ACT BY ACT Summaries

SUMMARY- ACT 1 Setting: home of Rev Parris. Parris is praying over Betty who is in a coma. Abigail enters. Susanna says the Doc doesn’t know what is wrong with Betty. The cause might be “UNNATURAL” or demonic. Parris warns Susanna not to tell anyone about the “unnatural” causes. Abigail admits to dancing NAKED in the woods! Parris asks why Abigail lost her job as Proctors’ servant. Abigail says it’s because Eliz. Hates her.

ACT 2 SUMMARY John and Elizabeth are at their house There is a lot of tension and things seem forced. Mary (the servant) has gone to Salem to work as a court official. John is angry with Mary. Elizabeth tells John to go tell everyone what Abigail told him– that it was just dancing, not witchcraft.

ACT 2 Summary continued John gets caught when he says he was ALONE with Abigail. Mary comes back and gives a gift to Elizabeth– A DOLL. Mary reveals that now 39 people have been arrested for being witches. If you confess (Sarah Good), you will NOT be hanged.

Act 2 summary pages Elizabeth has been accused of witchcraft. Elizabeth says John made a promise to be with Abigail when he chose to sleep with her. And now Abigail wants to kill Elizabeth and take her place as John’s wife. Elizabeth tells John that he must go to Abigail and tell her she is ONLY A WHORE.

Act 2 summary pages Rebecca Nurse is charged as a witch. Hale “Tests” Proctor by asking him questions: - Why don’t you go to church every Sunday? - How come only two of your boys are baptized? - Do you know the Ten Commandments? (John forgets one– ADULTERY) - John admits that Abigail said it was NOT witchcraft. - - John and Elizabeth admit they don’t believe in witches at all.

ACT 2 SUMMARY CONT. Giles’ wife (Martha) was arrested Rebecca Nurse is arrested (70 year old) because they said she “murdered Putnam’s babies”. Elizabeth arrested because they think she tried to murder Abigail (with the needle in the poppet)

ACT THREE SUMMARY Parris says Proctor is “mischief” when he brings in Mary as “proof” to court. Mary says she never saw no spirits. She says they were all pretending when they cried out other “witches”. John finds out his wife is pregnant and the court will not hang her til the baby comes. Proctor shows the court a testament which says Elizabeth, Rebecca and Martha are GOOD CHRISTIAN WOMEN. 91 people signed this testament.

Act 3 SUMMARY: Danforth questions Mary Warren. She says she is now with God and the idea of witches “was all a lie” and that she was lying before in court. Abigail comes to court and says Mary is lying. She also says Elizabeth always kept poppets in her house. Proctor: ‘IT is not a child’- talking about Abigail. When asked about why Mary fainted when the spirits were in her, she tells the court the fainting was faked. The court asks her to faint on demand to prove it was pretend. She is not able to and then says she “thought” she saw ghosts which is why she fainted.

Act 3 SUMMARY: Abigail starts accusing Mary Warren of “sending her spirit out” but John stops this by grabbing Abigail and calling her a WHORE. And he admits to the court that he slept with her (committed adultery). He tells the court that Abigail wants to “dance with him on Elizabeth’s grave”.

Act 3 SUMMARY: Elizabeth is called to court. They want to know if she will admit that Abigail is indeed a WHORE (harlotry). Danforth asks why Elizabeth fired Abigail. She says her husband is a good man and that she was probably cold toward husband but when asked if he was a LECHER (adulterer), she LIES and says he IS NOT.

Act 3 SUMMARY: Abigail interrupts things again by screaming and pointing at a “bird” she claims to see on the ceiling. This bird apparently is possessed by Mary’s spirit and she and the girls start mimicking everything Mary says and the court start to believe that Mary’s spirit is “witching” them all. Finally, Mary “breaks” and joins the hysterical girls and all scream together. To save herself, Mary claims John is the devil and it was him who came to Mary trying to corrupt her spirit.

End of Act 3- SUMMARY John Proctor is accused of being the devil and witching everyone and he goes wild and screams “ GOD IS DEAD”! He is arrested and Hale slams his books and leaves the court (he’s sick of this sham!)

ACT 4 SUMMARY Sarah and Tituba are rotting in jail, dreaming about the devil coming to get them and going to Barbados. Meanwhile, Parris comes in to join the leaders of the court- he looks scared. He tells them that Rev Hale is still trying to save Rebecca, Martha and a few others (by convincing them to confess)

ACT 4 SUMMARY Parris reveals the shocking news that Abigail has ran away and robbed him of all of his money. Parris says people are rebelling/rioting in Andover because they’re worried the witchcraft madness will spread to their town. Parris wants to postpone the hangings because he’s worried Salem will riot too.

ACT 4 SUMMARY Hale says to postpone; Danforth responds with: -I will not postpone anyone’s hanging. - Postponement looks like I made a mistake. - If you’re worried about rioting, don’t worry- I’ll hang them all if they dare fight the court!