Question

1. act iii begins in media res, or “in the middle of things.” what is going on when the act opens? 25. what is john proctor’s motivation for coming to court that day? how do the ministers attempt to assassinate his character? 26. what are the contents of the deposition that proctor brings to the court? how does the court respond to it? 27. what changes about the portrayal of giles corey in this scene? 28. what does mary warren confess before the court? how does the court respond to her revelation? 29. when abigail refutes mary warren’s deposition, what is proctor forced to do to undermine her authority? 30. what is goody proctor’s motivation for lying to the court about her husband’s affair? 31. consider the motivations for the lies told in the play – in what way may elizabeth serve as a foil to abigail? 32. how does abigail manage to reclaim dominance over the court? 33. what does john proctor say that condemns him? how does hale respond to this and why? act iv

Explanation:

These questions pertain to the plot, character - motivations, and interactions in a play. They require knowledge of the story's events, character traits, and the dynamics within the court - room scenes. For example, to answer what is going on when Act III opens (question 24), one needs to recall the immediate events at the start of that act. For character - motivation questions like 25 and 30, understanding the personalities and goals of John Proctor and Goody Proctor is key. Questions about court responses (26, 28) and character - undermining (29) involve analyzing the power - dynamics and reactions within the court setting.

Answer:

1. The court is in session, and the proceedings related to the witch - trials are ongoing.
2. John Proctor's motivation is to expose the false accusations and save his wife. The ministers try to assassinate his character by bringing up his past sins and suggesting he is untrustworthy.
3. Proctor brings a deposition signed by 91 people attesting to the good character of the accused. The court is skeptical and dismissive, seeing it as an attempt to undermine the court's authority.
4. Giles Corey becomes more assertive and determined to prove the innocence of his wife and others.
5. Mary Warren confesses that the girls have been lying and pretending to be possessed. The court is initially shocked and then tries to discredit her.
6. Proctor is forced to admit his affair with Abigail to undermine her authority.
7. Goody Proctor lies to protect her husband's reputation and to save him from condemnation.
8. Elizabeth lies out of love and a desire to protect her husband, while Abigail lies out of malice and a desire for power, making Elizabeth a foil to Abigail.
9. Abigail manages to reclaim dominance by pretending to be possessed again and leading the other girls in accusing Mary Warren of witchcraft.
10. John Proctor says he has committed adultery. Hale responds with disappointment and a sense of hopelessness, as he sees the truth being twisted and the court's injustice.