Act 1

The opening act takes place in the upstairs bedroom of Rev Parris’ home, the parish house of Salem. It’s early morning, and a small child lays motionless on a bed as her worried father, Parris, and his niece, Abigail Williams, watch her. The evening before, Parris had caught the girls dancing naked in the forest, guided by Tituba as she conducted a ceremony from her traditional origins in the Caribbean. Obviously petrified that they will incur the wrath of the adults in the village, the two youngest members of the party, Betty Parris and Ruth Putnam have been ‘unable to wake’ (Act 1) since the incident. Parris, suspicious that his niece Abby has further information to give him, questions her reputation and enquires about why she had been dismissed from her employment as maid in the Proctor household, just three months earlier. Her immediate aggression towards the line of questioning belies a more sinister secret that has yet to be unearthed but the questioning ceases when a respected couple of the Salem community, Thomas and Ann Putnam arrive, telling that their daughter Ruth cannot be roused either.

In the absence of the adults, the girls begin to panic as there is talk of Betty and Ruth being ‘witched’ (Act 1), but Abby is quick to threaten them and audiences see the first glimpse of her manipulative behaviour as she promises to ‘make you [the girls] wish you [they] had never seen the sun go down’ (Act 1) if they tell about what happened.

When Proctor enters the stage, Abigail’s demeanour alters and Miller’s stage direction insists that she watches him ‘as though on tiptoe, absorbing his presence, wide-eyed’ (Act 1). At first, his intimate manner with her sets suspicion that their connection is still ongoing and John finds the young girl and her ‘mischief’ (Act 1) wildly arousing, finding it tantalising that she’ll ‘be clapped in the stocks before you’re [she’s] twenty’ (Act 1), setting her apart from the other demure Puritan women of Salem. She propositions him and he shuts her down, quick to remind her that what they shared is over and he will never again reach for her in lust. Abby’s affection switches to aggression and she accuses Elizabeth of ‘blackening me [her] name in the village’ (Act 1) to which John defends Elizabeth.

As tradition dictates, the elderly Rebecca Nurse is called for to attend to the sleeping girls. She is sceptical of any heinous activity and in her experience dealing with twenty-six grandchildren, says the girls will ‘wake when she [they] tire of it’ (Act 1), and her conclusion that it is merely a ruse fails to put anybody at ease.

Discussions begin in this act concerning a land dispute between the Putnams, the Proctors and the Corey family that spans years of conflict. Proctor is also called to answer for his absence from the Sabbath meeting, to which Proctor replies candidly that he and many others prefer to abstain from church as ‘you [Parris] hardly ever mention God anymore’ (Act 1).

On arrival of Reverend Hale, a specialist on witchcraft commissioned by Parris to help with the girls, and upon his examining Betty he finds no immediate concern. But as the pressure builds within the room, Abby and the girls are put to questioning and they blame Tituba for ‘singing her Barbados songs and tempting me [them]…’ (Act 1). Tituba, sensing she has no clear way of escaping the blame, confesses and declares that there are others that are aligned with the devil also. What follows is an explosion from the girls, as they seek the opportunity to begin naming a list of people; by some hysterical imitation, they pour out a string of names and the curtain falls on their harrowing, condemning cries.

Act 1 Quotes

‘But if you trafficked with spirits in the forest, I must know it now, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it.’ (Parris is worried about the repercussions of the girls’ behaviour on him)

‘She hates me, uncle, she must, for I would not be her slave. It’s a bitter woman, a lying, cold, snivelling woman, and I will not work for such a woman!’ (Abby defending herself to Parris about why she was dismissed from the Proctor household)

‘I’d call it not sick; the Devil’s touch is heavier than sick. It’s death, y’know, it’s death drivin’ into them, forked and hoofed.’ (Ann Putnam on what has made the girls ill)

‘My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!’ (Abby tries to defend her name when Parris asks her)

‘You drank blood, Abby! You didn’t tell him [Parris] that… you drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!’ (Betty Parris)

‘I saw your face when she [Elizabeth Proctor] put me out, and you loved me then and you do now!’ (Abby is still infatuated with Proctor)

Act 2

Eight days have passed and John Proctor comes home from working the fields and Elizabeth and he share a meal together. There is an atmosphere of strain and estrangement between them so they begin speaking about the court case in town – Elizabeth informs Proctor that their servant-girl Mary Warren has become an important witness at the trial proceedings.

Reverend Hale visits the Proctors, informing them that ‘as a stranger here [and] in his ignorance… I go from house to house… to put some questions as to the Christian character of this house…’ (Act 2). He has just come from Nurses’ house and Elizabeth and John are shocked to hear that such an upright woman is involved in the trial. Hale begins to query Proctor’s continual absence from Sabbath meeting, to which John replies that Elizabeth had been unwell and he had stayed home to tend after her. When pushed, Proctor realises he must explain that it is his aversion to the Rev Parris that deters him and his honesty with Hale that like it not ‘when he look to heaven and see my money glaring at his [Parris] elbows – it hurt my [Proctor] prayers’ (Act 2). Hale continues to press and queries why their third child has not yet been baptised, but Proctor informs Hale that his faith is still strong as he ‘nailed the roof upon the church… [and] hung the door’ (Act 2) to which Hale believes is a ‘good sign’ (Act 2). Despite this, when Proctor is asked to recite his commandments, he falters and ironically omits ‘adultery’. Elizabeth prompts him and they brush over their inability to fulfil Hale’s demands.

Moments later, Giles Corey and Francis Nurse arrive, exclaiming that their wives Martha and Rebecca have been seized for questioning. The law follow quickly behind, and have come with a warrant for Elizabeth. An accusation from Abigail Williams has been made against Goody Proctor, after she had been found with a needle sticking out of her belly and screaming that ‘it was your [Proctor’s] wife’s familiar spirit pushed it in’ (Act 2). They inspect the house and find a poppet, recently given to Elizabeth by Mary with a needle inserted in the very place that Abby’s wound was. Despite Proctor’s vehement protests, they arrest Elizabeth and he promises to ‘fall like an ocean on that court’ (Act 2), his anger directed at the men that arrest (Cheever and Herrick) and Hale, who stands idly by in an attempt to ‘wash your [his] hands of this’ (Act 2). Proctor rallies Mary Warren and demands that she confesses to the court how she was given the poppet and to testify against Abby but Mary’s resolve is rocky and we are left with a sense of unease as to her reliability as a witness.

Act 2 Quotes

‘No more! I should have roared you down when first you told me your suspicion. But I wilted, and, like a Christian, I confessed. Confessed! … Let you look sometimes for the goodness in me, and judge me now.’ (John trying to alleviate his guilt with Elizabeth)

‘It is a mouse no more. I forbid her [Mary Warren] go, and she raises up her chin like the daughter of a prince and says to me, “I must go to Salem, Goody Proctor; I am an official of the court!”’ (Elizabeth to John)

‘When she come into the court I say to myself, I must not accuse this woman, for she sleep in ditches, and so very old and poor.’ (Mary Warren explaining her reticence at accusing Sarah Good)

‘The promise that a stallion gives a mare I gave that girl!’ (Proctor dismissing any suspicion that Elizabeth still holds about Abby and him)

‘There is a misty plot afoot so subtle we should be criminal to cling to old respects and ancient friendships.’ (Hale’s warning to the Proctors)

‘I like it not that Mr Parris should lay his hand upon my baby. I see no light of God in that man. I’ll not conceal it.’ (Proctor defending why he hasn’t attended church to Hale)

‘I will tell you what’s walking in Salem – vengeance is walking in Salem… vengeance writes the law! This warrant’s vengeance! I’ll not give my wife to vengeance!’ (Proctor when the officials come to arrest Elizabeth)