Act 1, Scene 5
Reverend John Hale from Beverly arrives carrying half a dozen heavy books. Parris and everyone else are happy to see Mr. Hale. Parris makes a comment about the heavy books, and Reverend Hale says, "'they are weighted with authority.'" Act 1, Scene 5, pg. 34
Topic Tracking: Authority 3
Reverend Hale is introduced to everyone in the room and then he goes over to Betty to examine her. He asks what symptoms she's been having that would imply she is under the Devil's hands. Parris says that Betty was dancing in the woods. Mrs. Putnam explains about her seven dead children and how she sent her daughter Ruth to conjure the spirits of the dead. Rebecca Nurse reprimands her for doing such a thing. Reverend Hale looks in his books and says that if the Devil is among them, Hale will surely find him. Rebecca Nurse exits, and they continue. Giles asks Hale about his wife, Martha and what it means that she reads books. He says that she reads books, and hides them. Also, whenever her book is open, he cannot pray, but whenever it is closed, he can pray again. Hale thinks this is interesting, and then continues with Betty. Hale tries to get Betty to talk and answer his questions. She doesn't answer. Hale finally asks Abigail what they did that night in the forest. She says that they were only dancing. When Hale asks if Parris saw anything in the kettle of the soup, Parris says he did see some movement. Abby admits that a frog jumped in the kettle. They are all aghast. Abby starts to get very nervous and jittery and says that Tituba is the one responsible for all of this. She says Tituba tried to make her drink the broth from the kettle.
Tituba is called in. Hale questions Tituba and she denies having had relations with the Devil. He says that he is going to whip her until she dies if she does not release Betty from the spell Tituba cast on her. Tituba pleads with Hale that she loves God and does not have a compact with the Devil. Hale asks her if she has seen the Devil with anyone, and Putnam asks if Tituba has seen Sarah Good with the Devil. Tituba says she saw four people with the Devil and was even bid by Sarah Good to kill Parris. Hale tells Tituba that she has admitted to witchcraft, and now she will be blessed. Hale asks for more names and soon, Abby and even Betty are calling out the names of all the people they saw with the Devil. The scene closes with the girls yelling out these names.
Topic Tracking: Chaos 4
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