Act 1
Based on the events in Act 1, which word best describes Abigail’s character?
trustworthy
kind-hearted
deceptive
simple-minded
Deceptive
What is the relationship between John and Elizabeth Proctor like at the beginning of Act 2 and why?
strained, because John wants forgiveness but Elizabeth still harbors suspicions
What significant lie does Elizabeth Proctor tell before the court?
that John and Abigail never had an affair
What happens to Giles Corey?
he is pressed to death beneath stones
What does John Proctor mean when he says “God is dead!”?
that all holiness and goodness have gone from Salem
Why do Abigail and Tituba both start accusing other Salem women of witchcraft?
they want to deflect the guilt/blame from themselves to appear innocent
What has Abigail done with the poppet that Mary Warren gave to Elizabeth?
she saw Mary stick a needle in it, then pretended Elizabeth’s spirit stuck her own body with a needle
Of what does Giles Corey accuse Thomas Putnam?
having Ruth accuse George Jacobs of witchcraft so that Putnam can take Jacobs’s land
What has become of Abigail and Mercy Lewis?
they stole money from Parris and fled Salem
What does Hale mean when he says to Elizabeth that “God damns a liar less than he that throws his life away for pride?”
that it is better to lie and live than to die from pride
How is Rebecca Nurse more insightful than other characters in this Act?
she understands that the girls are just having “silly seasons” and have let their imaginations run away with them
All of the following make John Proctor appear “bad” EXCEPT:
he hasn’t been attending church regularly
he admits to valuing money above religion
he has openly criticized Reverend Parris
one of his children is not baptized
he does NOT admit to valuing money above religion
In Act 1, Rebecca Nurse functions as the “voice of reason.” How has Reverend Hale now taken on this role in Act 3?
he realizes that the girls are pretending to be bewitched and that Abigail is a liar
Why will John Proctor not sign the testimony of his confession?
he thinks it will rob him of his good name and pride to put the lie in writing
How does Abigail try to deflect the suspicion away from herself when Mary Warren accuses her of lying?
she pretends that Mary is sending out her spirit to harm her
What is a theocracy?
a type of government....
a type of government based on religious beliefs
Of what crime has Rebecca Nurse been accused?
using Devilry to murder Mrs. Putnam’s babies
Why does Judge Danforth not want to hear testimony that the girls are frauds?
he knows that admitting that the girls are frauds will undermine the sentences he has already passed on other “witches”
What has happened in Andover that upsets Danforth?
people have overthrown the courts because the judges are not rational
What influence does Rebecca Nurse ultimately have on John Proctor’s decision to rescind his confession?
she will not confess, and he feels guilty about saving himself while she will die
Name 2 ways John Proctor’s status as a good, religious Puritan is undermined
he openly criticizes Reverend Parris’s teachings and sermons
he goes against most people’s beliefs that there are actual witches in Salem
he is rumored to have had an affair with Abigail
he rarely attends church services
When Proctor says that “vengeance is walking Salem,” to what act of vengeance is he referring?
Abigail trying to get revenge on Elizabeth for ending her and John’s affair
Hale claims that there is a “prodigious fear of the court in the country.” Why are people scared of the court?
they know the courts are irrational and are scared they will be condemned
Why does Giles Corey say neither “aye” nor “nay” when asked if he is a witch?
he knows that if he doesn’t answer that his land will not be sold
John Proctor decides to die rather than “confess” to witchcraft for what reasons? Name 3
To atone for his adultery
To earn Elizabeth's forgiveness
To redeem his "goodness"
To hopefully end the witch trials sooner