| Why has Reverend Hale returned to Salem? | He is talking with the prisoners. |
| What is Rev. Hale advising the condemned to do? | He is encouraging them to “lie” to save themselves. |
| What does Rev. Parris reveal about his niece Abigail? | She has run away with his savings. |
| What is the condition of Salem at this point? | So many are in the jails, the town has gone deserted, farms are empty and broken up, cows are wandering the road |
| How does Andover differ from Salem? | The trials are done with |
| How do the proposed hangings of Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor differ from the past executions? | They are respectable people, not drunks, outcasts, etc. |
| What does Rev. Parris want Danforth to do? | Postpone the hangings. |
| What does Rev. Hale want Danforth to do? | Pardon all the condemned |
| What does Rev. Hale mean when he says, “there is blood on my head?” | He has contributed to the deaths of all these people |
| Why does Danforth refuse to postpone the hangings? | It would admit some wrongdoing or doubt, a “floundering” on their part |
| What do Hale and Danforth request of Elizabeth Proctor? | Make John to confess |
| What happened to Giles Corey? | He refused to answer the charges. He was tied to the ground and heavy stones were laid on him for two days until he finally died. |
| What is John’s excuse for confessing? | He has already spoiled his name; he will not be condemning his already blackened soul by telling another lie. He is not a good man, and nothing is made worse by this lie. |
| What is Elizabeth’s proof that John is a good man? | That he hasn’t confessed yet. He has been user such duress and misery and has still refused to lie about this. |
| How has Elizabeth changed since we first met her? | She is much stronger. Her love for John has strengthened too. She recognizes her coldness before and regrets her bitterness and the part it played in all of this. |
| After John confesses, what does Danforth want him to do? | sign a written confession that he will be hung on the courthouse door. |
| What are the implications of John’s words, “I am John Proctor! You will not use me!” | He has blackened his soul by telling the lie, but at least his name remain clean. If he signs it, he signs it to a lie and his children must bear that name forever. Let him keep that clean, though he lives because of his lie. |
| To what does Hale attribute Proctor’s willingness to hang? | Pride, vanity, stubbornness |
| To what does Elizabeth attribute it? | He has redeemed himself – he has refused to implicate his friends and is going to his death knowing he is an innocent man, but he goes to his death in order to keep from lying about things. He has “atoned for the lechery and is pure again. She won’t take that from him. |
the crucible act 4
February 26, 2020