Act 3, Scene 3
John leaps for Abby and pulls her hair. He calls her a whore. The court is astonished at such behavior. Danforth asks John to prove that she is a whore. John hesitantly explains that he had an affair with her. He says that Elizabeth threw Abigail (who used to work for the Proctor's) out because of this. And now, Proctor says, Abby wants revenge on Elizabeth and therefore accuses her of witchcraft. Everyone is in shock at John's confession to lechery.
Topic Tracking: Involvement 10
Danforth calls Elizabeth into court. He wants to question her as to why she let Abigail go. Elizabeth enters and denies that her husband is a lecher. Danforth claims that John is a liar. Elizabeth is taken out. Hale tries to plead John's case, but he is interrupted by the girls acting as if there is some sort of yellow bird on the ceiling. They all look at this bird (that no one else in the room sees) like it is evil. Abby even calls out the name Mary. Mary screams in horror and the girls mimic her every word. Danforth gets nervous and still questions Mary. She cannot talk, for she is so shaken by what is happening around her. Everyone begins to scream and Mary says she cannot go through with this any longer. John goes to her to try and comfort her, but she moves away from him. At the last minute, she says that he is the Devil, and that he comes to her every night and tries to get her to sign her name in the Devil's book. Danforth and Proctor are dumb-struck. Danforth asks John if he is in a compact with the Devil. John is so angry at the events that just took place that all he can say is that "'God is dead!'" Act 3, Scene 3, pg. 111 Parris hears this and feels it is proof that John is with the Devil. John says to Danforth,
"'A fire, a fire is burning! I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! And it is my face, and yours, Danforth! For them that quail to bring 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!'" Act 3, Scene 3, pg. 111
Danforth arrests Giles and Proctor. Hale is so angered with Danforth and the court that he says he quits the court and walks out. Danforth calls Hale's name and the scene ends.
Topic Tracking: Chaos 11
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