Actwise Summary: A Brief Overview

1. THE CRUCIBLE
BY: ARTHUR MILLER
PREPARED BY: KHALIL UR REHMAN
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
GOVERNMENT POSTGRADUATE COLLEGE MIANWALI
COURTESY: SAMANTHA LINDSAY
REHMAN1396@GMAIL.COM

2. BIOGRAPHY OF ARTHUR MILLER
ARTHUR MILLER WAS BORN TO MIDDLE-CLASS PARENTS IN 1915 IN NEW YORK
CITY. MILLER WAS UNINTELLECTUAL AS A BOY, BUT DECIDED TO BECOME A
WRITER AND ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN TO STUDY JOURNALISM.
THERE, HE RECEIVED AWARDS FOR HIS PLAYWRITING. HIS FIRST PLAY, THE MAN
WHO HAD ALL THE LUCK OPENED IN 1944. MILLER HAD HIS FIRST REAL SUCCESS
WITH ALL MY SONS (1947). DEATH OF A SALESMAN (1949) MADE MILLER A
STAR. THE CRUCIBLE OPENED IN 1952, AND WAS CONSIDERED AN ATTACK ON
THE ANTI-COMMUNIST MCCARTHYISM THEN RAGING IN THE UNITED STATES.
MILLER HIMSELF WAS BROUGHT BEFORE CONGRESS IN 1956 AND CONVICTED OF
CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS FOR REFUSING TO COOPERATE. THE CONVICTION WAS
EVENTUALLY OVERTURNED.

3. HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE CRUCIBLE
THE CRUCIBLE IS A FICTIONALIZED ACCOUNT OF THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS OF 1692,
IN WHICH 19 INNOCENT MEN AND WOMEN WERE KILLED BY HANGING AND
HUNDREDS CONVICTED BEFORE THE PANIC SUBSIDED. YET WHILE THE
CRUCIBLE DEPICTS ONE WITCH-HUNT, IT WAS WRITTEN DURING ANOTHER. IN THE
1950S, DURING THE FIRST YEARS OF THE COLD WAR, A SENATOR NAMED JOSEPH
MCCARTHY ROSE TO POWER BY WHIPPING THE NATION INTO A TERROR OF
COMMUNISTS. MCCARTHY LED THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN
ACTIVITIES, WHICH SOUGHT TO FIND COMMUNISTS IN AMERICA. THOSE NAMED AS
COMMUNISTS WERE PLACED ON "BLACKLISTS" THAT PREVENTED THEM FROM
GETTING WORK. EVENTUALLY THE FERVOR DIED DOWN AND MCCARTHY WAS
CENSURED, BUT NOT BEFORE THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY
THOSE IN ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRIES, WERE DESTROYED.

4. KEY FACTS ABOUT THE CRUCIBLE
FULL TITLE: THE CRUCIBLE
WHEN WRITTEN: 1950-52
WHEN PUBLISHED: 1953
LITERARY PERIOD: REALIST DRAMA
GENRE: TRAGIC DRAMA
SETTING: SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS IN 1692, WHEN IT WAS A
PURITAN COLONY
CLIMAX: THE CRUCIBLE HAS AN ODD STRUCTURE, IN WHICH
EACH OF THE FOUR ACTS ENDS ON A CLIMAX. ACT I: THE GIRLS
SCREAM OUT THE NAMES OF WITCHES. ACT II: PROCTOR VOWS
HE WILL CONFRONT ABIGAIL. ACT III: PROCTOR REVEALS HIS
ADULTERY WITH ABIGAIL, AND ELIZABETH PROCTOR LIES. ACT IV:
PROCTOR RIPS UP HIS CONFESSION.
ANTAGONIST: ABIGAIL WILLIAMS

5. ACT-ONE SUMMARY
TEN-YEAR-OLD BETTY PARRIS HAS CONTRACTED A
MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS THAT RENDERS HER MUTE AND
BEDRIDDEN. HER FATHER, REVEREND SAMUEL PARRIS,
CAUGHT HER DANCING IN THE WOODS THE NIGHT BEFORE
WITH A GROUP OF GIRLS. THE GROUP INCLUDED HIS TEENAGE
NIECE, ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, AND HIS SLAVE, TITUBA. RUMORS
HAVE SPREAD AROUND TOWN THAT WITCHCRAFT IS THE
CAUSE OF BETTY’S ILLNESS, AND PEOPLE ARE NOW GATHERED
AT THE PARRIS HOUSEHOLD. PARRIS QUESTIONS ABIGAIL
ABOUT THE RUMORS, BUT SHE CLAIMS THE GIRLS WERE JUST
DANCING. ANN PUTNAM SAYS THAT HER DAUGHTER, RUTH, WHO
WAS WITH THE GROUP IN THE WOODS, IS ALSO AFFLICTED WITH
A STRANGE ILLNESS. ALL OF ANN’S CHILDREN EXCEPT RUTH
HAVE DIED AS INFANTS. ANN SENT RUTH TO TITUBA IN HOPES
THAT SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH HER
SIBLINGS AND FIND OUT WHO OR WHAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR
THEIR DEATHS. TO HER UNCLE'S DISMAY, ABIGAIL ADMITS
THAT TITUBA AND RUTH WERE CONJURING SPIRITS IN THE
WOODS.

6. ACT-ONE SUMMARY
ABIGAIL AND TWO GIRLS NAMED MERCY LEWIS AND MARY WARREN, WHO WERE ALSO IN
THE WOODS, ARE LEFT ALONE WITH BETTY. THEY TRY TO WAKE HER UP AS THEY GET
THEIR STORY STRAIGHT. BETTY BLURTS OUT THAT ABIGAIL DRANK CHICKEN BLOOD
IN AN ATTEMPT TO CAST A SPELL THAT WOULD KILL ELIZABETH PROCTOR, AND
ABIGAIL WARNS HER TO KEEP QUIET (OR ELSE). JOHN PROCTOR ENTERS THE ROOM,
AND MERCY AND MARY LEAVE ABIGAIL ALONE WITH HIM. JOHN AND ABIGAIL HAD AN
AFFAIR WHEN ABIGAIL WORKED AS A SERVANT IN HIS HOUSE, AND ABIGAIL WANTS
IT TO CONTINUE. JOHN INSISTS THAT HE HAS RECOMMITTED HIMSELF TO HIS WIFE,
ELIZABETH. BETTY WHIMPERS WHEN SHE HEARS THE LORD’S NAME IN A PSALM THAT
PEOPLE ARE SINGING OUTSIDE THE ROOM. EVERYONE WHO IS SINGING OUTSIDE THE
ROOM RUSHES IN TO CHECK ON HER. BETTY'S DISTRESS IS TAKEN AS ADDITIONAL
EVIDENCE OF WITCHCRAFT BY ANN PUTNAM, AND SOME OF THE OTHERS START TO
COME AROUND TO THIS THEORY AS WELL.

7. ACT-ONE SUMMARY
AN INTELLECTUAL CHURCH LEADER NAMED REVEREND HALE ARRIVES FROM
THE TOWN OF BEVERLY TO INVESTIGATE THE SITUATION AND SEE IF HE CAN
DETECT ANY SIGNS OF WITCHCRAFT. ABIGAIL CONFESSES THAT TITUBA
CALLED THE DEVIL AFTER MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE PREVIOUS NIGHT ARE
REVEALED. TITUBA ISN’T ALLOWED TO TELL HER SIDE OF THE STORY (THAT
ABIGAIL WAS ACTUALLY THE INSTIGATOR), AND WHEN SHE IS THREATENED
WITH HANGING SHE CONFESSES THAT SHE’S BEEN FORCED TO WORK FOR THE
DEVIL. SHE ALSO NAMES SARAH GOOD AND SARAH OSBURN AS FELLOW
WITCHES AFTER PROMPTING BY PARRIS AND HALE. ABIGAIL AND BETTY THEN
ADMIT THEIR UNWILLING INVOLVEMENT IN WITCHCRAFT AND SHOUT OUT
THE NAMES OF SEVERAL OTHER WOMEN WHO THEY CLAIM TO HAVE SEEN
WITH THE DEVIL.

8. ACT ONE RECAP OF EVENTS
The play is set in the town of Salem, MA, and the year is 1692.
•Betty Parris, a young girl, is sick, but no one can figure out why.
•Rumors spread around town that she's been bewitched.
•Betty's dad is Reverend Parris, the new-ish church leader in Salem, who is paranoid about his reputation amongst the
reputation amongst the townspeople.
•Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris' teenage niece and Betty's cousin, is questioned by Parris about the cause of Betty's illness.
•He knows that Abigail, Betty, and Parris' slave, Tituba, were dancing in the woods the night before and perhaps conducting
some kind of ritual.
•Abigail claims there was no witchcraft involved.

9. ACT ONE RECAP OF EVENTS
• ABIGAIL HAD AN AFFAIR WITH A FARMER NAMED JOHN PROCTOR WHILE SERVING IN HIS
HOUSE, AND SHE'S STILL INTO HIM, BUT HE WANTS TO FORGET IT EVER HAPPENED.
• BETTY SAYS THAT ABIGAIL TRIED TO PUT A CURSE ON JOHN'S WIFE, ELIZABETH PROCTOR, IN
ORDER TO KILL HER AND TAKE HER PLACE, BUT NO ONE ELSE KNOWS ABOUT THIS, AND
ABIGAIL WARNS HER TO KEEP QUIET.
• REVEREND HALE, THE CHURCH LEADER FROM THE TOWN OF BEVERLEY, IS SUMMONED TO
EXAMINE BETTY BECAUSE HE'S AN EXPERT ON WITCHCRAFT.
• TITUBA IS ACCUSED OF CALLING THE DEVIL IN THE WOODS BASED ON ABIGAIL'S
TESTIMONY, AND SHE CONFESSES UNDER PRESSURE FROM HALE.
• TITUBA NAMES GOODY GOOD AND GOODY OSBURN AS FELLOW WITCHES AFTER THEIR NAMES
ARE SUGGESTED.
• ABIGAIL PLAYS THE VICTIM AND ACCUSES MORE WOMEN OF WITCHCRAFT.

10. ACT-TWO SUMMARY
JOHN AND ELIZABETH DISCUSS THE TRIALS IN
SALEM, AND THEY BOTH REALIZE THINGS ARE GETTING OUT OF
HAND (THOUGH JOHN STILL BELIEVES THE COURT WOULD
NEVER ACTUALLY HANG ANYONE). ELIZABETH TELLS JOHN HE
HAS TO GO INTO TOWN AND INFORM THEM THAT ABIGAIL IS
LYING. JOHN'S HESITANCE LEADS TO AN ARGUMENT ROOTED IN
HIS AFFAIR AND THE LACK OF TRUST THAT CONTINUES TO
PERVADE THEIR MARRIAGE.
MARY WARREN, WHO WENT TO SALEM TO TESTIFY AGAINST
THE PROCTORS' WISHES, RETURNS TO THE HOUSE AND GIVES
ELIZABETH A POPPET (DOLL) SHE MADE IN COURT. MARY
REVEALS THAT ELIZABETH WAS ACCUSED IN COURT, BUT SHE
SPOKE UP IN HER DEFENSE. IT'S CLEAR THAT ABIGAIL IS
ACCUSING ELIZABETH BECAUSE SHE HOPES TO TAKE HER PLACE
AS JOHN PROCTOR'S WIFE. THIS LEADS TO ANOTHER ARGUMENT
WHERE ELIZABETH URGES JOHN TO TELL ABIGAIL THAT
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO POSSIBILITY OF THEM EVER BEING
TOGETHER.

11. ACT-TWO SUMMARY
HALE ARRIVES AND QUESTIONS THE PROCTORS ABOUT THEIR RELIGIOUS DEVOTION BASED ON THE
ACCUSATIONS LEVIED AGAINST ELIZABETH. JOHN TELLS HIM THAT THE GIRLS ARE FRAUDS, AND HALE
ACTUALLY STARTS TO DOUBT THE VALIDITY OF THE ACCUSERS' CLAIMS. GILES COREY AND FRANCIS NURSE
COME TO THE HOUSE IN DISTRESS, REVEALING THAT BOTH OF THEIR WIVES HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR
WITCHCRAFT. THEN, EZEKIEL CHEEVER AND MARSHAL HERRICK ARRIVE WITH A WARRANT FOR
ELIZABETH'S ARREST. THEY FIND THE DOLL THAT MARY GAVE HER AND NOTICE THAT IT HAS A NEEDLE
STUCK IN IT. THIS MATCHES UP WITH THE "ATTACK" ON ABIGAIL ALLEGEDLY PERPETRATED BY ELIZABETH'S
SPIRIT.
PROCTOR GETS MARY TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT THE DOLL. SHE SAYS THAT SHE MADE IT IN COURT AND
STUCK THE NEEDLE IN HERSELF WITH ABIGAIL SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO HER. HOWEVER, THE AUTHORITIES
ARE NOT CONVINCED BY THIS STORY. PROCTOR TEARS UP THE ARREST WARRANT IN FRUSTRATION, BUT
ELIZABETH AGREES TO GO PEACEFULLY.
WHEN EVERYONE ELSE HAS LEFT, PROCTOR TELLS MARY THAT SHE MUST TESTIFY ON ELIZABETH'S
BEHALF IN COURT. MARY IS TERRIFIED TO DO THIS BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THAT ABIGAIL WILL TURN THE
REST OF THE COURT AGAINST HER. PROCTOR BEGINS TO FEEL A SORT OF RELIEF BECAUSE HE SENSES
THAT HE AND ALL THE OTHER HYPOCRITES ARE FINALLY BEING PUNISHED FOR THEIR SINS.

12. ACT TWO RECAP OF EVENTS
• ELIZABETH INFORMS JOHN THAT MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, AND HE
NEEDS TO GO TO SALEM TO TELL THE COURT THAT ABIGAIL IS A FRAUD.
• MARY RETURNS FROM SALEM AFTER PARTICIPATING IN THE TRIALS AND GIVES
ELIZABETH A RAGDOLL SHE MADE IN COURT.
• MARY TELLS THE PROCTORS THAT ELIZABETH WAS MENTIONED BRIEFLY, BUT THE
ACCUSATIONS WERE DISMISSED THANKS TO MARY'S FAVORABLE TESTIMONY.
• ELIZABETH KNOWS ABIGAIL WILL CONTINUE TO ACCUSE HER UNTIL SOMETHING
STICKS, AND SHE TELLS JOHN HE HAS TO GO DIRECTLY TO ABIGAIL AND TELL HER
THAT THEY'RE NEVER GONNA BE A THING.

13. ACT TWO RECAP OF EVENTS
• HALE WARILY QUESTIONS THE PROCTORS ABOUT THEIR SKIMPY CHURCH ATTENDANCE, AND JOHN
TELLS HIM ABIGAIL IS A FRAUD. HALE HAS FLEETING DOUBTS ABOUT THE LEGITIMACY OF THE
GIRLS' ACCUSATIONS.
• FRANCIS NURSE AND GILES COREY COME TO THE HOUSE AND SAY THAT THEIR WIVES HAVE BEEN
ARRESTED.
• THEN, EZEKIEL CHEEVER AND MARSHAL HERRICK ARRIVE WITH A WARRANT FOR ELIZABETH'S
ARREST.
• THEY FIND A NEEDLE IN THE DOLL MARY GAVE ELIZABETH THAT CORRESPONDS TO THE NEEDLE
THAT ELIZABETH'S FAMILIAR SPIRIT SUPPOSEDLY USED TO STAB ABIGAIL.
• ELIZABETH GOES WITH THEM PEACEFULLY AFTER REALIZING SHE CAN'T PROVE HER INNOCENCE.
• JOHN ANGRILY INSISTS THAT MARY MUST TELL THE COURT ABIGAIL IS LYING.
• MARY SAYS SHE'S TOO SCARED OF THE CONSEQUENCES AND DOESN'T THINK SHE CAN DO IT.

14. ACT-THREE SUMMARY
JUDGE HATHORNE IS QUESTIONING MARTHA COREY OFF-
STAGE. GILES COREY INTERRUPTS THE PROCEEDINGS TO
DEFEND HIS WIFE, AND HE IS DRAGGED INTO A ROOM OFF OF
THE COURT (ON STAGE) BY MARSHAL HERRICK. THEY ARE
ACCOMPANIED BY JUDGE HATHORNE, GOVERNOR DANFORTH,
REVEREND PARRIS AND REVEREND HALE, FRANCIS NURSE, AND
EZEKIEL CHEEVER.
AFTER A SHORT DISCUSSION WHERE THE TRUTH OF THE
ACCUSERS’ CLAIMS IS DISPUTED BY FRANCIS NURSE AND GILES
COREY, MARY WARREN AND JOHN PROCTOR ENTER THE
ROOM. MARY ADMITS TO DANFORTH THAT SHE AND THE
OTHER GIRLS WERE FAKING THE WHOLE TIME. DANFORTH IS
NOT CONVINCED THAT THIS IS THE TRUTH BASED ON THE
EVIDENCE OF WITCHCRAFT HE'S SEEN IN COURT (PEOPLE
BEING CHOKED BY FAMILIAR SPIRITS AND SLASHED WITH
DAGGERS).

15. ACT-THREE SUMMARY
PROCTOR PRESENTS A PETITION SIGNED BY 91 PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO VOUCH FOR THE GOOD CHARACTER OF
ELIZABETH PROCTOR, REBECCA NURSE, AND MARTHA COREY. DANFORTH ORDERS WARRANTS DRAWN UP FOR ALL THE
PEOPLE WHO SIGNED THE PETITION. PROCTOR THEN PRESENTS A STATEMENT FROM GILES COREY WHERE COREY
TESTIFIES THAT THOMAS PUTNAM ENCOURAGED HIS DAUGHTER, RUTH PUTNAM, TO MAKE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST
GEORGE JACOBS SO PUTNAM COULD SNATCH UP JACOBS’ LAND. HOWEVER, GILES REFUSES TO REVEAL WHO GAVE HIM
THIS INFORMATION, SO HE IS ARRESTED FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT AND HIS ACCUSATIONS ARE DISMISSED.
FINALLY, PROCTOR GIVES DANFORTH MARY WARREN’S STATEMENT WHERE SHE ADMITS IN WRITING THAT SHE AND
THE OTHER GIRLS WERE FAKING. THE GIRLS ARE BROUGHT IN FROM THE COURTROOM FOR QUESTIONING BY
DANFORTH. ABIGAIL DENIES MARY’S ACCUSATIONS. THE JUDGES DOUBT MARY EVEN MORE WHEN SHE IS UNABLE TO
PRETEND TO FAINT LIKE SHE SAYS SHE DID IN THE COURTROOM. ABIGAIL THEN SAYS SHE FEELS A SPIRIT IN THE ROOM,
WHICH ENRAGES PROCTOR. HE CALLS HER A WHORE AND ADMITS THAT THEY HAD AN AFFAIR SO THAT SHE WILL BE
DISCREDITED. DANFORTH BRINGS ELIZABETH PROCTOR IN FOR QUESTIONING ON THIS ISSUE, BUT SHE COVERS UP THE
AFFAIR TO PROTECT JOHN’S REPUTATION. SHE IS UNAWARE THAT HE HAS ALREADY CONFESSED. JOHN’S ACCUSATIONS
ARE SUBSEQUENTLY DISMISSED.
ABIGAIL CLAIMS TO SEE A BIRD ON THE RAFTERS THAT SHE INSISTS IS MARY WARREN’S SPIRIT POISED TO ATTACK HER.
THE OTHER GIRLS FOLLOW ABIGAIL’S LEAD AND GANG UP ON MARY. A TERRIFIED MARY BREAKS DOWN UNDER THE
PRESSURE OF THESE ACCUSATIONS AND CONFESSES THAT JOHN FORCED HER TO WORK FOR THE DEVIL. PROCTOR
AND COREY ARE ARRESTED, AND HALE QUITS THE COURT IN DISGUST AT THIS BLATANT DISPLAY OF IRRATIONALITY.

16. ACT THREE RECAP OF
EVENTS• MARTHA COREY IS QUESTIONED BY DANFORTH.
• GILES COREY OBJECTS TO THIS AND ARGUES WITH THE JUDGES, INSISTING THAT THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST HER ARE PHONY.
• MARY AND JOHN ARRIVE, AND MARY REVEALS THAT SHE DIDN'T ACTUALLY SEE ANY SPIRITS.
• JOHN PRESENTS A PETITION AS EVIDENCE OF THE GOOD CHARACTER OF ELIZABETH PROCTOR, REBECCA NURSE, AND MARTHA
COREY, BUT IT BACKFIRES; DANFORTH HAS WARRANTS DRAWN UP FOR THE SIGNEES.
• GILES INFORMS DANFORTH THAT THOMAS PUTNAM TOLD RUTH PUTNAM TO ACCUSE GEORGE JACOBS SO PUTNAM COULD GET
JACOBS' LAND.
• HOWEVER, GILES WON'T REVEAL WHO TOLD HIM THIS, SO HE'S ARRESTED FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT.
• DANFORTH REVIEWS MARY'S DEPOSITION WHERE SHE TESTIFIES THAT THE GIRLS WERE FAKING.
• THE GIRLS ARE BROUGHT IN AND QUESTIONED, AND ABIGAIL DENIES THE ACCUSATIONS.
• MARY IS UNABLE TO PRETEND TO FAINT ON COMMAND, WHICH MAKES DANFORTH, PARRIS, AND HATHORNE DOUBT HER REVISED
TESTIMONY.
• JOHN ADMITS TO HIS AFFAIR WITH ABIGAIL IN DESPERATION, BUT THE USUALLY TRUTHFUL ELIZABETH DOES NOT CORROBORATE
HIS CLAIMS BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T KNOW HE'S ALREADY CONFESSED.
• ABIGAIL AND THE OTHER GIRLS ACT LIKE THEY ARE BEING BEWITCHED BY MARY, WHO ACCUSES JOHN OF WORKING FOR THE
DEVIL OUT OF FEAR THAT SHE WILL BE CONDEMNED BY THE COURT.
• JOHN PROCTOR AND GILES COREY ARE ARRESTED, AND HALE QUITS THE COURT.

17. ACT-FOUR SUMMARY
ACT 4 OPENS WITH HERRICK REMOVING TITUBA AND
SARAH GOOD FROM A JAIL CELL SO THE COURT OFFICIALS CAN
HOLD A MEETING THERE. REVEREND HALE AND REVEREND
PARRIS ARE OFF PRAYING WITH THE OTHER CONDEMNED
PRISONERS, WHICH IS UNSETTLING TO DANFORTH AND HATHORNE.
WHEN PARRIS ARRIVES AT THE MEETING, HE EXPLAINS THAT HALE
IS TRYING TO GET THE PRISONERS TO CONFESS TO THEIR
CRIMES RATHER THAN LOSE THEIR LIVES NEEDLESSLY. HE ALSO
REVEALS THAT ABIGAIL AND MERCY LEWIS HAVE RUN AWAY, AND
THEY STOLE HIS LIFE'S SAVINGS.
THE AUTHORITIES THEN DISCUSS THE STATE OF SOCIAL UNREST
THAT HAS EMERGED IN SALEM AFTER THE JAILING OF SO MANY
CITIZENS. HATHORNE DENIES THAT THERE IS ANY POSSIBILITY OF
REBELLION ("WHY AT EVERY EXECUTION I HAVE SEEN NAUGHT BUT
HIGH SATISFACTION IN THE TOWN" (PG. 117)), BUT 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.

18. ACT-FOUR SUMMARY
HALE ARRIVES AND SAYS THAT HE HASN'T EXTRACTED ANY CONFESSIONS YET. THE ONE PRISONER
WHO HE HASN'T TALKED TO IS JOHN PROCTOR. THE OFFICIALS DECIDE THAT THEY WILL BRING IN
ELIZABETH PROCTOR TO SPEAK WITH HIM AND CONVINCE HIM TO CONFESS. ELIZABETH AND JOHN ARE
LEFT ALONE, AND ELIZABETH INFORMS JOHN OF GILES COREY'S DEATH. GILES WAS PRESSED TO
DEATH WITH HEAVY STONES SINCE HE REFUSED TO PLEAD GUILTY OR INNOCENT TO THE CHARGES OF
WITCHCRAFT. JOHN BEGS HER TO TELL HIM WHETHER OR NOT HE SHOULD CONFESS. HE'S LEANING
TOWARDS CONFESSING BECAUSE HE DOESN'T THINK VERY MUCH OF HIMSELF AND FEELS HIS SOUL IS
ALREADY BEYOND REDEMPTION. HE ASKS FOR ELIZABETH'S FORGIVENESS, BUT SHE SAYS HER
FORGIVENESS DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING IF HE WON'T FORGIVE HIMSELF. SHE ALSO PLACES SOME BLAME
ON HERSELF FOR THE WAY THINGS WENT DOWN WITH ABIGAIL. SHE TELLS HIM THAT ONLY HE CAN
DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO CONFESS.
JOHN TENTATIVELY AGREES TO CONFESS, BUT HE REFUSES TO NAME ANY NAMES AND THEN IS
RELUCTANT TO SIGN THE CONFESSION. HE DECIDES HE CAN'T GO THROUGH THE REST OF HIS LIFE
AFTER SIGNING HIS NAME INTO DISGRACE IN THIS PERMANENT WAY. HE SNATCHES THE SIGNED PAPER
AWAY AT THE LAST MINUTE AND RIPS IT TO SHREDS, THUS SEALING HIS FATE. REBECCA NURSE AND JOHN
ARE THEN LED OFF TO THE GALLOWS BY MARSHAL HERRICK. THE OTHERS BEG ELIZABETH TO
CONVINCE HIM TO RECONSIDER, BUT SHE REFUSES TO DEPRIVE HIM OF THIS CHOICE WHEN IT'S CLEARLY
THE ONLY WAY HE CAN BREAK FREE FROM HIS SELF-HATRED.

19. ACT FOUR RECAP OF
EVENTS• DANFORTH AND HAWTHORNE MEET IN A JAIL CELL AND DISCUSS THEIR CONCERNS WITH PARRIS' ERRATIC BEHAVIOR AND HALE'S RETURN TO
SALEM.
• PARRIS JOINS THEM AND REVEALS THAT HALE IS ADVISING THE PRISONERS TO CONFESS.
• PARRIS ALSO REVEALS THAT ABIGAIL RAN AWAY WITH HIS LIFE'S SAVINGS, MOST LIKELY BECAUSE OF THE RISING SOCIETAL DISCONTENT WITH
THE COURT'S ACTIVITIES.
• BOTH PARRIS AND HALE BEG DANFORTH TO EITHER PARDON THE PRISONERS OR POSTPONE THE HANGINGS UNTIL CONFESSIONS ARE
OBTAINED BECAUSE REBECCA NURSE AND JOHN PROCTOR STILL HAVE SUCH GOOD REPUTATIONS, AND THEIR EXECUTIONS COULD CAUSE AN
UPRISING.
• DANFORTH REFUSES BECAUSE HE'S ALREADY EXECUTED OTHER PRISONERS ACCUSED OF THE SAME CRIMES, AND HE DOESN'T WANT TO
LOOK WEAK.
• THEY DECIDE TO BRING IN ELIZABETH PROCTOR SO SHE CAN TALK TO JOHN AND HOPEFULLY CONVINCE HIM TO CONFESS BEFORE HE IS SENT
TO THE GALLOWS.
• JOHN AND ELIZABETH DISCUSS THIS DECISION, AND JOHN IS LEANING TOWARDS CONFESSING BECAUSE HE DOESN'T FEEL HE'S WORTHY OF
MARTYRDOM.
• ELIZABETH TELLS HIM HE HAS TO MAKE HIS OWN CHOICE.
• JOHN BEGINS TO CONFESS, BUT HE FALTERS WHEN HE IS ORDERED TO SIGN HIS NAME TO THE CONFESSION AND LEARNS THAT IT WILL BE
DISPLAYED PUBLICLY.
• HE TEARS UP THE CONFESSION AND DECIDES HE WILL GO TO HIS DEATH RATHER THAN PERMANENTLY RUIN HIS REPUTATION AND SACRIFICE
THE ONLY INTEGRITY HE HAS LEFT.
• THE OFFICIALS TRY TO CONVINCE ELIZABETH TO STOP HIM, BUT SHE REFUSES BECAUSE SHE RECOGNIZES THIS IS THE ONLY WAY JOHN CAN
END HIS FEELINGS OF SELF-HATRED.
• JOHN AND REBECCA NURSE ARE LED TO THE GALLOWS TO BE EXECUTED.