Act 2 The Crucible Intro Notes Conflict a

Act 2 The Crucible

Intro Notes Conflict: a struggle between opposing forces External conflict: takes place between a character and an outside force Ex society, nature, fate, or another person Internal conflict: takes place with a character who is torn by his/her own competing or contradictory values or desires. Vocab (page 1160) Pallor-paleness Ameliorate- make better Avidly- eagerly Base- low or mean Deference- courteous regard or respect Theology- the study of religion

Scene 1 (John and Elizabeth Proctor) At the Proctor’s home 8 days have passed Sitting down to supper John has come in late from the fields Praying for a good summer Will buy the heifer John is trying to please Elizabeth Make up for mistakes with Abigail Walk to fields together to collect flowers

Scene 1 Cont John senses Elizabeth is unhappy She thought he went to Salem He decided not to Servant (Mary Warren) went Official of the court Official court has been formed 4 judges from Boston 14 people already jailed Could be hanged Must confess to save their live Abigail comes into the court bringing people People act like she is a saint “Crowd will part like the sea for Israel” All the girls follow Abigail’s lead

Scene 1 Cont Elizabeth encourages John to go to Salem Confess what Abigail told him Worried how he is going to be believed Abigail told him when they were alone Hurts Elizabeth because he did not mention this Elizabeth questions Johns faithfulness Angers him because he has been nothing but loyal since he confessed He has watched his steps to please her for 7 months (since Abigail was fired) She questions his every move Lost trust in John lashes back He did the right thing and confessed Most husbands would have scorned their wives for accusing Elizabeth says he does not judge him Only God does

Scene 2 (John and Elizabeth Proctor with servant Mary Warren) Believes that Mary is mocking him by going to Salem Wants to know when she is going to do her job that she is paid to do Mary made a puppet for Elizabeth while sitting in court Mary tells the Proctor’s that 39 have been arrested now Not 14 Goody Osborn will hang Sarah Good confessed Mary believes that Sarah tried to choke her in court Whenever Sarah would come begging and Mary sent her away Sarah would mumble This would cause Mary to feel like her “guts would burst” Sarah denies all of this and says she is only saying her 10 commandments When the judge asks her to recite- she cannot remember them

Scene 2 Cont Proctor refuses to allow Mary to return to court Mary says she will go every day Everyone will be hung if they do not confess If they confess they go to jail Mary Cannot be- she is 60 Mary revels that Sarah Good is pregnant says that she is doing God’s work John threatens to whip her Says he will whip the Devil out of her Mary confesses she saved Elizabeth’s life that day Not accused but mentioned Mary cannot reveal who accused her Proctor She orders Mary to bed stands up and says she is 18 but single she will not go to bed Thinks better of it and goes to bed

Scene 3 (John and Elizabeth Proctor) Elizabeth knows Abigail accused her She had known eventually this would happen John reassures her by saying they dismissed it He is going to Ezekiel Cheever to tell of Abigail’s confession Elizabeth says there are to many jailed for Cheever’s help He needs to go to Abigail Elizabeth knows Abigail is seeking to replace her Wants John to tell Abigail she is a whore Break all ties with her 1 wife or no wife at all

Scene 4 (John and Elizabeth Proctor and Reverend Hale) Hale comes on personal business Wants to talk with those mentioned and accused in court He is not from there and wants to have an honest opinion for the court Came from Rebecca Nurses home Comes to the Proctors to question the Christian character of their home Proctor’s rarely attend church Didn’t attend because Elizabeth was sick Went to church when he could Wants to know why only 2 children are baptized Prayed at home when he could attend Does not want Parris to baptize his child Proctor wants to know why Hale is suspicious Proctor hung the door of the church Nailed the roof on too

Scene 4 Cont Elizabeth thinks they judges Parris to hard Asks Elizabeth if she knows her commandments Asks John to recite them Assures him there is no love for Satan in there home Elizabeth encourages John to tell Hale Tells hale he has no one to back this up He forgets adultery Tells him Abigail said it was sport John says he kept it because he did not think anything would come of all the witchcraft Hale does not understand because so many he has examined confessed to witchcraft/dealing with the devil Why wouldn’t they confess? If they do not they are hung Hale wants John to testify this in court Hale questions Proctor’s about witches John wonders if witches exist Elizabeth says that if you believe she is a witch then there is no such thing as witches Elizabeth says they should be questioning Abigail advice is to get the 3 rd child baptized Hale’s regularly and go to church

Scene 5 (Giles Corey, John Proctor, Francis Nurse) They have taken Corey and Nurse’s wives Wont let them see them in the jail Rebecca is charged with the murder of Goody Putman’s babies Hale says Rebecca being charged will now surely have the world going mad Giles confirms he did not accuse his wife, he only said she was reading

Scene 6 (Cheever, Proctor’s, Nurse, Corey, Hale, Mary) Cheever arrives with business of the court He Hale has a warrant for Elizabeth knows nothing of this charge Cheever has warrants 16 women Abigail Williams has charged them

Scene 6 Cont Cheever has been instructed to search the Proctor’s home Looking for puppets Elizabeth says she hasn’t had one since she was a child Cheever sees one on the mantle Elizabeth says it is Mary Warrens and gives it to him Says they have had no others in the house until tonight Cheever needs Elizabeth to go with him John refuses and makes her go get Mary Cheever inspects the puppet and finds a needle Abigail Williams claims that Elizabeth’s spirit stabbed her in the stomach while she sat down to eat with Reverend Paris John disproves

Scene 6 Cont. John demands Mary to tell them how to puppet got to their house Confesses she made it in court and gave it to Mrs. Proctor She confesses she meant no harm by the needle Hale asks if it is her natural memory That she is not being conjured She assures him Mary tells them that they can ask Susanna Walcott or Abigail Williams Simply put it there for safe keeping Both sitting next to her in court Saw her make the puppet and place the needle Hale says that Mary has charged murder on Abigail Tell Mary of Abigail being stabbed

Scene 6 Cont. Cheever tries to convict Elizabeth John rips the warrant John wants to know why Parris and Abigail are never questioned Elizabeth consents to go Hale tells him the court is just Elizabeth tells Mary there is bread for her to cook in the morning Help Mr. Proctor as if you were his daughter Tells John to tell the boys not of witchcraft because it will frighten them John calls Hale Pontius Pilate Tell them I have gone to help someone sick John promises to bring her home soon

Scene 7 (Giles, Proctor, Herrick, Hale, Francis) John does not want to see Elizabeth chained John offers to pay Herrick Hale says he will not fear to testify in court Instructs the men to pray to God to open their eyes Francis Nurse is concerned Proctor calls him a coward Hale begins to question everything Herrick says he is just doing his job Never heard of murder in Salem John bids them to leave him They leave him until the morning

Scene 8 (Proctor and Mary) John tells Mary he will take her to court to testify She refuses to go against Abigail will kill her for testifying Abigail will charge lechery (adultery- a charge almost as serious as witchcraft in this Puritan community) on John Proctor John does not mind if Abigail ruins him His wife will not suffer for this He and Abigail will go down together Mary Warren still refuses

Act 2 Take Away Elizabeth Proctor compares Abigail to Moses. This suggests that she has become a respected and powerful figure within the community Proctor may not only be hesitant to tell the court because no one else witnessed their conversation It could also be because he still has affection towards Abigail Who is more believable on trial: Abigail or John? Abigail because of her new status in the community Not john because people are skeptical of him Deep down reverend Hale shares John Proctors suspicions about the confessions to witch craft He however refuses to admit his doubts even to himself Instead supports the prosecution of witches Something he strongly believes in Deeply wounded by johns rejections, Abigail is desperate to have john even at the cost of getting Elizabeth arrested and possibly executed She is selfish, manipulative, and vindictive person with few scruples

Act 2 Take Away Cont. Abigail and the girls are making the decisions about who will be locked in jail and tried for witchcraft People who seek vengeance like Abigail and the Putman’s get to control who the lawbreakers are It is ironic the Ezekiel Cheever arrested Elizabeth because Elizabeth in an effort to avoid her arrest had urged John to reveal the truth about Abigail to Cheever Now Cheever is arresting Elizabeth Abigail and the girls can destroy the lives of others with a mere accusation, and even the wealthy and influential are not safe Proctor laments the lack of hard evidence, but of course in supernatural crimes, the standards of evidence are not as hard and fast. Power has passed into the hands of others, and as the craze spreads, Hale begins to doubt its essential justice

Act 2 Study Guide Suggest why The Crucible is a suitable title for the play. After reading Act 2 what messages does the play give on the topics of: good and evil love religion Describe the relationship between John and Elizabeth as it is revealed in Act Two. What did Abigail reveal to John? Why did he not tell the court what he knows? Outline the developments since the conclusion of Act One. Consider arrest, reasons, “proof” used, convictions, judges. What hold does Mary have over the Proctors? Why does Elizabeth think Abby called her a witch? Is she correct? Why does Hale come to visit the Proctors? List three reasons for which John might be suspected by Hale of not being a “religious man. ” What explanations does John give to absolve himself for each of his “sins? ” Why does Elizabeth say she doesn’t believe in witches What assessment does Proctor give of Parris’ ambition? What do golden candlesticks symbolize? What are Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey charged as witches? Why is Elizabeth arrested? What “proof” is there that she is a witch? What does Hale advise the husbands of the arrested women to do? What does John ask Mary Wharren to do? Why is she afraid to do as he asks? What sacrifice is John willing to make in order to free Elizabeth? Explain Proctor’s statement, “We are only what we always were, but naked now. ” Apply this statement as it explains what is happening in Salem.