The Crucible Act 3 Summary & Analysis
June 12, 2024
If you鈥檝e read my series of articles on Arthur Miller鈥檚 The Crucible, you know it鈥檚 not a particularly happy text 鈥� nor should it be. Published in 1953 as a criticism of McCarthyism, The Crucible distills a uniquely American paranoia. Looking around at the current media landscape, I can鈥檛 help but think that Miller鈥檚 text is as relevant now as it was seventy years ago. With this in mind, this article will provide an in-depth summary and analysis of Act 3 of Miller鈥檚 The Crucible.听
All page numbers reference the .听
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Recap of Act One听
The events in Act 3 of The Crucible have been percolating since the beginning of the play. If you remember, in act one, we find out that Reverend Parris caught his niece, Abigail Williams, dancing in the forest with Betty Parris and some of the other girls from the village. When two of the girls fall sick, people begin to suspect witchcraft. Under increasingly hard questioning, Abigail changes her story to hide her guilt. (Her biggest sin is having drunk a blood-charm to kill John Proctor鈥檚 wife, Elizabeth. Remember 鈥� .)听
When Abigail implicates Tituba, the woman enslaved to Reverend Parris, all hell breaks loose. Tituba is questioned by both Parris and Reverend Hale (an expert on demonology). It quickly becomes clear to Tituba that the only way not to get hanged is to start accusing village women of witchcraft. Abigail seizes on this strategy as well. By the start of Act Two, more than three dozen women have been arrested. You can read my full summary of act one here.听
Recap of Act Two听
Act 2 depicts the slow inevitability of Elizabeth Proctor鈥檚 arrest. Elizabeth sees what Abigail is up to. While John believes naively in reasonableness of the law, Elizabeth knows that Abigail will eventually accuse her of witchcraft (and try to take her place as John鈥檚 wife.) By the time Elizabeth convinces John to go to Salem and denounce Abigail, it鈥檚 too late.听
Mary Williams returns to the Proctor鈥檚 house from court with a doll for Elizabeth. Unbeknownst to Mary, Abigail has claimed that someone鈥檚 鈥渇amiliar鈥� has stabbed her. When Cheever, clerk of the court, shows up at the Proctor house with orders to search for a 鈥減oppet鈥� 鈥� a doll 鈥� he finds the one Mary brought home. Cheever pulls a long needle from the doll and Abigail鈥檚 accusations are 鈥渧erified鈥� (I guess it鈥檚 like a voodoo doll).听
Mary admits the doll is hers, but this isn鈥檛 enough to stop Elizabeth from being arrested. When everyone has gone, Mary tells John that she knows about his lechery (sex in the barn with a 17-year-old Abigail) and that Abigail won鈥檛 hesitate to ruin him with it. John is past all concern and resolved to go to court, consequences be damned. He declares, 鈥渨e are only what we always were, but naked now鈥� (75). You can read my full summary of act two here.听
Summary of Act 3 of The Crucible听
In act three we finally arrive at the court. From a room attached to the meeting house, we hear Martha Corey being questioned in court. Suddenly, Giles Corey can be heard protesting that he has evidence to present. People begin to yell and Giles is hustled out of court and into the room on stage. Hale enters and tries to calm Giles 鈥� Judge Parris, Judge Hawthorn, and Deputy Governor Danforth close behind. Giles and Francis (Nurse) claim to have evidence that Abigail and the girls are frauds. John Proctor comes in with Mary Warren, who says, hesitantly, that she 鈥渘ever saw no spirits鈥� (80).
Needless to say, Mary鈥檚 claim shocks those assembled. Particular attention needs to be paid to the way Deputy Governor Danforth reacts. The text introduces his character as possessing 鈥渁n exact loyalty for his position and his cause鈥� (78). In other words, Danforth鈥檚 loyalty is to the institution he represents, not necessarily the truth. When Mary makes her confession, her sudden reversal threatens to discredit the entire structure of authority Danforth represents. If it is as Danforth says, that 鈥渢he entire contention of the state is that the voice of Heaven is speaking through the children,鈥� then Proctor and Mary are going to have a very hard time dissuading Danforth (81).听
Against the continued protests of Parris, Mary tells Danforth that she and all the other girls are merely pretending. Danforth focuses his questioning on Proctor, asking him if he simply wants to save his wife or if he has more nefarious aims (like undermining the court). Proctor denies any such motives, but he has few friends in the room 鈥� Cheever tells Danforth that Proctor ripped up the warrant and Parris says that Proctor hasn鈥檛 been to church in months.听
Summary of Act 3 of The Crucible (Continued)
Danforth takes a moment to consider and calls Judge Hawthorne over to confer. After a brief conversation, Danforth drops a bomb 鈥� Elizabeth is pregnant! This means that she will be safe for at least a year. Even though his wife is safe (for now), Proctor says he will not drop the charge. At this, Danforth declares he is ready to hear John鈥檚 evidence. John presents a list of ninety-one people who vouch for Rebecca (Nurse), Martha (Corey) and Elizabeth. Proctor thinks this list will sway Danforth, but he has miscalculated. Instead (on the urging of Parris and Hawthorne), Danforth orders warrants drawn up for every signer of the list.
It鈥檚 against this background that everyone turns to hear Mary鈥檚 testimony. Proctor tries to reassure her 鈥� reminding her what the angel Raphael said to Tobias 鈥� 鈥淒o that which is good, and no harm shall come to thee鈥� (86). In some ways, this quote illustrates Proctor鈥檚 belief 鈥� that good will be rewarded and evil punished. However, against the paranoia and religious zealotry of Salem, this belief turns out to be misguided and naive. (Spoiler alert: Proctor is hanged.)听
Danforth first deals with Giles鈥� claim that Betty鈥檚 (Putnam鈥檚 daughter) accusations of witchcraft amount to nothing more than a land-grab. When asked to name his source, Giles refuses, as he knows that the person will be arrested. Even Hale (recall 鈥� Reverend Hale is the expert in demonology), who up to this point has at least tacitly supported the process, feels the need to speak up. Hale says what everyone is thinking, that 鈥渢here is a prodigious fear of this court in the country鈥︹�� (88).听
Summary of Act 3 of The Crucible (Continued)
Danforth鈥檚 response shows how ideology is immune to logic. To Hale鈥檚 statement of concern, Danforth declares, 鈥渢here is fear in the country because there is a moving plot to topple Christ in the country鈥� (88). Danforth鈥檚 logic is basically circular. If the court is the voice of Christ in the country, then anyone who speaks against the court is necessarily against Christ. Of course, the problem with the court is that the evidence presented by Abigail and the other girls is non-material (spectral) in nature. (.) Any attempt to argue from logic (like Proctor and Corey try to do) will fail to overcome a belief in the supernatural.听
Danforth tells Corey that he will be jailed for his refusal to divulge his source. Corey flies into a rage but Proctor manages to calm him. He gives Danforth Mary鈥檚 deposition, in which she claims that she, along with the other girls, has been faking it the whole time. Hale鈥檚 belief in the process is rocked and he begs Danforth to reconsider the charges against Elizabeth and the others. Danforth鈥檚 reply shows again how belief in the supernatural cannot exist within a judiciary predicated on rationality. Danforth says, 鈥渨itchcraft is, ipso facto, on its face and by its nature, an invisible crime鈥� (90). Missing from Danforth鈥檚 understanding is that no one can logically dispute invisible evidence. In other words, the existence of witchcraft is a matter of faith, while courts must deal with factual evidence.听
Summary of Act 3 of The Crucible (Continued)
Danforth questions Mary, who claims she is now telling the truth. The clerk of the court brings Abigail and the other girls in. (No one who鈥檚 seen the recent 鈥� or the 鈥� can doubt how this is going to go down 鈥� Abigail is the OG Queen Bee.) Danforth questions both Mary and Abigail, but neither budge. Proctor tells Danforth that Abigail has both laughed during prayer and danced in the woods. It looks like it鈥檚 going poorly for Abigail, but then Hawthorne steps in to question Mary. If Mary was faking it in court before, Hawthorne asks, can she faint now? She says she cannot, but says, 鈥淚 heard the other girls screaming, and you, Your Honour, you seemed to believe them, and I鈥ut then the whole world cried spirits鈥︹�� (96).听
At this point, Danforth seems to doubt his conviction and confronts Abigail. He asks whether the spirits she saw might have been merely illusions. He鈥檚 no match for Abigail. She turns on him, asking 鈥淭hink you to be so mighty that the power of Hell may not turn your wits?鈥� (96). From this open threat she pivots back to pretending. She says, 鈥淎 wind, a cold wind, has come,鈥� and looks at Mary Warren (96). Mary knows exactly what鈥檚 happening 鈥� Abigail is going to accuse her of witchcraft.听
The other girls take up Abigail鈥檚 suggestion and 鈥渇eel鈥� the cold wind. Abigail calls out, 鈥淥h, Heavenly Father, take away this shadow鈥� (97). Abigail鈥檚 performance is too much for Proctor, who promptly loses his s***. He grabs Abigail by the hair, and screams, 鈥淗ow do you call Heaven! Whore! Whore!鈥� (97). The others manage to pull him off and Proctor, dejected, admits to his lechery. Danforth is rocked by this admission and turns to Abigail, who denies it all. He decides to bring Elizabeth in to clear this up. Danforth tells Proctor and Abigail to turn away from the door so that Elizabeth can receive no hints.听
Summary of Act 3 of The Crucible (Continued)
A moment later, Elizabeth enters the room and Danforth asks her why she turned Abigail out of her house. You can only imagine the stress Elizabeth is under at the moment. She has no inkling of what鈥檚 just happened. If she tells the truth, her husband鈥檚 honor will be ruined, but she has no way of knowing that Proctor has already confessed. In the end, she lies, saying that John did nothing. At this, Proctor cries out to Elizabeth, 鈥淚 have confessed it!鈥� but it is too late (100). Danforth has Elizabeth escorted out.听
Reverend Hale has finally had enough (ironic, because he started all this madness). He yells at Danforth, 鈥淚 may shut my conscience to it no more 鈥� private vengeance is working through this testimony!鈥� (100). But he鈥檚 no match for Abigail. Perhaps sensing that Hale is the last obstacle to her victory, she hits back with more witchery, this time seeing a 鈥測ellow bird鈥� in the rafters (sent by Mary) come to tear her face. When Mary protests, the other girls start to mimic her every word and gesture.听
Summary of Act 3 of The Crucible (Continued)
By this time, Danforth is (re)convinced that Mary has some demonic power. Proctor does his best to keep Mary strong, telling her 鈥淕od damns all liars鈥�, but Mary doesn鈥檛 stand a chance (103). Abigail and the other girls keep on with the 鈥測ellow-bird-act鈥� until Mary relents and rejoins the group (coven?). She turns on Proctor, telling Danforth that he 鈥渨akes [her] every night, his eyes were like coals and his fingers claw my neck鈥� (104). Danforth is utterly taken in and tries to get Proctor to confess, at which point Proctor declares that 鈥淕od is dead! (105). This is the nail in Proctor鈥檚 coffin. Hawthorn orders him and Corey arrested 鈥� Hale denounces the proceedings and storms out.听
Wrapping Up
Act 3 is heart-wrenching to read, because Proctor does what he thinks is right 鈥� he confesses to his lechery 鈥� and is nonetheless set to hang. Elizabeth too 鈥� pregnant with Proctor鈥檚 child 鈥� tries to protect her husband鈥檚 honor and ends up contributing to his arrest. I鈥檇 love to tell you that in Act Four everyone lives happily ever after, but that鈥檚 just not the case. If you鈥檝e found this article useful or interesting, I鈥檝e also written on 1984, The Great Gatsby, Hamlet, and Brave New World.听
