Danforth tells Proctor that his wife is pregnant; although Proctor did not know this, he tells them that Elizabeth never lies. Danforth agrees to let Elizabeth live another month so that she may show signs of pregnancy, and if she is pregnant she will live another year so that she may deliver.
Proctor submits a deposition to Danforth signed by ninety-one citizens attesting to the good opinion of Rebecca, Martha Corey and Elizabeth. Parris demands that these ninety-one be summoned for questioning, and claims it is an attack on the court. Hale asks if every defence is an attack on the court, but Parris tells him that all innocent and Christian people are happy for the courts in Salem. Danforth reminds them that they live in a sharp time in which good and evil are now clear. Mary Warren begins to sob. Hathorne reads the deposition, and asks which lawyer wrote it, but Giles says that he wrote it. He has been a plaintiff in thirty-three court cases, and thus has great experience with it. Hathorne's father even tried a case of Corey's.
Mr. Putnam arrives, and Danforth tells him that there is an accusation that he prompted his daughter to cry witchery upon George Jacobs. Giles claims that the proof is that if Jacobs hangs for a witch he forfeits his property and only Putnam can buy it. Giles claims that someone told him that he heard Putnam say that his daughter gave him a fair gift of land when she accused Jacobs. Giles refuses to name this person, however. When Danforth threatens Giles with contempt, Giles responds that this is not an official court session. Danforth arrests Giles for contempt, and Giles makes a rush for Putnam, but Proctor holds him back. Proctor comforts Mary. Hale advises Danforth that he cannot say that Proctor is an honest man, but it would be better to send him home to hire a lawyer. Hale has signed seventy-two death warrants, and he claims that he dares not take a life without reasonable doubt. Hale says that he doubts the guilt of Rebecca Nurse.
Danforth explains that witchcraft is by its very nature an invisible crime, thus only the witch and the victim will witness it. The witch will not accuse herself, thus one must rely on the victim. Parris wishes to question them, but Danforth tells him to be silent. Mary Warren claims that she is with God now, and Danforth tells her that she is either lying now or was lying earlier, and in either case committed perjury. Abigail enters with the other girls. Proctor claims that he believes Abigail means to murder his wife, and orders Mary to tell Danforth how the girls danced in the woods naked. Parris tells Danforth that he never found anybody naked, but admits to finding them dancing. Parris demands that Mary Warren pretend to faint as she had done before, but she cannot, for she has no sense of it; she once thought she saw spirits, but now she does not.
Abigail threatens Danforth, claiming that the powers of Hell may affect him soon. Abigail pretends that she feels a sharp wind threatening her. Proctor calls Abigail a whore and grabs her by the hair. Finally he admits that he had an affair with Abigail in the proper place, where his beasts are bedded. Danforth orders Parris to bring Elizabeth to the court. If Elizabeth admits to firing Abigail for her affair with Proctor, Danforth will charge Abigail. Cheever brings Elizabeth to the court, where she says that she fired Abigail because she displeased her, and because she thought that her husband fancied Abigail. She says that Proctor never committed lechery. Proctor cries out for Elizabeth to tell the truth for he has confessed, but Danforth orders Elizabeth to leave.
Proctor says that his wife meant only to save his reputation. Hale claims that it is a natural lie to tell, and to stop before another person is condemned. Abigail then claims that she sees Mary Warren's spirit manifested as a bird, trying to hurt her. Mary Warren sobs that she is merely standing in court, but Abigail continues with the charade. Mary Warren claims that the girls are lying, but after Danforth threatens her and Abigail refuses to stop her charade, Mary submits and accuses Proctor of being the Devil's man. She says that Proctor made her sign the Devil's book and made her try to overthrow the court. Danforth orders Proctor to admit his allegiance with Satan, but Proctor cries out that God is dead, and that a fire is burning because the court is pulling Heaven down and raising up a whore. Hale denounces the proceedings and quits the court.
Main Body:
The word crucible means - A place, time, or situation characterized by the confluence of powerful intellectual, social, economic, or political forces.
In act 3 all the major characters appear throughout and their fates are all decided here, each of their personal integrity is put to the test. This links in with the title. A definition from the dictionary for the “Crucible” is ‘A place, time, or situation characterized by the confluence of powerful intellectual, social, economic, or political forces’, so as you can see the title Arthur Miller chose was very appropriate to play itself.
Innocent people are finding themselves in court on the charge of witchcraft. They have been accused of this by the crowd of girls who were caught dancing in the forest. They are lead by Abigail, who is accusing her neighbours so that her father can claim there land/property, and also to shift the blame from themselves to innocent others.
At several points during the play Miller makes it seem as if the truth about the girls will be revealed, but then some how some way the truth is locked back up and the key thrown away. The most tense of these moments when it really does seem as if all will come out is when Procter tells Danforth that he has ‘known’ Abigail, so Elizabeth Procter is called before the supreme court and asked if she knew about her husband and Abigail, loud silence throughout the court then she lies to prevent Procter from getting a bad name. Before Elizabeth lies the audience think that everything will be resolved and then our hopes are dashed.
Danforth sees only 2 sides for everything the truth or lies. When Elizabeth is in court he is totally blind to her protection of her husband John. While Reverend Hale can clearly see this and objects to Danforth’s decision, but to no avail.
Analysis of Abigail’s behaviour:
Throughout the whole of act 3 Abigail could be hung but skilfully avoids it, She pretends to see the devil or goes all cold or faint and blames it on the person being prosecuted, when it looks as if the person on trial is denying being a witch Abigail cries wolf.
