Act II

Part I | Part II | Part III | Enrichment Activities | Poetry Resources | More Info on Poetry | Test | Homework Review|

Vocabulary Needed for the Reading of the ACT II:

  pallor/ ameliorate/ indignant/ daft/ taint/ quail/ inept/deference / wilt/gingerly/calamity

Find out the definitions of the new vocabulary words

Part I

Aim: How is the relationship between John and Elizabeth Proctor as depicted in their dialogue from page 52 to 66 in Act II?

Do Now:

When a person commits adultery, does he/she deserve to be forgiven? What does it take for a person to forgive such a sin? Will the relationship between the two stay the same? Explain.

Procedures:

  1. Read the dialogue among Elizabeth, John Proctor and Mary Warren.
  2. Select one line from the scene to respond using double-entry journal.
  3. Do the three characters remind you of any character you watch on TV currently? What  the show and how similar are the characters?
  4. At the beginning of this act, John Proctor says, "It is winter in here yet." Why is this pertinent to what is going on?
  5. What kind of image does the playwright draw of Elizabeth in this part of the play?
  6. Why has Mary Warren disobeyed her employers and gone to Salem?
  7. What did Abigail Williams reveal to John Proctor? Elizabeth reminds him of this.
  8. Why hasn’t John told the court what he knows? In What way does Elizabeth attribute to his not telling ?
  9. What lie did John Proctor tell to Elizabeth which makes her more suspicious of him?
  10. What news does Mary Warren reveal to John and Elizabeth about the trials?
  11. How does Mary Warren behave towards her employers?
  12. What does Mary Warren mean when she says, "I saved her life today!"?
  13. What does Elizabeth realize when she finds out that she has been accused?
  14. What does Elizabeth ask John to do?

Homework Assignment:

In this part of the play, Mary told the audience a lot of what has been  going on in the past eight days in Salem but the scenes she mentioned are not shown directly on the stage. Bring the scenes alive by creating a scene of how the young girls acted and accused innocent people blindly in court , especially Abigail (how she has become such an important role in the witch-hunt), and how they were treated by the court officials.

Part II

Aim: Why is Hale visiting the Proctors? (Read pages from 62 to 70 )

Motivational Activity (Do Now):

Read the poem " To My Dear and Loving Husband" written by Anne Bradstreet who lived during the colonial puritan period. Is Elizabeth this type of wife/woman? If not, describe what kind of wife she is based on the descriptions in Act II. Post your answer in the Discussion Forum. Comment on one of your classmates' response.

To My Dear and Loving Husband by Anne Bradstreet

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me ye women if you can.
I prize thy love more that whole mines of gold,
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee give recompense.
Thy love is such I can no way repay,
The heavens reward thee manifold I pray.
Then while we live, in love let’s so persever,
That when we live no more, we may live ever.

Procedure:

  1. Read the dialogue among Hale, Elizabeth, and John Proctor. Pay attention to the stage directions and explain how they help the reader understand the characters better.
  2. Why does Reverend Hale visit the Proctors?
  3. How does John Proctor respond to questions about why he has not been to church?
  4. What does Reverend Hale ask Proctor to do?
  5. Discuss the meaning of "Adultery, John." (page 67)
  6. What information does John Proctor reveal to Reverend Hale?
  7. What does Reverend Hale want John to do with this information?
  8. Why does Elizabeth say that she doesn’t believe in witches at this point? 

Homework

1. Start making Character Bookmark for Elizabeth, John  Proctor, Hale, Abigail describing the personality traits of each character and their relationships with other characters.  This is how you do it-

Create a  table and put the character's name in the top cell. For example:

John Proctor

 Relationship with Other Characters
Confident have conflict with Parris--
powerful in a hidden way have  conflict with Abigail--
not a follower  
hatred for hypocrites His relationship with his wife, Elizabeth-

 
a sinner  
 

 

  
doesn't believe witchery

 

  
have self-conflict

 

  
   
 

 

  

OR

2. Write a rap describing the main characters, their relationship, and the conflicts among them.

3. Put Elizabeth and John Proctor in the 21st century setting, and rewrite the dialogue between them as in Act Two.

Part III

Aim: What does the ending of Act II foreshadow? What dramatic effect does it create?

Do Now: Post the answer to the question(s) from part I ,II, & III of Act II assigned to you in the discussion forum. If your question(s) has(have) been posted, please respond to the answer provided.

Procedure:

A. Post your homework on your website.

B. Discuss the following questions:

  1. What news does Giles Corey reveal to the Proctors and Reverend Hale?
  2. What has Rebecca Nurse been accused of?
  3. Why has Martha Corey been accused?
  4. Why do Ezekial Cheever and Marshal Herrick arrive at the Proctor home?
  5. Explain why Cheever is both astonished and afraid when he finds the poppet with the needle in it?
  6. What does John ask Mary Warren to do?
  7. Why is Mary so afraid to do as he asks?
  8. Why does Mary Warren warn John about testifying against Abigail?
  9. What does John decide to do?
  10. Why doesn't John Proctor tell the court immediately what he knows concerning what has been happening?
  11. Give three reasons for Elizabeth's suspicions concerning her husband.
  12. When Elizabeth is taken away in chains, John Proctor tries to convince Mary Warren to testify against Abigail. 
  13. What does Mary Warren warn him will happen if he testifies against Abigail?
  14. What does he eventually decide to do and why?

Homework

If you are asked to write two lines ( a couplet) or Word Play (Acrostic) on a character's tombstone, what will they be (Choose a main character to do the assignment. Use this site as a guide to help you create your own poems of any form.

Enrichment Activities

Use the PBS poetry site as a resource to create your own poems of any form rewriting the characters and the story in the play.

Test

Part I : Spelling

Part II: Short- Answer Questions

  1. What kind image does the playwright draw of Elizabeth in this part of the play?
  2. What did Abigail Williams reveal to John Proctor? Elizabeth reminds him of this.
  3. What information does John Proctor reveal to Reverend Hale?
  4. Explain why Cheever is both astonished and afraid when he finds the poppet with the needle in it?
  5. Why is Mary so afraid to do as he asks?
  6. Give three reasons for Elizabeth's suspicions concerning her husband.
  7. Why does Mary Warren warn John about testifying against Abigail?
  8. What does Proctor eventually decide to do and why?
  9. To what degree has the main conflict developed? Describe.
  10. As the 2nd Act develops, how has the relationship between John and Elizabeth changed? What feelings are shown by each character for each other?

Bonus Question-

What is the critical moment in Act II?

Homework Review:

  1. Task II on Puritanism.
  2. Write from the point of view of 1692 Salem resident.
  3. Analysis of overture-Chart list of reasons/find evidence from overture.
  4. Be Putman...
  5. Character chart
  6.  Be Abigail (end of Act I)
  7. Task III essay.
  8. Be Elizabeth or John Proctor.
  9. Fun poem ( for a character's tomb stone).
  10. Summary of Act II (end of Act II)