The Crucible Act II worksheet: pages 1114 – 1129

Answer each question with a complete sentence. Put your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

1. On page 1116, Elizabeth and John get into a verbal fight. What is this all about?

2. What does Sarah Good do to save herself from hanging?

3. What evidence is used to support Abigail Williams’ assertion that Elizabeth Proctor is guilty of witchcraft?

4. What is the proof that Goody Osborne must be a witch?

5. On page 1118, Mary Warren says, “I’ll not stand whipping any more!” What does this imply her motives might be for her testimony in court?

6. Elizabeth fears that Abigail Williams will charge her with being a witch. On page 1120, Elizabeth tells John what she thinks he must do to stop Abigail Williams. What does she tell John to do?

7. Besides charging Elizabeth with witchcraft, what does Elizabeth think Abigail wants to do?

8. At one point, John Proctor identifies revenge as the true evil that is afflicting Salem. What evidence is there to support John’s assertion?

9. What is ironic about John’s comment that the witchcraft trials are “a black mischief”?

10. The Crucible contains many allusions ( a brief reference to another literary work) to the Bible and to Christianity. Early in Act II, Elizabeth Proctor comments that when Abigail walks into the court, the crowd parts “like the sea for Israel.” What does this biblical allusion to Moses suggest about how the crowd views Abigail?

11. With the allusion to Pontius Pilate on page 1127, what does John Proctor imply about Reverend Hale?

12. What does this allusion imply about the witchcraft proceedings in Salem?