VOCABULARY
What is the meaning of remorseless? What character, in ACT III, shows this characteristic?
Not regreating an action. Abigail Williams.
What False dichotomy is used by Judge Danforth to convince Giles to give away the names of his witnesees?
Danforth: “Old man, if your informant tells the truth let him come here openly. . . . But if he hide in anonymity I must know why.” (passage 215)
What evidence do Giles and Francis provide to support their claim that the girls are frauds?
Marry Warren says so and Parris having caught them dancing in the woods.
Reverend Hale behaves quite different to judge Danforth during act III, how is it different?
He seed truth in Proctor and Giles and tries to talk sense into Danforth's mind, while Danforth sees everything they state as lies and attacks.
What is ironic about Mary Warren’s statement, “I—have no power,” when she is being interrogated in front of Abigail Williams? Explain.
Mary’s statement is ironic in that the tables have been turned on her. She has used
the power of accusation and false testimony, but has never had any supernatural powers. Now, however, the girls ‘acting as if she were bewitching them puts her in a bind: Just when she wishes to appear innocent, it appears to observers as though she really does have some dark power.
What Logical fallacy Judge Danforth uses to "prove" that Marry Warren deposition was invalid?
“But witchcraft is . . . an invisible crime, is it not? Therefore, who may possibly be witness to it?” (passage 242)
How do Abigail and the other girls react when Mary Warren accuses them of pretending?
They start pretending they were being attacked and go into a frenzy of imitating people around them.
Why does Giles Corey refuse to reveal the names of the witnesses against Putnam?
Because the last time he mentioned something, his wife as arrested and he s scared of putting his witnesses in trouble.
What is the meaning of lechery? Who commits it?
excessive or offensive sexual desire; lustfulness. "the vice of lechery"
Proctor commits it.
The meaning of Formidable Charactersis: characters representing opposing, uncompromising, forces.
Which character is one of those in The Crucible?
John Proctor.
Why is Giles Corey appearing in court?
He is bringing proof that Putnam wants his land as well as that of some of his neighbors, therefore Putnam accuses someone in the family who has the land that he desires of witchcraft so that person will go to jail and forfeit the land which Putnam will confiscate.
For what reason is Giles Corey put in jail?
He is jailed for contempt of court because he will not provide the names of the people who told him about Putnam’s plot.
What is the meaning of callously? Which characters behave like this in ACT III?
In a way that is unkind, cruel, and without sympathy or feeling for other people. Both Abigail and Judge Danforth behave like this.
What Profound Theme is evoked by Hale when he asks if any defense is an attack to the court?
The idea that the legal procedures were not being taken serious, for even people who gave a positive statement about Rebecca Nurse were summoned to court as suspects.
In passages 218–222, note references to fear. Why does Miller repeat the word fear so many times? How do Hale’s and Danforth’s reactions to this word capture their central disagreement?
Miller includes this repetition because he is driving home a point in these lines, emphasizing how the fear in Salem has grown. However, Hale and Danforth argue about the driving force behind that fear. The repetition suggests the dissension between these two men. They both agree that fear is governing the community, but they disagree on what is being feared (the courts or God). What the audience hears is “fear in the country, fear in the country, fear in the country,” as if it were a refrain.
Why does Elizabeth deny her husband's affair with Abigail?
She doesn’t know that he told the court about his affair and wants to save his name and reputation.
What does "effrontery" means in ACT III? Which character behaves like this?
Insolent or impertinent behavior. Giles behaves like that in the begining of the act.
When Abigail pretends to see a bird cast by Marry attacking her.
What motivates John Proctor to claim that God is dead and vengeance is walking in Salem?
He says this when he realizes that the judges refuse to accept the truth for fear of losing face, and is abhorred by their inability to admit that they were wrong.
In the stage directions in passage 143, note the adverb and the adjective in the description of Danforth’s voice. Why does Miller use these modifiers? How do these modifiers add to the portrayal of Danforth’s character?
the delivery of this line with an “almost imperceptible” hardness might make the audience predict that things are going to get worse for Proctor at this point. Danforth does not truly feel pity or softness toward Proctor before this moment, but when Proctor says that he “cannot” drop the charge, Danforth feels even more strongly that Proctor is antagonistic toward the court.