Character and Action

  • It is dark
  • Hale depends Elizabeth
  • Cheever believes purely on the evidence

“Tis hard proof!” page 61

  • Proctor seems threatening

“I hope you’re not taking this for proof, Mister!”

  • No violence is shown
  • Proctor gets defensive towards Elizabeth
  • Proctor gets angry towards the people in the house e.g. Cheever, Hale, Marry, Elizabeth

Themes and context

Hysteria
Religion
Power

  1. Hale slowly loses power
  2. Proctors lose power

Revenge
Witchcraft
Status

  1. Hale’s status lowers as he loses control over the accused
  2. Proctor’s status lowers as his wife is accused
  3. Mary’s status lowers as she is accused
  4. Cheever’s status increases as he gets the accused

Language and Structure

Archaic (old)

Clipping

Double negative

Religious – “Pontius Pilate! God will not let you wash your hands of this!”  (Jesus was taken by the court)

Metaphors – “You are a broken minister”    (John Proctor says this to Hale)

Simile – “I will fall like an ocean on that court!”    (shows their passion for each other)

Inversion – “I tell you true”

Colloquial language – “What meanin’ has it?”

“I hope you’re not takin’ this for proof, Mister!”