Crucible Portfolio Act Four

Literary Term
Tragedy-A play dealing with tragic events building up and resulting in a disaster at the end.
"HALE: Woman, plead with him! He starts to rush out the door, and then goes back to her. Woman! It is pride, it is vanity. She avoids his eyes, and moves to the window. He drops to his knees. Be his helper! –what profit him to bleed? Shall the dust praise him? Shall the worms declare his truth? Go to him, take his shame away" (Miller 1334).
This quote is significant because it shows Hale pleading with Elizabeth right before Proctor is to be taken away to be executed. It's the culmination of the tragedy, where the main character is about to be killed. It shows that Elizabeth has already come to terms with what is going to happen, and Hale's futile attempt to stop it. It adds a somber tone, as it shows that no matter what, Proctor is going to die, and was probably added to make the reader understand that it was certain.

Quote
PROCTOR, with a cry of his whole soul: Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life. Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul, leave me my name! (Miller 1333).
This quote develops the plot as John Proctor decides to sacrifice himself and be executed, rather than falsely confess. This quote has thematic significance as it ties back to the concept of reputation and name that is established throughout the play. John Proctor realizes that if he confesses for witchcraft, which he is innocent of, he will be ruining his name. Also since many that were hanged did not confess, it would be dishonoring them by saying they were guilty. Ultimately he chooses to die, and save his name rather than do this. By doing this he gets to die with the moral high ground and spares his family from enduring shame.

Character
Judge Danforth
Description: Self righteous, obsessed with threats, paranoid, foolish, old, serious.
Purpose: He serves as a secondary antagonist to John Proctor, trying to hang the people accused of witchery or force them to confess, including his wife. He later turns against John as well.
Outcome: He has Proctor arrested and tried and tries to force him to confess, and when he refuses, has him hanged.