Question

1. Reread lines 16-29. Make inferences about whether Tituba and Sarah Good really believe the devil is coming to rescue them, and, if so, why.

2. Look at Danforth’s line of dialogue. "What is he about here?" [lines 86-87] Write two modern-style versions of Danforth’s line of dialogue.


3. How is Reverend Parris different in Act Four compared to earlier in the play? Page 531 – Analyze Danforth’s speech in lines 321-339. What does it reveal about his character? Has his character stayed consistent throughout the play? Has his motivation changed at all?

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

1. Sarah and Tituba really believe that the devil is going to seek them out and free them from judgment, but this is happening because they are going crazy, due to the time they spent in prison and the intense fear they felt in this period. All of this has damaged their mind and rationality, causing them to say things completely out of reality.

2. "What is he doing here?" // "What is Parris doing in this prison?"

3. In Act 1, Parris is presented as a rich and respected man in the city of Salem, he feels very proud of the reputation he has in the city, however, in Act 4 Parris shows himself to be a completely humiliated, sad and poor man. This is because his niece, Abigail, ran away with all the money he had, causing him a lot of shame and destroying all his reputation.

Danforth's speech shows that he is very conscious and faithful to his own thoughts and reflections on everything that is happening. He remains very faithful to his own convictions and does not allow himself to be carried away by outside opinions. He does not present any motivational change.