Crucible Test

1. Crucible Test • If you are unsatisfied with your test grade, you may retake your test Friday morning at 8:00. • Learning is more important than a number. • Post Secret due Tuesday, Feb. 2

2. Act III As the act progresses, Proctor’s words, “We are what we always were but naked now.” You will observe what “naked” hatred, greed, and pride looks like.

3. Crucible • crucible |ˈkroōsəbəl|noun • a ceramic or metal container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures. • • a place or occasion of severe test or trial : the crucible of combat. • • a place or situation in which different elements interact to produce something new : the crucible of the new Romantic movement. • Based on the definition of the word, crucible, we see that Arthur Miller chose this title as a symbol of the test that the characters endure.

4. Homework • Summarize a test put on the characters in Act III and explain what is tested, and what is learned. • Need to bring book tomorrow. • Vocabulary quiz Friday

5. Act III • The story opens with Giles Corey’s wife, Martha, being questioned by Judge Danforth and Hathorne. • She is questioned on the lines of a Catch 22. (The Chewbacca Defense) • I know not what a witch is? • How do you know then that you are not a witch? • Giles Corey attempts to bring evidence before the court that Thomas Putnam is using the accusations as a means to get more land, “ we are what we always were, but naked now.” • Danforth and Hathorne deny Giles’s request to have his evidence heard, even with Hale protesting their actions

6. Francis Nurse, Rebecca’s husband, comes to plead to the court • Danforth exclaims that 400 are in jail from his court and 72 are condemned to hang for it.- Highlights the judges’ pride, • “Do you know, Mister Proctor, that the entire contention of the State in these trials is that the voice of Heaven is speaking through the children?”- The judges refuse to listen to evidence contrary to their assumptions • Proctor drags Mary Warren to the trial who claims that all mentions of spirits “were pretense.” • Parris claims that Proctor is “mischief.” This highlights the anxiety the trials cause Parris as his reputation is intertwined with their overall success, and the hatred he has for Proctor • There are claims that Proctor rarely attends church, he works on the Sunday, and the above recommendation from his minister

7. Proctor claims that his only interest is saving his wife, not overthrowing the court. • Therefore, Danforth offers him a bribe. He will allow his wife to a stay for a year during her pregnancy if he will drop the charges. • Proctor denies the offer to aid his neighbors and their wives. • Proctor brings a petition with 91 names on it as evidence of his wife’s and Rebecca’s character. • Parris advises Danforth to throw them all in jail for disruption- Parris has become a inciting figure, tempting each judge to disallow any subversion. • Note how Parris, the town reverend, becomes something near a tempting demon. • Instead of acknowledging the document, Danforth uses it as a way to bring more people to jail. • Hale responds “Is every defense an attack upon the court?”


8. Danforth “But you must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it; there be no road between.” • Giles Corey brings a deposition to the court providing evidence that Putnam is asking his daughter to accuse landowners around the village • Giles, by not giving Danforth the name of the person who testified against the girls, is thrown in jail for contempt of court. • Hale attempts to support the men “it does not follow that everyone accused is part of it.” • “I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it.” • Hale is wrestling with his conscience after signing 72 death warrants and one for Rebecca Nurse

9. Mary Warren is brought before the court to speak on how she could be “callously lying when you knew that people would hang by your evidence.” • Abigail is brought in to defend her testimony • Mary Warren is told she is going to jail for perjury for her testimony now or the testimony she gave earlier. • More great logic • PROCTOR: Your Honor, my wife never kept no poppets. Mary Warren confesses it was her poppet.
CHEEVER: Your Excellency.
DANFORTH: Mister Cheever.
CHEEVER: When I spoke with Goody Proctor in that house, she said she never kept no poppets. But she said she did keep poppets when she were a girl.
PROCTOR: She has not been a girl these fifteen years, your Honor.
HATHORNE: But a poppet will keep fifteen years, will it not?

10. Proctor manages to turn the attention of the court to Abigail- • Laughter during prayer • Dancing the woods • Hathorne develops a test for Mary Warren “can you pretend to faint now?” • Mary Warren is unable to pretend the fainting due to the stress and focus on her. • Abigail takes the lead and begins to “freeze” as she feints that Mary’s spirit attacks her. • Mary Warren, realizing the girls have turned on her, runs for the door screaming “I cannot.”

11. Proctor, realizing his case is ruined, calls Abigail a “whore”, and confesses his lechery. • “We are what we always were, but naked now.” • Understand, from this point on, John Proctor is going to be imprisoned or hanged regardless of what happens with the his wife. • As proof Proctor points out that a man “will not cast away his good name” lightly. • “God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a whore’s vengeance, and you must see it.” • To seek proof of Proctor’s confession, Elizabeth is summoned who in her whole life “have never lied.”

12. The test becomes whether or not Elizabeth will lie to protect John. John has claimed several times throughout the story that Elizabeth can never lie. • Elizabeth says Proctor never slept with Abigail, forcing the court to dismiss Proctor’s testimony • The court even rejects John Proctor confession of lechery as a lie meant to bring down the court, even though he has absolutely nothing to gain by confessing except the life of his wife. • Hale attempts to defend them both “private vengeance is working through this testimony… By my oath to Heaven, I believe him now.”

13. Abigail and the rest of the girls turn on Mary Warren, the last piece of evidence against them. • Abigail pretends to see “a yellow bird” that is attempting to scratch her face. • The girls resort to mimicking every word that comes out of Mary Warren’s mouth, making the judge believe she has bewitched them. • Danforth rushes at Mary Warren. • “You will confess or you will hang. Do you know who I am? I say you will hang if you do not open with me!”

14. Proctor attempts to give Mary the courage to face her attackers… instead she turns on him. • “You’re the Devil’s man!” • “I’ll not hang with you. I love God, I love God.” • Mary Warren rejoins the girls who were, moments before, attempting to have her hung. • Proctor appeals to Mary and Proctor for mercy. • Proctor cannot stand it any longer. • “I say- I say- God is dead.” • “you know in all your black hearts this be fraud.” • “You are pulling Heaven down and raising up a whore!” • Hale quits the courts in protest of their actions.

15. Essay Conclusions • Always ask yourself the question, what is the author trying to tell me about the human condition? • For instance, if we are talking about lying, ask yourself why the people are lying in the first place. What purpose does the lie serve? • Elizabeth lies to protect her husband. Proctor confesses to protect his wife. However, it is larger than that. Proctor risks his life to protect his wife. Elizabeth risks her soul to protect her husband. Each give a part of themselves for the other, showing that love is more powerful than any force of man or law of the land. • Abigail and Mary Warren continue lying and are rewarded for it. Therefore, the author is making a statement about the power of a mob, searching only for evidence that validates its purpose and wiping out the good and innocent people.

16. The Crucible Act 3 Quiz • Answer each of the following on your own paper. • 1. What is the setting of Act 3? • 2. What has Proctor brought as evidence to the court? • 3. Why does Giles Corey refuse to give the name of the man who told him something about one of the accusers? • 4. What does Mary Warren come to the court to testify? • 5. What does John Proctor insist his wife Elizabeth would never do? • 6. How to the other girls get Mary Warren to return to their side as accusers? • 7. Who does Mary accuse of being “the devil’s” person? • 8. What accusation does John Proctor make against Abigail? • 9. What is the crucial turning point that seems to seal Proctor’s fate? • 10. What does Hale do at the end of Act III? • Verbal Essay To Come- Worth 40 pts.

17. Verbal Essay • You will be asked a one of several questions at random. You may only have the opportunity to answer one question, so make your answer a good one. • This counts for 40 points of your quiz. You cannot pass without it. • Talking during the discussion will cause your grade to be deducted by 10 pts. You will only receive one warning. • If you put your head down or attempt to sleep, you will receive one warning. After that, I will assume that you do not wish to take part in the discussion and you will receive a 0 for the entire assignment. • You may add or disagree with someone else’s answer to earn extra points. However, it must be done in a courteous, respectful manner or it will cause your grade to be deducted by 10 pts.

18. Verbal Essays • Describe a way in which a character has gone through a test, or crucible, in the play. • Hale • Elizabeth • Proctor • Mary Warren • Danforth

19. Proctor claims “We are what we always were, but naked now.” • Describe the character flaws that emerge over the story and how each flaw has lead to the destruction of Salem’s society.

20. Who is the most evil character in the play? Why?

21. Is evil committed through ignorance more forgivable than evil committed intentionally? Does the amount of evil committed through ignorance factor into how forgivable it is?

22. Hale says • “We must look for cause proportionate… Search yourselves.” • Who is the most responsible for what has happened to the village?

23. Is the person who began the inciting action more responsible for the actions that unfold than the person seeking retribution?

24. Why do you believe Parris is so adamant about not letting anyone interfere with the court’s proceedings? What does he have to lose?

25. Danforth makes the argument that witchcraft is an “ipso facto” crime, wherein the only people that can be reliably trusted to know what happened is the victim and the attacker. • What is the danger of taking the direct word of the claimed victim, and how has it caused courts to change today? • What do do we lose as a result of the changes? • Which is more acceptable and why?

26. How do you believe the story ends for Proctor? • Abigail? • Elizabeth?