Tension rises as Giles Corey partially gives evidence against Thomas Putnam also showing how much he hates Putnam “Giles (clenching his fist): a fart on Thomas Putnam is what I say to that. Then the plot develops by making this end with Giles not giving the name and then he goes to jail threatening to cut Putnam’s throat. He then later is pressed.
Then the attention of the audience is focused as Mary has her interview. Many things are mentioned like the poppet and the dancing in the woods, this part of the scene is just talking fairly calm until…
Mary is unable to faint on demand. Then the tension builds up even more as the men accuse Mary of making the news up (that the girls were telling lies) because of proctor. Then the stage directions show that Proctor is angry at the accusations.
“Proctor: (furious)(Page 83)
The audience now start thinking that proctor has a better chance of winning. The stage directions also tell the audience that when John sees a good opportunity he will take it eventually.
“Proctor: (taking it right up). The stage directions also show that Danforth is starting to doubt Abigail.
“Danforth: (turning worriedly to Abigail)
This also shows the audience that john has a better chance of winning, and most will suspect that the happy ending of the play will be in the courtroom. To back John case up after Abigail’s petty excuses he confesses to adultery.
“Danforth: (blanched in horror turning to Abigail). Now the audience thinks there is a very good chance that John will win the case.
The tension then builds up even more when the girl’s pretend Mary’s spirit is attacking them, the fast pace also helps to build up the tension. The stage direction helps to show how angry Mary is when the girls are repeating on she is saying.
Mary: (screaming it out at the top of her lungs and raising her fists) stop it!
Girls: (raising fists) Stop it!!
This also comes under speech as repetition.
In the speech there is dramatic nature when:
Mary (almost collapsing): let me go Mr proctor I cannot, I cannot
Abigail (crying to heaven): Oh heavenly father take us away from this shadow
The tension is broken when proctor called Abigail a whore. There is dramatic nature in the plot when John and Mary go to overthrow the court, but Mary is under so much pressure she ends up blaming john for witchcraft.
Mary (pointing to proctor): you are the devil man
Mary starts to develop as a character because she tries to help, but when the other girls pressure her she turns on proctor.
In the plot when the judge doesn’t know who to believe he calls Elizabeth who apparently never lies. Elizabeth then lying to save her husbands pride, makes the judge think John is lying, so he goes in favour with Abigail. In the speech there is tension when Elizabeth lies because the audience thought she would tell the truth.
Proctor: (crying out) Elizabeth I have confessed it
Elizabeth: Oh god (the door closes behind her)
The character of Elizabeth has changed because she has lied for the first time in her life. Danforth is also yielding because he can’t bear to think the court made a mistake. This makes it harder for people to convince him.
Tension shoots up again as Abigail begins pretending and all the girls join in. the girls and Mary are hysterical and all the men do not have control to the situation. Then when Mary breaks the tension by saying proctor signed himself to the devil. Everyone expect hale believe her. So in the plot hale disagrees with the proceedings and quits the court.
Hale: I denounce these proceedings I quit this court (he slams the door shut behind him)
Hale develops as a character because he realises his mistakes.
The scene ends with tension because of the chaos and hysteria when proctor is shouting they will all burn together and hale quits the court. We can see in this scene how much proctor has developed because at the beginning of the movies he is a strict and powerful character, but by the end he is more religious and in touch with his feelings.
In conclusion the stage directions and speech are more effective of creating tension and dramatic nature than plot development and character development.
