Warren.

B. the doll

Scene 4 gives Proctor an opportunity to discredit Abigail.

1. Problem - Will Mary testify in court against Abigail?

2. Mary admits the doll is hers and Abigail saw herhide the needle inside.

3. Mary must give up her sense of belonging to save Elizabeth. Will she?

1. Mary’s fear of reprisal foreshadowsAbigail’s behavior in Act III.

2. Mary’s warning that Abigail will reveal theadultery foreshadows the end of the playwhen Proctor reveals the affair.

Scene 1

I. Time plays a critical role in Act III.

A. Fascination with witchcraft has changed tomass paranoia.

B. Fear and automaticsuspicion has replacedreason.

II. As the power of the court grows, the peopleof Salem live in fear.

A. old grudges, dislikes,and minor misdeeds canresult in arrest anddeath.

B. The court shows no mercy and refuses to acknowledge that the accusers might have hidden agendas.

Proctor, Giles Corey, and Francis Nurse areanxious to present theirevidence against Abigailand the girls.

1. The court has justcondemned Martha Coreyand Rebecca Nurse.

2. Elizabeth is in jail.

3. Abigail has only towait until Elizabeth’sexecution for her planto be complete.

4. Proctor senses this and is desperate to proveAbigail a fraud.

Danforth and Hathorne’s participationempowers them.

1. The workings of the court concern them more than the participants.

2. When Nurse tells them that the girls are a fake, the judges regard him as adangerous individual.

Scene 2

Tension arises whenDanforth questionsMary Warren and sheadmits she has beenlying.

1. Danforth believes he is a fair judge.

2. Mary’s recant forces him to doubt his ownactions.

3. He agrees to listen to Proctor

4. His willingness to listen toProctor demonstrates hisfairness.

5. Problem - If Proctor provesthat the accusations are false, then Danforth must admit thathe has been deceived.

6. Such admission would prove he is not a goodjudge of character.

Contrast between Parris and Hale

1. Hale centers his actions onothers.

2. Parris is self-centered andnarrow-minded.

3. Parris is unbalanced and laterbecomes fanatical.

4. Demonstrates he still holds a grudge againstProctor; tries to discredit Proctor.

Greed and the quest for power appear.

Danforth faces adifficult situation.

1. Another accuser hasbeen claimed to beacting on a hidden agenda.

2. Witness overheard Putnam’s plot to obtain land when Ruth accuses George Jacobs.

3. Information reveals that Ruth is pretending.

4. Cast doubt on Putnam’s claim againstRebecca Nurse.

5. Putnam lied to obtain land.

6. Putnam is opportunistic and willing to profit from the misfortunes of others.

1. Corey refuses to name his source.

2. Danforth dismisses the charges due to lackof proof.

The court has been condemning people without proof.

Scene 3

Most intense scene in the play

1. Proctor realizes that Mary Warren must testify before she loses her courage.

2. Time is critical because individuals arebeing convicted continuously.

3. Every conviction increases Abigail’sauthority.

4. Proctor informsDanforth that Parris caughtAbigail dancing in the woods.

5. Now Danforth is moreinclined to believe Proctor.

Danforth’s sympathyshifts again during thecross examination ofMary Warren.

1. Asks Mary to repeat her fainting performance

2. Mary’s failure to feign an attack proves thegirls cannot fake it.

3. Abigail claims Mary’s spirit is attacking her.

1. Proctor accuses Abigail ofbeing a whore; she ends her fit.

2. Proctor confesses to theaffair and tells of Abigail’s plot to kill Elizabeth.

3. Danforth dismisses the claim.

1. Danforth - committed to preserving truth;will not acknowledge the truth when he hears it.

2. Proctor - spent 7 months concealing the affair;tells the truth but isn’t believed

3. Elizabeth - lives by the truthNow lies to keep her husband’s secret

4. Mary Warren- finally telling the truthLies again to save her life

The chief liar

The court - should be aninstrument of truth

Condemns those who tell the truth-believes theliars.

Shame overwhelms himbut he demonstrates hislove and loyalty to Elizabeth

She knows thatProctor’s name and reputation areimportant to him.She finally trustshim.

Admission of adultery

Elizabeth’s lie

Scene 1

Act I opened in the spring and it is now fall.

Tituba1. Told she would be spared ifshe confessed; has beenimprisoned.

2. Been in prison so long that shebelieves she is in liege with Satan.

3. Cold weather, deplorable living conditionshave made them delusional.

4. Herrick is no longer afraid ofthe devil, Sarah, or Tituba.

5. Paranoia remains in the court.

6. People have grown weary of the witchtrials.

Some individuals have profited from the witch trials.

But overallthey have devastated Salem.

1. Fields stand empty.

2. Cattle roam the streets.

3. Trials created an atmosphere of terror anddestroyed the bond between neighbors.

Grumblings of dissatisfaction echo .1. People are tired of living in fear.

2. Court has accused many and executed twelve.3. Proctor has been in jail for three months.

4. People no longer believe Abigail serves as a mouthpiece for God.

5. Dagger that Parris finds represents the potential for violence that is just below the surface.

Danforth and Parris realize that public supportis shifting.

1. Danforth displays arigid determination tocontinue.

2. Believes a delay will suggest he is weak andthat he doubts his own judgment.

3. Public perception concerns him more thenjustice.

Scene 2 contrasts Parris and Hale.

1. Self-preservation motivatesParris.

2. Parris wants a delay -fearsfor his life.

3. Fears a mob will attack and kill him.

4. Parris viewed as a proponent of the court.

Abigail

1. Disappearance testifies to the unrest.

2. Lost credibility because ofthe affair.

3. Realizes Proctor thwarted her plan.

4. Lost her power - lost Proctor -Proctorcondemned to hang.

Parris

1. Does not tell of Abigail’sdisappearance.

2. Protects his own interests.

3. Withhold truth to prevent upheaval in Salem-upheaval would result in violence to himself.

4. Wanted more pay - now has lost everything.

Danforth

1. Does not consider theimplication of Abigail’sdeparture.

2. Would force him toreview the court and its actions.3. Will not delay the execution -people might think the previous ones were wrong.

4. Doesn’t want to lose credibility.

Scene 3

Reveals a dramatic change in Proctor and Elizabeth’s relationship.

1. They have learned toforgive each other and tocommunicate.

2. Proctor realizes Elizabethno longer condemns him.

3. He believes thatElizabeth has forgiven him.

4. They put the affair in thepast and look toward thefuture.

5. Proctor decides to confess.

6. Confession is the only way to save one’s life.

Scene 4 Proctor’s Confession

1. Wants to go home andreestablish their family.

2. Has not considered Elizabeth’ssituation.

3. Signing the confession is lying;sacrifice of honor is hard to bear.

4. Torn between his desire to remain honest andhis desire to preserve his family.

Proctor does not considerhimself righteous.

1. He doesn’t think he should becompared to people like RebeccaNurse.

2. Has not practiced witchcraft.

3. Believes he is a fallen manHas sinned against his wife and himself.

Proctor

1. Cannot bear the shame ofhaving the confession nailedto the church door.

2. Confessing will save hislife.

3. Nailing it to the church door is a betrayal ofeveryone who refuses to confess.

4. Public display of a false confession will insultthose who choose to die to protect their honor.

4. A public display willstrip him of his pride andidentity.

5. He will lose his good name and be nothing buta broken man.

He destroys the confession.

He would rather die.