Characters 

• Judge Hathorne 

• Martha Corey

  • Is being tried at the beginning of the act

• Deputy Gov. Danforth 

  • A grave man in his sixties 

  • Of some humor and sophistication that does not, however, interfere with an exact loyalty to his position and his cause 

• Judge Stoughton 

• Judge Sewall 

Character Quotes 

Plot 

• Mary tells Danforth that they were all lying 

• Cheever tells Danforth John damned the court and ripped the warrant and Danforth questions if he has seen the devil 

• Danforth reveals Elizabeth claims she is pregnant 

• John Proctor has a testament signed by 91 people saying Rebecca, Martha, and Elizabeth are good women 

• Giles has been in court 33 times 

• Giles claims Thomas sent his daughter to cry witchcraft so he can buy more land 

  • Giles refuses to give the name and is arrested for contempt of the court 

• Danforth tells Mary if she lied in court she will go to jail for perjury 

• Abigail remains in her stance and says that Mary is lying  

• Abigail says Elizabeth had always kept poppets 

• Proctor tells about how Abigail and the girls were found dancing in the woods 

• Mary is asks to pretend to faint now and she says she cannot do it 

• Abby accuses Mary of sending a shadow on her and John attacks her, and reveals the affair John and Abby had in the past 

• Elizabeth is brought in the room to see if she talks about the affair (she doesn’t tell, unknowing that John said that he did have an affair to save John’s reputation) after already saying that Elizabeth would never lie 

• The girls all start to repeat Mary to make it seem she is possessing them 

• They say Mary’s spirit is a bird that is swooping down to hurt them 

• Mary starts to lie saying Proctor is the Devil’s man and that he would murder Mary if she didn’t help him overthrow the court 

• Mary cries to Abby and hugs her 

• Danforth tells Marshal to bring Proctor and Corey to the jail 

• Hale denounces the proceedings of what happened and quits the court 

  • Hale had started to believe John, Giles, and Francis (especially after Elizabeth lies for John, as a lie for his reputation would make sense to him)

Questions

1. Of what does Giles Corey accuse Thomas Putnam? 

   Giles Corey accuses Thomas Putnam of telling his daughter to accuse Corey’s wife, Martha, of witchcraft so he could buy Corey’s land. 

2. Who does John Proctor bring to the court to testify on behalf of Elizabeth, Martha, and Rebecca? 

   John Proctor brings Mary Warren to the court to testify on behalf of Elizabeth, Martha, and Rebecca. 

3. How does Reverend Hale change as the proceedings progress? 

   Reverend Hale begins to see that Salem’s church and court are corrupt. 

4. Why will Elizabeth’s life be spared for at least a year? 

   Elizabeth’s life will be spared for at least a year because she is pregnant, and they will not kill an innocent child. 

5. What does Proctor reveal in an effort to discredit Abigail? 

   Proctor reveals that he committed adultery and had an affair with Abigail in an attempt to discredit Abigail. 

6. Part A – Highlight the correct response. 

   Which of the following is not an example of irony from Act 3? 

   A. Elizabeth Proctor lies about John’s affair with Abigail Williams. 

   B. Mary Warren turns on John Proctor and accuses him of being the Devil’s man. 

   C. Abigail Williams takes Mary Warren back and comforts her. 

   D. Rev. Hale quits the court. 

   Part B -- Highlight the correct response. 

   What passage of the play best supports your answer to part A? 

   A. “Mary Warren: I cannot, they’ll turn on me—” (Act 2 lines 986-987) 

   B. “Proctor: But if she say she is pregnant, then she must be! That woman will never lie, Mr. Danforth.” (Act 3 lines 263-264) 

   C. “They all watch, as Abigail, out of her infinite charity, reaches out and draws the sobbing Mary to her…” (Act 3 lines 1136-1138) 

   D. “Rev. Hale: I denounce these proceedings, I quit this court!” (Act 3 lines 1164-1165) 

7. Why does John Proctor say, “God is dead!” 

   John Proctor says, “God is dead!” in response to Danforth’s belief in the girls. He is saying that if Danforth believes he’s working with the devil, then there must be no God at all. 

8. Explain the following lines from Act 3 by John Proctor:  

   “A fire, a fire is burning! I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! And it is my face, and yours, Danforth! (A) For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have quailed, (B) and as you quail now when you know in all your black hearts that this be fraud—(C) God damns our kind especially, and we will burn, we will burn together (D). 

A. Proctor is saying that both he and Danforth are devils. Proctor for committing adultery and Danforth for believing the girls. 

B. Proctor is calling them cowards for being ignorant and believing that there are witches in Salem. 

C. John is saying that Danforth and the others know in their hearts that Abigail and the girls are liars, but choose to believe them. 

D. Proctor is saying that God does not like liars or those who commit adultery, and therefore they will burn in hell together. 

12. At the end of Act 3 in the film there is a visual Biblical allusion made. Describe it.  

    The visual Biblical allusion made at the end of Act 3 in the film is that John is posing as if on the cross.