The Crucible

Proctor confronts Abigail in the woods at night. Abigail tells him she has “suffered” the violence of spirits sent out by witches in the town. She shows Proctor the needle wound she accused his wife of making with the doll. Seeing the full extent of her vengeful desires, Proctor is horrified. Abigail decries the hypocrisy of Salem’s citizens. She claims that Proctor is the only good person in Salem because he showed her their hypocrisy. She believes that the witch trials are a kind of cleansing, and that she will marry Proctor when “the world is white again” (47).

Proctor accuses Abigail of murderous lies. He tells Abigail he will testify against her in court, and that he has documents proving she arranged for Mary to plant the doll. Angry and frustrated, Abigail accuses Proctor of being a hypocrite. She doubts that Proctor will confess in court to having an affair with her. She believes that, secretly, he still loves her and is glad that his wife will die.

The second scene of Act II takes place in the Salem Meeting House and opens on the trial of Martha Corey. Francis Nurse and Giles Corey enter the courtroom (offstage) and demand to speak.