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Authority 1: Parris believes that the church is the authority of all people in the town. Since he is a Reverend, he considers himself an authoritative figure. He makes a comment that people are not following their obligations to the church. He thinks that if people do not live their lives as committed to the church, and according to what the church dictates, then they need to be questioned as to what their motives are.

Authority 2: Parris again comments about the authority of the church. He demands that the people of Salem be obedient to the church and to him. He says that if they are not obedient, then they will burn in hell. He does not leave much room for people to live their lives other than by what the church dictates.

Authority 3: Reverend Hale arrives and Parris says that his books are heavy. Hale responds by saying that the books are weighted with authority. This gives a little insight into the minds of not only Hale but others in the town as well. They think that the written word, whether it is in books, or written as the law, has such a heavy weight as an authoritative voice in the society. There should be little or no questioning as to the righteousness of the written word.

Authority 4: When Proctor is questioned as to why he has not been to church in so long, he admits that he has ill feelings towards Parris and the way that Parris gives sermons. Proctor does not like authority, and since Parris talks as though he is an authority figure, Proctor has an issue with this. Proctor is very critical over representatives of authority.

Authority 5: Hale speaks about the court as an authority over such matters as the witch-hunt. He says that the court knows what is best, and that he has seen the court preside over many such cases before. What Hale fails to understand is that just because a court has a command of the law does not mean that the court necessarily knows what is best. This is the same mistake that Danforth makes over and over again. He thinks that just because he presides over the law as a judge that he will make just decisions, as the law bids him to do. However, the end of the play shows that many innocent people are hung.

Authority 6: Danforth is strict in terms of his authority in the court. And not only is he adamant about his own personal authority, he acts the same way about the authority of the institution of the court system. He thinks that the court is the highest authority in the land, and because he presides over it, he will not stand for people questioning the way he runs it. When anyone tries to speak out against how the court and Danforth are handling the witch-hunt, they find themselves accused of witchcraft.

Authority 7: Proctor goes to the court with Mary Warren to attempt to tell Danforth that Abby is a fraud. Proctor finds himself being questioned as to what his motives are for being there and what his relations are with the church. Danforth makes Proctor say that he has not come to undermine the court. Danforth is so concerned that his authority is going to be attacked.

Authority 8: Parris, the other figure of authority along with Danforth, yells that Proctor has only come to the court to try and overthrow it. Like Danforth, Parris is overly concerned that his and the church's authority will be undermined. Hale even speaks up in his anger at Danforth and Parris. Hale begins to see that they are taking their power of authority to unjust heights. They begin to consider every person's comment as an attack against the court.

Authority 9: Giles is questioned as to the name of the person who told him about Putnam accusing people of witchcraft for the purpose of attaining their land. Giles refuses to give the name of the person because he knows that Danforth has gotten so out of hand with his power that he will surely throw that person in jail. And because Giles does not give the name, Danforth throws Giles in jail for contempt.

Authority 10: Parris begs Danforth to postpone the executions because Parris is trying to get them to confess. Danforth says that there will be no postponement. Danforth knows that what has happened is not totally right and just, but to hold up this view of himself as an authority he continues to act in complete control over the situation. To postpone the deaths would be to possibly admit that he has made a mistake with the other twelve people who have already been hanged. This is something that he would not dare admit, for it would question the authority of himself as a judge, the court, and the church.