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Act one Scene One pgs. 461-464
The rumor that Betty is the victim of witchcraft is running rampant in Salem, and a crowd has gathered in Parris’s parlor. Parris berates his niece, Abigail Williams, because he discovered her, Betty, and several other girls dancing in the forest in the middle of the night with his slave, Tituba. Abigail threatens to kill them if they breathe a word about the other things that they did. -
Act One Scene 2 pgs. 465-471
Proctor disdains hypocrisy, and many people resent him for exposing their foolishness. However, Proctor is uneasy with himself because he had conducted an extramarital affair with Abigail. Proctor asks if Parris consulted the legal authorities or called a town meeting before he asked Reverend Hale to uncover demons in Salem. Rebecca fears that a witch-hunt will spark even more disputes. Putnam demands that Parris have Hale search for signs of witchcraft. -
Act One Scene three pgs.472-485
Danford calls Elizabeth to the stand questioning her about their servant Abigail Williams and why she let her go.Elizabeth lies and say she was tired of her and her last baby and saw her husband returning and sent her on the high road.Proctor stands up and scream Elizabeth tell the truth I already confessed.The girls are in the courtroom screaming saying they see a bird.Abigail screams got my face you can’ not want to tear my face. Danford thinks Mary is hurting her making her see these visions. -
Act 2 Scene 1 pgs. 487-493
The relationship between John and Elizabeth is expanded and we learn that Elizabeth has tried to forgive her husband over his affair with Abigail, but tension still exists between the couple. John is now aware that Elizabeth does not fully trust him.he cannot stand his wife judging him, but as the Trial develops in Salem, there will come a point when he has to judge himself and face up to his responsibilities. -
Act 2 Scene 2 pgs.494-498
John Proctor sits down to dinner with his wife, Elizabeth. Mary Warren, their servant, has gone to the witch trials, defying Elizabeth’s order that she remain in the house. Fourteen people are now in jail. Proctor can barely believe the craze, and he tells Elizabeth that Abigail had sworn her dancing had nothing to do with witchcraft. Elizabeth wants him to testify that the accusations are a sham. Parris found a needle in her abdomen, and Abigail accused Elizabeth of witchcraft. -
Act 2 Scene 3 pgs.499-503
Reverend Hale appears at the door as John is about to leave to talk to Abby. He tells the Proctors that Elizabeth’s name has been mentioned in the court. His mission is to determine the Christian character of the Proctors. Hale is concerned that John does not attend every Sunday and asks him for a reason.. At first John offers the reason that Elizabeth had been sick. Soon, however, he cannot keep from telling Hale of his differences with Reverend Parris, who is always looking for more money. -
Act 3 Scene 1 pgs. 505-511
Giles interrupts the proceedings by shouting that Putnam is only making a grab for more land. He claims to have evidence to back up this assertion. Judge Hathorne, Deputy Governor Danforth, and the Reverends Hale and Parris join Giles and Francis in the vestry room to get to the bottom of the matter.Proctor and Mary Warren enter the room. Mary testifies that she and the other girls were only pretending to be afflicted by witchcraft. -
Act 3 Scene 2 pgs. 512-517
Proctor and Mary Warren enter the vestry room. Proctor tells Danforth that Mary Warren did not see spirits. Although Danforth refuses to accept Mary Warren's signed deposition, he does agree to talk with her.Danforth asks Mary Warren about the spirits that she saw. She tells him that she and the other girls only pretended to see spirits. Danforth also questions Proctor to find out if he is trying to undermine the court. He warns Proctor that anything he is hiding will come out. -
Act 3 Scene 3 pgs. 518-525
Danforth summons Abigail and three of the girls into the vestry room, where he questions Abigail. She denies Mary Warren's charge that she is lying and that she falsely accused Elizabeth Proctor.Danforth learns that the girls danced in the woods. Hathorne questions Mary Warren and asks her to pretend to faint. When she cannot, he insists that she is lying now because she cannot faint as she claims to have done before. Danforth asks Abigail if she could have imagined the spirits. -
Act 4 Scene 1 pgs. 527-530
Danforth and Hathorne visit a Salem jail to see Parris. Parris, worn and gaunt, greets them. They demand to know why Reverend Hale has returned to Salem. Parris assures them that Hale only wants to persuade the holdout prisoners to confess and save themselves from the gallows. He reports that Abigail and Mercy vanished from Salem after robbing him. Hale now appears, haggard and sorrowful. He begs the men to pardon the prisoners because the prisoners will not confess. -
Act 4 Scene 2 pgs. 531-535
Elizabeth tells John that because Giles Corey would not give the name of his source, they pressed him for the information, which means they put giant stones on his chest to force him to talk.All Giles Corey would tell them was "More weight" until he died. Elizabeth tells John that she wants him alive to help raise their baby, so John decides to confess. He finally decides to tear the confession and face the gallows. Elizabeth witnesses his decision and begins to weep. -
Act 4 Scene 3 Pgs. 534-539
John begins to answer the questions put to him, agreeing that he saw the devil and that he did the devil’s work on the earth. Parris is very concerned about what will happen if they hang people who are well-respected. Parris has already received a death threat in the form of a dagger wedged in his doorway.He advises that they postpone the hangings and continue pushing for confessions, but Danforth refuses because it would make him look bad.
