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Reverend Parris catches Tituba and the girls dancing in the forest

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Reverend Parris catches Tituba and the girls dancing in the forest

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Immediately after he discovers them in the woods dancing around a kettle, Betty faints.

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Betty's "illness" sparks rumors of witchcraft

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Betty's "illness" sparks rumors of witchcraft

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Since Betty isn't actually sick; Doc. Griggs can't find a cure, so he tells Parris to look to "unnatural causes."

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Parris presses Abigail for the full story of what went on in the woods. Abigail admits that they were only dancing, and that Tituba conjured Ann Putnam's dead babies. He is suspicious of her lying and also frantic because Betty won't wake. He also questions Abigail about why Goody Proctor fired her seven months ago.

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The Putnams arrive and claim their daughter Ruth is also sick

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The Putnams arrive and claim their daughter Ruth is also sick

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As Ruth was also dancing in the woods, she is playing opossum as well. The Putnams seem to believe their daughter is genuinely sick, and they attribute this as well as the death of their seven babies to witchcraft. Thomas Putnam urges Parris to declare to the town that there is witchcraft. Parris is hesitant because his reputation is at stake.

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While the girls are alone in the room, Betty wakes, shouting at Abigail for not telling the full story of what happened. Abigail threatens all of the girls, claiming she will stab them in the middle of the night if they ever reveal the full story (that Abigail drank blood as a charm to kill Elizabeth Proctor). They agree to only admit to dancing and asking Tituba to conjure spirits.

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We discover from their dialogue that the two had an affair. Abigail admits to John that the mischief in the woods was merely play.

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The Putnams claim that Betty cannot "bear to hear the Lord's name." Rebecca Nurse shows up and calms Betty down. Ann Putnam becomes hostile toward the woman because, unlike herself, Nurse has lost no children (she has over 10 children and over two dozen grandchildren).

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Proctor criticizes Parris for being greedy and preaching "hellfire and damnation;" Parris whines about being underpaid; Putnam claims that Proctor was harvesting wood off of his land; Proctor tells him he rightfully bought that land from the Nurses.

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Hale shows up, informing everyone of the possibility that this MIGHT NOT BE witchcraft. Ann Putnam tells him that Tituba can conjure spirits, that she sent her daughter to her to discover who murdered her seven babies. Rebecca decides it's time to walk away from this nonsense. Giles Corey ignorantly tells Hale that his wife reads "strange books." Parris tells Hale about the girls dancing in the woods; Abigail casts blame on Tituba, saying that she made her drink blood, that she plagues her dreams, and makes her sin and laugh during prayer. Hale turns to Tituba, telling her that she can be redeemed if she just admits to these accusations. Tituba has no other choice than to confess; she claims she was with the Devil and saw Goody Good and Goody Osborne with him. The other girls chime in, stating that they saw these women as well, along with many others, like Bridget Bishop and George Jacobs.

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Eight days pass and ACT II brings us to John Proctor's house

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Eight days pass and ACT II brings us to John Proctor's house

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Elizabeth and John argue because John spoke with Abigail in private. Mary Warren arrives and gifts Elizabeth with a poppet; she tells the Proctor's about the trials -- dozens of people are being thrown in jail, waiting to hang for charges of witchcraft.

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Mary says she defended Elizabeth when accusations were thrown; Mary also won't tell us who threw out the accusations (but we know it was Abigail).

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Reverend Hale shows up; he is going from house to house, trying to get everyone's story straight. He questions John's Christian integrity, asking him why he doesn't go to church, why not all of his boys are baptized, and what his commandments are (John fails to recite the commandment about adultery).

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Elizabeth has been accused of witchcraft. Unbeknownst to really anyone except the audience and the Proctors, Abigail used Mary Warren's poppet gift as an opportunity to plot against Elizabeth. Abigail stabs herself with a needle and then claims that Elizabeth sent her spirit out and attacked her. When the arresting officers arrive at the Proctor's house, they find the doll with a needle in it.

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Giles Corey runs into the courtroom attempting to defend his wife. Giles claims that Thomas Putnam is "reaching out for land," using witchcraft accusations to seize land from convicted individuals. He also tells the court that he didn't mean for any harm to come to his wife for stating that she reads "strange books," but here we are.

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They inform the court that Proctor "damned the court and ripped your warrent," that he "will not come to church but once in a month," and that he "plow on Sunday."

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Danforth tells Proctor that Elizabeth is pregnant

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Danforth tells Proctor that Elizabeth is pregnant

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Proctor, surprised of this news, reaffirms Danforth that she would never lie (Remember, Sarah Good, one of the first accused of witchcraft, has been temporarily spared due to being pregnant)

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Giles won't provide the court with the name of the individual who told him about Putnam's plot, so they charge him with contempt of court. A testimony is brought forth, a paper signed by 91 people, all testifying that Rebecca Nurse, Elizabeth Proctor, and Martha Corey are respectable individuals. The evidence is flipped on its head and the court demands that these 91 be arrested for "examination."

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Judge Danforth informs everyone that because witchcraft is an invisible crime only the witch and the victim can bear witness, and that these victims DO TESTIFY (Abigail and the girls). Therefore, the court must rely solely on the testimony of the victims because a witch will never accuse herself.

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Proctor tells us that Abigail brought the girls to the woods and that they have "danced there naked." He and Hale tell us Parris discovered this himself. Parris admits to discovering them but claims he never saw anyone naked (despite him telling Abigail in ACT I that he certainly did she someone running naked). Parris' story now matches Abigail's (that the girls merely danced and that Tituba conjured spirits).

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Mary Warren informs the court that she had been pretending all along; she knows she has "committed perjury and will go to jail for it." They ask her to pretend to faint to prove that she has been pretending all along. Under the pressure, she can't!

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When Abigail is questioned she quickly plays victim. She also threatens Danforth, saying that he is not safe from the "power of Hell." In that moment, Abigail convincingly pretends that Mary Warren's spirit is attacking her; the other girls join in. Proctor shouts that they are lying; in his anger, he grabs Abigail. Parris and Danforth lambaste him. Abigail and the girls continue acting, saying that Mary is attacking them in the form of a demonic yellow bird.

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John admits to having an affair with Abigail to the court. He does this in order to prove that he knows her, that he knows she is lying. The court then brings in Elizabeth for questioning. They tell John to turn away, to not speak a word to this wife, and then they ask Elizabeth if John truly had an affair with Abigail or not. Elizabeth tells the court HE DID NOT (she tells, as Hale calls it, a "natural lie"). Elizabeth doesn't realize that she is condemning John in this moment; she is merely lying to save his reputation, not realizing that the truth would have saved John and his integrity, simultaneously exposing Abigail. We call this dramatic irony.

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Everyone is convinced except for John. Mary, aware that Abigail has won this battle, turns on Proctor, claiming "You're the Devil's man!" She tells the court that he threatened to kill her and made her sign the Devil's book. Hale is now in support of John, claiming that "this child's gone wild" but the court won't hear him out. The court demands that Proctor confess. Proctor, frustrated and indignant, tells the court, "God is dead!" Danforth orders Herrick to take Proctor (along with Giles) to the jail. Hale denounces the proceedings and quits the court.

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ACT IV resumes our story; the setting is now in jail. Rumors of revolt in the nearby town of Andover have made their way to Salem. Salem is in bad shape, for there are cows wandering loose about the town, crops are dying, and orphans are without guidance. With all of this happening, it is suspect that the citizens of Salem might start their own rebellion to overthrow the court. Fear strikes Parris and Danforth.

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Parris and Hale are both in bad shape, stressed and worried for their own reasons. Parris is feeling guilty about his role in all of this and Abigail has run off with his money. Hale, despite having quit the court, is now praying with the prisoners, wishing for them to save their lives by confessing

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Danforth stands firm and states he will continue with the executions. Twelve have already been executed, so postponement or pardon for the seven waiting for execution would not be just, he says. He seeks out Elizabeth, asking her to convince Proctor to confess.

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Elizabeth informs John that Giles Corey, unwilling to say aye or nay to his charges was pressed to death, his last words being "more weight." John tells Elizabeth he has been considering confession as a means to save his life; that his name is already tainted. Elizabeth reaffirms John, "I want you living... That's sure." John agrees to confess.

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The judges are overjoyed when they hear Proctor willing to confess. However, they need him to sign the confession so they can hang it on the church door. Proctor is respectable and influential; if he provides them with a written confession then people will lose doubt in the trials. John signs the confession and immediately regrets it, declaring that he cannot throw away his name, so he rips the paper in two. He is taken away to hang as Elizabeth tells us "He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!"