The Crucible Study Guide Act IV

Reverend Hale, and apparent expert on witchcraft who insists on doing everything by the book, demonstrates his social responsibility by solely doing his job correctly. Even though in today’s society it is clear that witchcraft does not exist, it is apparent that in this play, witchcraft is studied to the extremes. This being said, Hales social responsibility was simply to determine whether or not each accused person was a witch or not. Hale determines and eventually realizes that his own good intentions and commitment to god governed his actions of keeping certain people alive despite the “by the book” evidence which had been

Miller first raises some examples to proof his argument is possible but doesn't have to explain to Weirob what plan God has in mind. The example is about a painting can have ugly parts but been more beautiful or deep because of them or a dull chapter in an interesting novel. But Weirob does not think her suffering with her flu compares with those examples at all. She claims that she is not a picture of a sniveling, dripping, suffering human but a sniveling dripping, suffering human. This convinces us to think that Weirob wants Miller to give her a more detail of example which is related to her.

c. Parris fears that the people in Salem will riot because many people being hanged have not confessed to guilt. Their friends and neighbors know them as good people, so they think that innocent people are being hanged (lines 190–194 and 203–210).

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).

Rebecca Nurse was one of the most respected people in town and known for being a good person. In the play, Rebecca shows good pride when she was accused of witchcraft. When Rebecca Nurse was accused of killing Putnam’s babies she said, “let us go to God for the cause of it. There is prodigious danger in the seeking of loose spirits. I fear it, I fear it. Let us rather blame ourselves and—” (Act I 26). Rebecca prided herself in believing that Goody Putnam’s accusations of her were false. Throughout the play the accusations of witchcraft became more and more serious once they started punishing people. Though if one confessed and turned in other people, they would be safe from hanging. Goody Nurse prided herself into not giving up people’s names and lying just to save herself, “why, it is a lie, it is a lie; how may I damn myself? I cannot, I cannot” (Act IV 129). Even though Rebecca Nurse was put to hang, she kept with her morals and did not give up other people’s names. She stuck with what she truly believed in even when her life was on the line. Miller showed good pride through the acts of Goody Nurse because she held pride in her beliefs and did not give up on them even when her life was at stake.

Miller uses Tituba and Reverend Hale to exemplify how burdens from society urge one to make erroneous decisions through his use of situational irony throughout the play. For example, in the beginning, Reverend Hale has a strong view that witchcraft should not be looked upon as the first thing that ails a child, yet he accuses Tituba of inflicting Betty when he says, “you most certainly do (have power over Betty), and you will free her from it now! When did you compact with the devil?” (Miller I. 40). Though Hale has a strong belief in the beginning, the constant strain from those around him lead to him losing sight of what is truly righteous; he eventually gives into the pressures, all in all

Elizabeth had to keep her faith because she found out that Proctor was having an affair with Abigail. Another example from this plays “A man may think God sleeps, but God sees everything, I know it now. I beg you, sir; I beg you see what she is. She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a whore’s vengeance.” This quote clearly shows when Proctor finally breaks down and confesses his affair with Abigail, after trying, in vain, to expose her as a fraud without revealing their liaison. Proctor knows from the beginning that the witch trials constitute nothing more than a whore’s vengeance, Abigail’s revenge on him for ending their affair; but he shies away from making that knowledge public because it would lead to his disgrace. This quote also shows Elizabeth faith because she didn’t let that get to her, she just kept on with her life. Rebecca shows she has faith because, after Governor Danforth asked Rebecca if she would confess herself to witchcraft, Rebecca told him no she will no confess herself to witchcraft. Rebecca also said that her honesty sends her to certain death, but also to the Kingdom of Heaven. On the other hand, some people weren’t up to the test like Elizabeth and Rebecca

Miller’s incorporation of this motive into the play provides a realistic scenario that applies to society. For example, when the play was first produced, McCarthyism plunged America in paranoia and fear. Audiences could relate the the plot because Americans were turning in their friends so they would not be labeled as Communists.

11. Point out some moments in the play when the playwright conveys much to the audience without dialogue

Rebecca Nurse then proves herself an honest character that is well respected through the plot of the story. She is so well respected that even male figures throughout the play respect her advice. This is shown when Rebecca gives honest advice to John Proctor saying “No, you cannot break charity with your minister. You are another kind, John. Clasp his hand, make your peace” (Miller 181). This is important to Rebecca Nurse as a character because it entails an honest opinion that John should just make peace with Reverend Parris rather than fight fire with fire against him. In addition, when Goody Nurse is convicted of witchcraft, Reverend Hale knows that Rebecca is a very honest and trustworthy person and that in the end she would not be convicted in a trial of witchcraft. This evidence is essential when analyzing Rebecca considering the fact that she was able to Justify in the short time she was with Reverend Hale the honest and trustworthy women she is. All in all, Rebecca Nurse manifests herself as an individual who is can always give her honest opinion and is well respected.

Rebecca knew that the girls were faking. Her reasoning was that she has eleven children and knows when they're faking. This factors in to why she was accused because not believing in witchcraft meant that you're a witch.

Secondly, after Hale returns he wants to try and help postpone the hangings because he knows the accused are innocent. He returns just in time for the day John Proctor is to hang. He comes back to town because he knows that John is truly innocent. He has changed into a better man and he wants to now save the lives of those who he had a help in condemning. So he says to Danforth, “Excellency, if you postpone a week and publish to the town that you are striving for their confessions, that speak mercy on your part, not faltering.” (Miller 130) Hale is trying to show them, that they are helping the Church rid of evil by postponing the hangings and having the accused confess to dealing with the devil. Hale has become more desperate because he wants the accused to live; he blames himself for them being accused and not seeing that the accusations were false earlier. Hale came the first time to rid the town of what he thought was evil, and now he has returned to save the lives of the so called “evil people”.

I shall endeavour to expand on all of these topics and their relevance to the play. Miller chose to write about a small settlement called Salem, in what was (at the time the play was set) the 'New World', North America. He had previously read a book entitled 'The devil in Massachusetts' by Marion

"Against you? Against him and all authority! Why, then I must find it and join it. He does not mean that. He confessed it now! I mean it solemnly, Rebecca; I like not the smell of this "authority. " No, you cannot break charity with your minister. You are another kind, John. Clasp his hand, make your peace." (27-28) She is an example of strength and resolve for those who choose not to confess, even though it means going to their death.

It is unsurprising to see that the perceptive director, Yaël Farber, omitted nothing in favour of concision. The most fundamental pivotal moment in the play is much regarded as unnecessary by many directors; the scene in the Proctor household revealing the tension within the pair, which helps us to see their marriage unravelling parallel to society unhinging with Salem’s witch trials. A critical, impassioned, and somewhat indispensable scene underpins Miller’s entire work; enabling us to see the strain moral panics can have on the most personal, intimate relationships; a husband and wife. Farber recognises the significance of this