The Crucible Act Ii Study Guide

“You’re Honor, I-in that time I were sick. And I- My husband is a good and righteous man. He is never drunk as some are, nor wastin’ his time at the shovelboard, but always at his work. But in my sickness” (III.410-426).Even though he cheated in her with Abigail she is strong enough to lie for him. Her growth is also evident in the end of the play because Elizabeth shows tremendous courage and integrity letting go of John to. “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!”(IV.207-208). Elizabeth understood John’s motive and that took tremendous bravery for her to allow him to be get his redemption and be hanged. She now has the role of taking care of her and financially supporting her

John Proctor is a very friendly man. Everyone likes being his friend. He is open, kind, helpful, upright, blunt-spoken, and just a good, hard-working man. John has lots of faith in God but little in humans. He knows that mankind is good but he also knows that they are weak and imperfect. “Proctor: I’ve heard you to be a sensible man, Mr. Hale. I hope you’ll leave some of it in Salem”.

Hale knows that people will confess to anything to avoid being hanged, and he is deeply troubled when he learns of Abigail’s motifs for revenge. Respected people have told Hale that the trials are non-sense. He has tried to find holes in these people’s reasoning, so he can be reassured he hasn’t made a big mistake in his aiding of the conviction of these people, but their reasoning is completely logical. Hale becomes more aware of the truth near the end of Act II, when Giles Corey and Francis Nurse report that their wives have been taken away. Reverend Hale is surprised, but disturbed by the news because he thought of Rebecca as surely being innocent when he met her. He says that, ‘‘ if Rebecca Nurse be tainted, then nothing’s left to stop the whole greenworld from burning’’ (71). Hale then tries to explain her arrest by saying (in great pain) : ‘‘Man remember, until an hour before the Devil fell, God thought him beautiful in Heaven’’ (71).

Elizabeth and Johns relationship is certainly not an easy one. Although having been married with two children the intrusion of Abigail could not have come at a worse time. With Elizabeth ill and Abigail’s personality being such a contrast John felt it as an escape from his wife’s absence. The affair that John had with Abigail puts a strain on their relationship creating a physical and emotional divide that the audience easily pick up on. On top of the affair, living in a puritan society which can be demeaning to women makes the

From the beginning of the play, it was quite clear that Reverend Hale’s character was deeply rooted in his faith and understanding. Hale firmly believes that everything in life can be explained by books. This becomes evident when he is prompted about the weight of his books. He responds, “They are weighted with authority” (Miller, Act I). Hale believes that the truth

Throughout the story, John expresses qualities of an honest man by defending his wife Elizabeth when she is accused of hurting Abigail. John defends Elizabeth” Herrick! Herrick don’t chain her” (page 177: Proctor) in many ways despite the hardship they have been going through with their marriage.

One trait that Elizabeth has is loyalty to her husband, John. Although John was unfaithful to Elizabeth, she was always loyal and supported him. In Act II, Elizabeth assures John, “I will be your only wife, or no wife at all!" (Miller 62). After John has an affair with Abigail, he asks for Elizabeth’s forgiveness. Elizabeth states, “It come to naught that I should forgive you. Will you forgive yourself? It is your soul, John” (Miller 57). Elizabeth realizes that she has already forgiven John. She knows John needs to forgive himself. Elizabeth will do anything to keep her loyalty. This relates to the theme of reputation because she is always a loyal and moral person. Elizabeth has a large respect for John and her own reputation.

Once Reverend Hale notices that the accusers in the trials are frauds he goes from helping convict the suspected witches to helping prove their innocence. This change takes its full form when John Proctor is accused of doing things for the devil. The first time that John and Reverend Hale talk John says that he is going to confess. Reverend Hale does everything in his power to convince John to not confess but nothing works. After he does this he tries to reason with Elizabeth Proctor, John’s wife, and try and get her to convince her husband that what he is doing is stupid and that he shouldn’t confess to something that he hadn’t done. This is just the main person that Reverend Hale helped, but there were many

John is Elizabeth’s husband and they have children this is why she loves him, but Abigail only loves John out of lust. John loved Elizabeth and always tried to make up for the wrong he had done and show her how he did not want anyone but her. John never showed Abigail attention in that way again; he hated Abigail and knew he never loved her that he had just lusted after her. Elizabeth always tries to do what is best for John even if it means raising children, keeping up a house, and providing on her own for the family. Elizabeth knows the truth will always be brought out there is no use in telling a lie. Just like Abigail and John’s untruth was eventually brought about all other untruths will be. Abigail always resolves to lying to try and get her way, but Elizabeth always told the truth even if it meant being in prison for innocence. All Abigail wanted is what she could not have, but her untruthfulness lead to the death of the one person she cared for other than herself. Abigail was believed by many when Elizabeth was believed by

Hale goes up to Danforth as he putting an unfair case on trial: “ I cannot say he is an honest man; I know him little. But in all justice, sir, a claim so weighty cannot be argued by a farmer. In God’s name, sir, stop here; send him home and let him come again with a lawyer-”(92). Hale is concerned for the people of community; he believes that like Giles many other people in the community are not getting fair trials. He stands up for the people in the jail that are not able to these liberties to get to represent themselves civilly. Hale also tries to convince the accused to confess so they are not sentenced to death. When he realizes that his evidence of the accusations are altered by Abigail's

Furthermore, Reverend Hale was pushed to change also. Hale came into Salem a stranger, but knew how to fix the problem the town endured. He never questioned that God had a plan and always thought that something was either good or bad, with no gray area in between. This thinking is challenged when Elizabeth, a pure person, is accused and then later when John confesses. He knows that these people are honest and leaves the court for a period of time. In the end, Hale is a desperate man, and even though knowing there is no witchcraft present, he urges John to admit that he is not the one that should be punished. He has to question all the rules he has lived by his whole life and pursue something he knows is incorrect. In essence, Reverend Hale is pushed to his limits and is turned into a man that will be permanently in suspicion of any standards he ever thought were true.

p.127 Rebecca is a pillar of the church and if she is given the opportunity to speak then she will show the town what a righteous woman she is by her prayers and then the town will turn on those that have condemned these righteous and respectable people.

A scholar from Beverly, Reverend Hale comes to Salem on Reverend Parris ' request to investigate supernatural causes for Betty Parris ' suspicious illness and thus instigates the rumors of witchcraft. Hale approaches the situation precisely and intellectually, believing that he can define the supernatural in definitive terms. Despite his early enthusiasm for discerning the presence of witchcraft in Salem, Hale soon grows disillusioned with the witchcraft accusations that abound and defends Proctor when he challenges Abigail. Hale does this out of guilt, for he fears that he may have caused the execution of innocent persons.

6. Why does Proctor not drop the charges against the court when he hears that his wife is pregnant and will be spared for at least a year?

Hale is testing Proctor and Elizabeth because Elizabeth was convicted and he is a part of the court. He was going around one night asking many people about their faith in God and ten commandments. Proctor has not been to church because he doesn't like Parris, along with many other people. Proctor doesn't like his sermons. 4.