Act III Summary Act III opens in the

Act III Summary • Act III opens in the Salem court/meeting house. Giles Corey and Francis Nurse have come to court, desperate for Judge Hawthorne and Danforth to hear them. • Martha Corey, Giles 'wife, has been arrested and he feels responsible. He had reported that Martha had been reading books; he was not an educated man, and his new wife’s reading had confused him. He wants to make it clear that he was NOT accusing her of witchcraft, just expressing curiosity and confusion with her habit. • Giles Corey is agitated and upset, but clear in his claim that Thomas Putnam is using his daughter, Ruth, and “reaching out for land. ” Basically, he accuses Putnam of murdering his neighbors so that he can take their land. • Francis Nurse tells the court that he has evidence that the girls are pretending. Danforth and Hawthone dismiss him and insist that he must file paperwork to be heard.

Act III Continued • Proctor brings Mary Warren into court to testify that it’s an act. Danforth asks Mary Warren if this is true, and she states that it is—the girls are pretending. • Danforth tells Proctor that Elizabeth claims to be pregnant; this would spare her from hanging for at least a year. Although there is no proof of her pregnancy, Proctor believes her. He states that Elizabeth is incapable of lying. • Proctor states he will continue to challenge the court because he knows the truth and his friends’ wives are still in danger. • The men present a document with 91 signatures—all people willing to testify that the women are upstanding and Godfearing. Nurse becomes upset when the judges state their intent to call these people before the court.

Act III Continued • Hale appears to be supporting the men, and shares that many fear the court. Danforth feels that only the guilty should fear the court. • Danforth calls the girls into the court. He asks Mary Warren to act as she did in court and demands that she faint, which she is unable to do. • Despite this, the court begins to question Abigail when it comes out that she and the other girls were caught dancing in the forest. At this moment, Abigail begins to scream and claims that Mary Warren is sending her spirit against her. • Proctor interrupts this, calling Abigail a whore and exposing his affair. However, when Elizabeth is called before the court to support his claim, she denies the affair. • Mary Warren turns on Proctor, saying he is in league with the Devil and forced her to lie to the court. Proctor is arrested and Act III ends with Rev. Hale denouncing the proceedings and quitting the court.