CRUCIABLE Flashcards
Act 1 very brief overview
We see an all encompassing fear reside over Salem as an atmosphere of Witcher’s grows and many characters, including Paris, begin to despair for their reputations and sense of power / control.
A1
Paris asking Abby about the forest
Parris
“What did you do with her in the forest?”
A1
Abby claims that it has all been sport and the witchcraft is not real
In response to Paris asking about the forest
Abigail:
“We never conjured spirits-“
Mary reveals her fear that the village will find out and their reputations will be damaged
Mary:
“What’ll we do? the village is out! They’ll be callin’ us witches Abby!”
Mary:
“She means to tell”
Mary:
“We’ve got to tell!”
Abigail’s fear that the truth would damage her chances with Proctor and blush her name make her wild and aggressive.
She manipulated the other girls with threats of violence. This strengthens her position in the group, as reputations are vital in securing jobs and husbands. The violence is made possible when she goes on to reveal her parents death, evoking sympathy and foreshadowing the deaths to come.
Abigail:
“Now look you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam’s dead sisters. And that is all. And mark this. Let either you breath a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it.
Abigail is likened to an animal, showing passion and a desire / heat for a relationship
(1 line from Proctor and another from Abby)
Proctor:
“Abby that’s a wild thing to say”
Abigail:
“A wild thing may say wild things”
The town itself is hypocritical, judgemental and false
Abigail
Abigail:
“I never knew these lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men!”
Abigail telling Proctor about looking at him through window
The windows show Abigail and Proctor without frames, enclosed by the society around them. but as they look at each other through the same window - the boundaries of the town and society dissolve, leaving just their desire. Proctors guilt doesn’t let the frames disappear
Abigail:
“I have a sense for heat, John, and yours has drawn me to my window, and I have seen you looking up, burning in your loneliness. Do you tell me you never looked up at my window?”
Proctor:
“I may have looked up”
Proctor claiming he will never sin / stray again
Proctor:
“I’ll cut off my hand before I reach for you again”
Act 2 very brief overview
This takes place in Proctor’s house and the feeling of being trapped continues. There is great tension.
Proctor reveals character and relationship
Proctor:
“You forget nothin’ and forgive nothin’ “
Proctor talking to E
Ironic as Elizabeth is the most moral and true character within the play. This reveals that John is projecting his own guilt to Elizabeth
Proctor:
“Learn charity woman”
Proctor
Symbolic / metaphoric for the darkness within the play and the damage within their relationship
Proctor:
“.. an everlasting funeral marches round your heart”
Proctor
The confession is expected but Proctor sees it as a weakness, admitting that he has lost face
Proctor:
“.. but I wilted, and, like a Christian, I confessed. Confessed!”
Proctor is fearful of God’s judgement, and the fear that moral Elizabeth will see through him
Proctor:
“ and judge me not”
Elizabeth reveals her own nature and that there is still a sense of caring between them. She reveals the truth - that John judges himself and merely projects himself on E
Elizabeth:
“I do not judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you. I never thought you but a good man, John - (with a smile) - only somewhat bewildered”
Johns guilt drives him to become a religious crusader, and to stop Abby and her accusations
Proctor:
(Hesitating and with deep hatred for himself)
“Her saintliness is done with” …
“My wife will never die for me”.
Act 3 very brief overview
A viral moment; we meet judge Danforth for the first time, and in a “solemn” setting. There is a wealth of emotion within this act and great oppression.
Giles
Dramatic device to reveal the theme of greed and corruption. Hypocrisy is evident
Giles:
“Thomas Putnam is reaching for land!” … “why, I - I cannot give you his name”
Proctors confession in a bid to stop the hysteria rising out of false accusations. It costs him a great deal and symbolises his loyalty to Elizabeth
Proctor:
“I have known her, Sir. I have known her.”
Danforth’s shock and fear at Abigail’s sin is clear. He cannot afford for Abby to be proven as a whore, when he has executed so many based on her word
“You deny every scrap and Tuttle of this?”
Proctor
Dramatic device to reveal character and motivations. Proctor has deep respect and faith in his wife to be true. He underestimates he love for him; enough to lie.
“.. my wife cannot lie. I have paid much to learn it, sir”
Danforth seeks clarification from Elizabeth with this interrogative utterance. He intends to push Elizabeth to declare the truth, Outland, where no mistake can be made.
“Did he indeed turn from you?”
Great loyalty and love is demonstrated here as E crosses her own sense of morality to protect her husband. It costs her her life, and soon P’s too.
Elizabeth: (faintly)
“No, sir”
Hale’s mistrust and disillusionment with the court becomes evident. He is disgusted by the lack of logical thinking and the belief of one girl
“Excellency, it is a natural lie to tell”
Abigails flouting o the max quality here provokes a new hysteria within the first and fear is presented in a new dramatic way. Mary is forced to back down and A reputation is saved again.
“Why do you come, yellow bird?”
With no choice but to shift the blame Mary turns her attention to Proctor and uses him as a scapegoat accusing him of being devils man and instigating the witchcraft. This is not what A planned for originally and her own meddling hysteria has gone awry
“You’re the devils man!”
Mary
Proctors faith is tested. His disbelief in the lack of logical thinking
The disgust at the lies told and blindness of the courts and his own guilt crush on him
“I say - I say - God is dead!”
Act 4 brief overview
The climax of the play, set in a dark place and the jails of Salem
The tone is solemn, grave and for a brief instance passionate
Photo of other quotes
Running out of time!
Remaining quote that couldn’t fit on other photo
Focus on Giles Corey and Danforth photo
