Act 1
The play opens with Reverend Parris praying by his afflicted daughter’s bedside. We are left to infer from the dialogue that follows between Parris and his niece, the details of the events preceding this moment. What do we come to learn has caused Betty’s affliction?
She is desperately frightened because her father has seen her meddling with witchcraft
In Act I, we see John Proctor and Abigail interact with one another. This scene contrasts with the opening scene of Act II in which John and Elizabeth interact. Which of the following best describes this contrast?
John and Abigail’s relationship is full of heat, passion, and anger, while John and Elizabeth’s relationship is strained and cold.
What does Abigail "see" in the rafters at the end of this act?
a yellow bird-Mary's Spirit
Why has Danforth brought Elizabeth out of prison?
He wants her to convince John to confess
Danforth warns Mary and John, “before I decide whether I shall hear you or not, it is my duty to tell you this. We burn a hot fire here; it melts down all concealment.” What does this statement mean in the immediate context of the court?
That like a fire that reveals and burns away the impurities in metal, this court will reveal the lies and impurities in their evidence
The company asks Rebecca Nurse, an elderly woman renowned for her piety, to give advice about the stricken Betty. What does she say?
The girls are just acting like silly teenagers. Leave them alone and they’ll come to their senses.
In addition to not attending service often enough, what is the other spot of “softness” the Reverend Hale sees in John Proctor’s church record?
He hasn’t had his child baptized
Danforth categorizes the people in the town into two groups, which makes his judgment unjust. What are the groups?
Those who are with the court, and those who are against it.
Which of the following statements best describes John Proctor’s motives when he first tells Elizabeth he wants to confess?
1) He feels like a hypocrite already and thinks confessing won’t make him any worse.
2) He doesn't want to die
Hathorne lays a trap for Mary by asking her to faint. When she confesses that she cannot, the stage directions tell us that he looks at her “with a gleam of victory.” What does this tell us about Hathorne?
He enjoys manipulating people.
How would you characterize John Proctor’s relationship with Thomas Putnam?
Proctor sees Putnam as greedy and arrogant
When Reverend Hale asks John to demonstrate his piety by reciting the commandments, John forgets which one?
Adultery
Giles seems to be surprisingly skilled in matters of the law. Why?
He has been in court many times
We learn in this act that Giles Corey has been executed via what means?
He was pressed
Coming back from the court, Mary Warren is tired and emotional; she weeps and talks about the court “with horror.” Which of the following best explain her reactions?
She is finally realizing the serious consequences of the girls’ actions and feels compelled to justify her guilt.
What question does Giles ask of Reverend Hale that a wiser man might have avoided in this situation?
He asks what it means if a man’s wife reads strange books.
Both Elizabeth and Reverend Hale have asked John to go into town and testify against Abigail, telling the court that she confessed to him that there was no real witchcraft. John is hesitant, however. Why? What might be his motives for not wanting to speak out?
He is afraid that his affair with Abigail will be revealed.
If you were going to argue that Giles, though a bit of a clown, is nevertheless noble and courageous, which of the following pieces of evidence would you cite to support this claim?
a) “I am never put-upon; I know my rights.”
b) “A fart on Thomas Putnam!”
c) “I will not give you no name. . .I stand mute.”
C
Why does Judge Danforth want Proctor to confess so badly? Other people have already confessed—why does Danforth want a confession specifically from Proctor?
He recognizes that Proctor is respectable and has influence over others.
When Rebecca Nurse is brought in to hear John’s confession, the stage directions tell us that John “turns his face to the wall” and speaks, “through his teeth, his face turned from [her].” What do these stage directions tell us about how John is feeling at this moment?
He is ashamed to be lying in front of Rebecca
On whom does Abigail initially lay the blame for the shenanigans in the forest?
Tituba
Elizabeth lets her temper show a little in this act, despite the bad timing and potentially dire consequences. What does she say that might later come to haunt her?
She says that Abigail should be “ripped out of the world.”
When Danforth asks Elizabeth about John and Abigail’s affair, why does she lie?
She doesn’t want to endanger John.
John is willing to confess, but what is he NOT willing to do?
Sign a written confession
Danforth says, “Is that document a lie? If it is a lie, I will not accept it! . . . I will not deal in lies, Mister!” Why is this claim an example of verbal irony?
Because Danforth has been dealing in lies all along