act iiiquotes

7/31/2019 ACT IIIquotes

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ACT III: Quotes

If there is a common element to the quotes I have selected it is that almost

all of them denote the overwhelming degree of hypocrisy going on here.

Try to do 15 of the 21!

Quote + Page # Who said EXPLANATION + Paraphrase

(p. 86) Books! What books? Danforth doesnt even know why Martha Corey was

charged with witchcraft even though he convicted her

emphasizes hypocrisy.

(p. 88) Tell me Mr. Proctor, have

you given out this story in the

village?

Danforth to

Proctor

He wouldnt have asked this if his conviction were as

strong as he claims. He knows that if the village finds

out the girls are lying that theyll object to the hearingsand trials, which must go on if he is to assert hisauthority in Salem.

(p. 88) Do you know, Mr.

Proctor, that the entire contentionof the state in these trials is that

the voice of Heaven is speaking

through the children?

Danforth to

Proctor

Obviously, if the judicial system in this society had

not been based on one moral code and one religiousbelief, thered be no problem. If it were completely

objective it would have dismissed superstition in any

form and the contention of the state would be that

the girls are liars.

(p. 89) We burn a hot fire here; it

melts down all concealment.

Danforth Is it not hypocritical for a cleric and a judge to evoke

images of hell? Yes, by his own interpretation of

Puritan law he is guilty of siding with the devil.

(p. 91) Youll find other

Christians that do plow on

Sunday if the truth be known.

Apparently, the only way a truly devoted Christian can

be relieved of guilt is if they accept that they are

hypocrites, which is also a sin (paradoxical). They are

punished for not forgiving themselves of theirhumanity.

(p. 93) The pure in heart need no

lawyers. Proceed as you will.

Danforth to

Proctor

Having a lawyer has nothing to do with innocence or

guilt, you need a representative of the system to help

you defend yourself, which is a right guaranteed to

any citizen living in a democracy. Obviously

Danforth cares not for rights and democracy, and any

defense is a sign of guilt.

(p.94) Is every defense an attack

upon the court?

Hale Hale sees the contradiction now and realizes he has

traped these people. The court is corrupted by its own

values and has no just cause.

(p. 94) All innocent and Christian Parris to Parris is stirring the pot, he is an instigator and


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people are happy for the courts in

Salem! These people are gloomy

for it. And I think you will want

to know, from each and every one

of them, what discontents them

with you!

Danforth knows that his progress in this village depends upon

the authority of the church officials, if the church

officials demonstrate their authority he is safe, if they

lose favour with the locals, so does Parris. Paris

ambitions have trapped him (paradox) there is no way

he can satisfy the people he has to serve unless he

stops serving himself first.

(p. 94) No, old man, you have not

hurt these people if they are of

good conscience.

Danforth This is a complete contradiction if Danforth knew

anything about conscience he would have dismissed

the charges and dissolved the court months ago. He ispersecuting the innocent what does he know about

conscience?

(p. 94) a person is either with

this court of he must be counted

against it, there be no road

between.

Danforth to

Giles Corey

In a democracy the court is to remain objective at all

times (justice must be blind). A case is made based on

evidence and the court decides if the evidence fits the

prosecutors theory as to what happened when and

where in order to determine the defendants

innocence. Danforth is openly admitting that

everyone must obey and adhere to the courts versionof what happened no matter what. He says there is no

road between, but if he had any integrity as a judge hewould know that the road between is where court must

place itself to view two sides equally and choose the

best course of action after both views are considered

fairly.

(p. 94) we no longer live in the

dusky afternoon when evil mixed

itself with good and befuddled

the world. Now, by Gods grace,

the shining sun is up, and themthat fear not light will surely

praise it. I hope you will be one

of those

Danforth to

Giles Corey

Hes saying there is no grey area and no moral

ambiguity, there is good and evil and nothing between,

which pretty much guarantees that they are going to

find a measure of guilt in everyone. If you embrace

their idea of good you will be saved but you mayhave to admit to doing wrong where you have done

nothing wrong and therefore you will have to lie,

which is a sin against God and therefore evil

(paradox).

(p. 96) If Jacobs hangs for a witch

he forfeit up his property thats

law! And there is none but

Putnam with the coin to buy so

great a piece. This man is killing

his neighbours for their land!

Giles Corey

to the court

Pretty straight forward. Putnam covets his

neighbors possessions.

(p. 97) I will give you no name. I

mentioned my wifes name once

and Ill burn in hell long enough

for that.

Giles Corey Giles learned a hard lesson and sees now the

vindictive nature of the court. It is against his good

conscience to incriminate people. No one said he was

smart, but he is a good man.

(p. 97) Without confidences there

could be no conspiracy, Your

Parris to

Danforth


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Honor!

(p.98) Then there is a prodigious

guilt in the country. Areyou

afraid to be questioned here?

Danforth to

Hale after

Hale said

there is fearof the court

in the

country

(p. 98) This is a court of law,

Mister. Ill have no effronteryhere!

(p. 99) I am a minister of the

Lord, and I dare not take a lifewithout there be a proof so

immaculate no slightest qualm of

conscience may doubt it.

Hale to

Danforth andcourt

Pretty hypocritical considering the so-called

evidence he based the charges on were completelycircumstantial. The point is that Hale has seen the

error of his ways and is now willing to listen to his

conscience too much too late.

(p. 102) But if she speaks true, I

bid you now drop your guile and

confess your pretense, for a quick

confession will go easier with

you. Abigail Williams, rise. Is

there any truth in this?

Danforth to

the girls

Is it a tragic twist of fate that he asked Abigail the

ring leader who has the most to lose or is it fair to

say that he knew to ask her in order to keep the whole

thing going. Heres the thing, if hes willing to

believe Proctors a lecher and blame him for it, why

then does he not blame Abby for the same? So one

persons guilt sheds light on anothers guilt, but onlywhen it suites the court I guess.

(p. 104) We are here, Your

Honor, precisely to discover what

no one has ever seen.

Parris to

Danforth

(p. 108) Think you to be so

mighty that the power of Hell

may not turn your wits? Beware

of it!

Abby is bold for sure shes basically using

Danforths superstition against him. He cant

denounce her or punish her for it because if he says he

does not fear Satan it looks bad for him, but it also

means Satan is nothing to fear/ He is there to

perpetuate the fear and hysteria so the people can becontrolled in future. Either way he still looks weak

and the authority of the court in the eyes of thecolonists diminishes.

(p. 110) I have known her, sir. I

have known her.


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(p. 110) In the proper place

where my beasts are bedded.

Hes basically saying that he acted like an animal

that lust comes from an animalistic place and that he

should have known better. Hes also implying that

Abby is an animal.

(p. 110) God help me, I lusted,and there is a promise in such

sweat. But it is a whores

vengeance, and you must see it; I

set myself entirely in you hands.

Proctor to

Danforth

Proctor to the men of the court in his last attempt to

save his wife and prove the dishonesty of the girls. He

reveals Abigail's motivation to see Elizabeth Proctor.

(p. 114) I may shut my

conscience to it not more

private vengeance is working

through this testimony!

Hale to the

court

Obviously Hale has been debating with himself for

some time. It is unfortunate that he bit his tongue for

so long. There was just as much evidence to make this

claim three months ago, why did he bother? Because

he was raised to value the moral code above his own

understanding of right and wrong.

(p. 114) Why do come, yellow

bird?

Abigail

pretending

she sees

MaryWarren in

the form of a

yellow bird

Is there really anything threatening about a yellow

bird? Oh, God look out for the killer canary! Its a

symbol folks, Miller uses it to show us how mass

hysteria can create an irrational fear out of anything even something as simple and innocent as a yellow

bird, which in some cultures is a sign of freedom and

innocence. Clearly, whether she knows all this or not,

Abby is mocking the court and swinging the court

around [her] head like a bag.

(p. 119) I say I say God is

dead!

Proctor to

Danforth and

the villagerspresent

This can be taken literally as in, God would never

allow such injustices to plague the innocent OR, it is

figurative and he means that the authorities havecompromised Christian values to such an extreme

extent that God is dead in that part of the world, Gods

relevance has been killed.

(p. 120) For them to quail tobring men out of ignorance, as I

have quailed, and as you quail

now, when you know in all your

black hearts that this be fraud

God damns our kind especially,

and we will burn, we will burn

together!

Proctor to

Danforth

Proctor calls them guilty by their own failed logic, ifhe is guilty then they must be guilty as well. Either

way, they are both guilty of hypocrisy which is a lie

and therefore a sin. Proctor is a hypocrite for

forgetting his morals (adulterer) and conscience

(seducing a minor) despite the fact that he claims to be

a good Christian and that he stands up for democratic

rights of all other villagers when no one will.

Danforth is a hypocrite for persecuting those of goodconscience, protecting those with no conscience,

accepting lies as the truth, claiming truths are lies,

making bargains that offer no great benefit to those

who take them and telling people they seek justice

when really they seek to assert their own authority.

Quail means to flinch or to hold back, to cower and

lose faith. Proctor is saying that Danforth and the


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authorities are hypocrites. They say they are there to

restore order and free people of their ignorance, when

they have information that could help everyone. They

know John lied in order to save his life and they know

his confession is false, yet they carry on. John

quailed when he agreed to sign the confession

despite his better judgement.

You are pulling down Heavenand raising up a whore! Proctor to

court

They are blind in faith and to their own hypocrisy thatcompromises the very beliefs they are supposed to

uphold and cherish.

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