Tuesday, January 6, 2015

What does Mary tell Danforth ?

In act three, John Proctor travels into town with Mary Warren and makes her testify in front of the court officials that Abigail and the girls are frauds. Mary Warren is a timid, naive young girl, who is reluctant to tell the truth and fears that she will be punished for lying in court. Mary Warren initially testifies that John Proctor did not threaten her to address the court and admits that she lied in court knowing that innocent people would hang. When Danforth reminds her that she can be thrown in prison for perjury, Mary Warren says, "I cannot lie no more. I am with God, I am with God" (Miller, 103). After Abigail insists that Mary is lying, Judge Hawthorne questions Mary about being visited by spirits and asks if she was ever afflicted by the devil's agents. Mary denies being attacked by spirits and when the judges ask why she fainted and choked during the court proceedings, Mary says, "That were pretense, sir" (Miller, 106). When the judges demand that Mary Warren faint and act hysterical, she once again says, "I never saw no spirits" (Miller, 107). Unfortunately, Mary Warren cannot remain resolute and ends up rejoining Abigail and the others by accusing John Proctor of colluding with the devil.

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