The Crucible Act 4 Summary & Analysis
June 14, 2024
For those of you who have read my other articles on Arthur Miller鈥檚 The Crucible, you know how Act 4 is going to end. (Spoiler alert: John Proctor hangs.) Looking back, John鈥檚 fate seems unavoidable 鈥� he鈥檚 a good man whose uncompromising nature is inapt to a world that would trade honor for safety. At the same time, John鈥檚 heroism in the face of judicial tyranny is an object lesson in principled resistance. With this in mind, this article will provide a detailed summary and analysis of Act 4 of The Crucible. Scroll down for the Crucible Act 4 Summary and Analysis.听
All page numbers reference the .听
First, the road so far鈥�
Recap of Act One听
In act one, we find out that Reverend Parris鈥� niece, Abigail Williams, was dancing in the forest with Betty Parris and some other girls from the village. When Betty and Ruth fall sick, villagers think witchcraft. When questioned, Abigail鈥檚 story changes until she finally accuses Tituba of witchcraft. (.)听
Parris and Reverend Hale (an expert on demonology) question Tituba, who understands that the only way out is to start accusing other women in the village. Abigail opts for this strategy as well. By the start of act two, three dozen women have been arrested. You can read my full summary of act one here.听
Recap of Act Two听
Elizabeth Proctor knows what Abigail is up to. While John trusts the court to be reasonable, Elizabeth knows that Abigail wants her hanged as a witch. Elizabeth convinces John to go to Salem, but it鈥檚 too late. When Cheever, clerk of the court, searches the Proctor house for a 鈥減oppet鈥� 鈥� a doll 鈥� he finds the one Mary brought home from court. Cheever pulls a long needle from the doll and Elizabeth鈥檚 鈥渨itchcraft鈥� is confirmed.听
While Mary says the doll is hers, Elizabeth is still arrested. When everyone has left, Mary tells John that Abigail won鈥檛 hesitate to disclose his lechery. John is past caring and decides to confront Abigail in court. You can read my full summary of act two here.听
Recap of Act Three
Proctor shows up to court with a reluctant Mary in tow. He鈥檚 also brought a list of ninety-one people who will vouch for his wife, Rebecca Nurse, and Martha Corey (Giles鈥� wife). In Proctor鈥檚 mind, he has irrefutable evidence of Abigail鈥檚 lies. Proctor will soon learn that logic is no match for spectral evidence.听
Mary confesses that she was lying in court. Danforth brings Abigail in, who denies everything. On cue, Abigail starts with the old 鈥淚 feel a cold, witchy wind鈥� act and Proctor loses it. He grabs Abigail, calls her a whore, and admits his lechery. They call Elizabeth Proctor in, who, trying to protect her husband鈥檚 honor, claims that she was mistaken about Abigail鈥檚 harlotry. With Elizabeth out of the way, Abigail doubles down on her 鈥渉ere be witches鈥� act. Mary caves to the pressure, rejoins Abigail and the other girls, and accuses John Proctor. You can read my full summary of act three here. Read my summary of Act 4 of the Crucible here.听
Summary and Analysis of Act Four of The Crucible
Act four shows the inexorable progression toward Proctor鈥檚 execution. We open in the Salem jail, where Tituba and Sarah Good have been held for months. Both have gone mad while in jail, talking about going to Barbados to meet the devil. As Marshal Herrick pushes them out of their cell (toward the scaffold), they mistake a bellowing cow for the call of Satan.
As Tituba and Sarah Good are led out, Deputy Governor Danforth, Judge Hawthorne, and Cheever (clerk of the court) enter the cell. While they wait for Parris, Danforth and Hawthorne mention that Reverend Hale has been visiting prisoners. Hawthorne mentions to Danforth that Hale was 鈥減reaching in Andover lately鈥� (109). This reference needs clarification. Salem was not the only town to suffer from witch-hysteria. In fact, more people were accused of witchcraft in Andover than any other community. What makes Andover different is that eventually the townspeople rebelled and threw the court out of town. Hawthorne鈥檚 claim that Hale has been 鈥減reaching in Andover,鈥� explicitly links Hale to popular rebellion.
The Crucible Act 4 Summary & Analysis (Continued)
Hawthorne also mentions that Reverend Parris doesn’t seem well. In a momentous understatement, Danforth wonders if Parris does not 鈥渉ave some sorrow鈥� (109). Cheever then weighs in, saying 鈥淚 think it be the cows鈥� (109). Apparently, with so many people in jail, random ownerless cows have been wandering the roads 鈥� no one knows who they belong to. Of course, it鈥檚 not 鈥渢he cows鈥� that bother Parris, it鈥檚 the fact that he started a crisis in the community that has killed and imprisoned innocent people. At the same time, 鈥渢he cows鈥� illustrate the toll that the trials have taken on the community. We can see that the social fabric has begun to fray.听听
Parris enters bearing 鈥済ood鈥� news. Though Rebecca Nurse has resisted confessing for three months, Hale is now with her and she might be softening. On the heels of this good news, Parris seems to want to ask Danforth to postpone the execution, but he can鈥檛 quite get it out. When Danforth questions him, Parris tells him that Abigail has stolen all his money and disappeared with Mercy Lewis. The fact that the main accuser has fled the town makes Parris think that if the executions proceed, Salem might go the way of Andover 鈥� rebellion.听
The Crucible Act 4 Summary & Analysis (Continued)
Parris suggests postponing the hangings. While his suggestion may seem noble, Parris鈥檚 argument is pragmatic. His argument for postponing the executions is to give Hale a chance to convince one or two of the prisoners to confess. He thinks that if one or two confess, 鈥渢hat confession surely damns the others in the public eye鈥� (112). In other words, if Hale can get one of the holdouts to confess, then the others look guilty and Salemites are less likely to rebel. When Danforth refuses any postponement, Parris adds that he now fears for his life in Salem.
Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Reverend Hale. To everyone鈥檚 disappointment, Hale says that Rebecca Nurse will not confess. Hale, reasonable man that he is (), tells Danforth that he must pardon the prisoners. Danforth鈥檚 response boggles the mind 鈥� he says, 鈥淚 cannot pardon these when twelve are already hanged for the same crime鈥� (113). He adds, unironically, 鈥淚t is not just.鈥� Just so we鈥檙e all clear, Danforth is saying that it wouldn鈥檛 be just to pardon innocent people because they鈥檝e already killed twelve (innocent) people. We can see now what this process is really about 鈥� performing state power. Danforth is clear about this, saying, 鈥淧ostponement now speaks to a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now鈥� (113). He continues, 鈥淲hile I speak God鈥檚 law, I will not crack its voice with whimpering.鈥�
The Crucible Act 4 Summary & Analysis (Continued)
With an eye toward getting Proctor to confess, Danforth and Parris decide to use Elizabeth to soften him up. They hope the sight of his pregnant wife will convince him to change his mind. Hale attempts once more to convince Danforth to postpone the executions, saying that Danforth is risking open rebellion, as 鈥渘o man knows when the harlots鈥� cry will end his life鈥� (114). He continues, declaring, 鈥淭here is blood on my head!鈥� (114). Hale鈥檚 guilty conscience is interrupted by the arrival of Elizabeth.听
Hale tries to convince (a very skeptical) Elizabeth that she should get her husband to lie to save his life. (I think it鈥檚 safe to say that at this point, everyone knows that the confessions are lies.) Hale鈥檚 argument is a puzzling one. He argues to Elizabeth that 鈥渓ife is God鈥檚 most precious gift鈥� and that 鈥渘o principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it鈥� (115). One can see where such an argument might lead. If we follow Hale鈥檚 argument, a person would be justified sacrificing any principle (even one鈥檚 faith?) to save one鈥檚 life. Elizabeth is of the same opinion, telling Hale, 鈥淚 think that be the Devil鈥檚 argument鈥� (115).听
The Crucible Act 4 Summary & Analysis (Continued)
Seeing that Hale has failed to convince her, Danforth tries to guilt-trip her. He doubts her 鈥渨ifely tenderness鈥� and wonders if her lack of tears is not 鈥渟ufficient evidence that [she] delivered up [her] soul to Hell鈥� (116). Finally, Elizabeth agrees to talk to her husband. Parris is hopeful, but Elizabeth promises nothing. Proctor is led into the cell and everyone leaves 鈥� Elizabeth and John are alone.听
Elizabeth tells John what news she has. Hundreds have confessed, but Rebecca Nurse will not. Giles Corey is dead, pressed under great heavy stones. (Apparently, in what can only be described as the greatest flex of all time, Giles鈥� last words were 鈥渕ore weight鈥� (118).) These niceties addressed, John and Elizabeth begin to discuss the possibility of John confessing. John first argues that he cannot 鈥渕ount the gibbet like a saint鈥� (118). That is, given his sinfulness (lechery) lying now would seems a small pretense. Elizabeth counters that John is a good man and, in a quote whose misogyny has not aged well, declares that 鈥淚t needs a cold wife to prompt lechery鈥� (119). Hawthorne enters and their private moment ends. Elizabeth frees Proctor to do what he feels is right, saying, 鈥渓et none be your judge鈥 never knew such goodness in the world鈥� (119).听
To everyone鈥檚 surprise, John declares, 鈥淚 want my life鈥� (120). The judicial machine scurries into action as John works to convince himself that it is no great thing for him to lie when he is already a sinner. However, his resolve weakens when he realizes that Elizabeth would never lie in this way, even 鈥渋f tongs of fire were singeing [her, she] would not鈥� (120). John doesn鈥檛 have long to think 鈥� Danforth and Cheever come with paper, ink, and pen to record his confession.听
The Crucible Act 4 Summary & Analysis (Continued)
The confession itself is a laughable affair. Danforth has to prompt Proctor for every admission. Rebecca Nurse is brought to watch Proctor confess, as if to show her it is no great thing to lie to save one鈥檚 life. (She鈥檚 unconvinced and remains steadfast.) Then Danforth makes his fatal error 鈥� he tries to get Proctor to snitch on the other accused. At this, Proctor balks, saying, 鈥淚 speak for my own sins; I cannot judge another鈥� (123). They let Proctor sign, but he grabs the confession before they can take it. He asks them why they need the physical paper. If they care about his soul and they鈥檝e seen him sign a confession, what good is a piece of paper to them?听
This is the crux of the scene 鈥� John is willing to confess before God, but he will not be used by the state. He wonders how he can live having signed his name away to a judicial system that would use a man鈥檚 good name to keep itself in power. Danforth has had enough and demands of Proctor, 鈥淲hich way do you go, Mister?鈥� (124). In a moment of profound badassery, Proctor tears up his confession. This gives John some measure of peace 鈥� he declares that he now 鈥渟ee[s] some shred of goodness in John Proctor鈥� (125).
Proctor is taken to the scaffold. Hale begs Elizabeth to convince him, but Elizabeth knows that John has found something good in this life. The play ends on these words 鈥� 鈥淗e have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him鈥� (126).听听
Wrapping Up
John Proctor is in an impossible position. While his dignity and honor won鈥檛 let him save his own life, his sacrifice allows him to find some shred of goodness in his own soul. Overall, The Crucible illustrates the way that ideology shapes (and is shaped by) institutions. 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
