Keyword Guide · study-guide
Act 3 is the courtroom turning point of The Crucible. Conflicts escalate as characters choose between truth, power, and survival, shaping the tragedy that follows.
Act 3 takes place in the Salem court, where accusations are treated as fact. Deputy Governor Danforth presides with strict authority, believing the court cannot be wrong. This setting raises the tension because legal power now controls personal lives.
John Proctor arrives determined to expose the false accusations. He presents evidence that the girls are pretending and pressures Mary Warren to tell the truth. His actions show a shift from private guilt to public resistance.
Abigail and the other girls turn the court against Mary Warren by pretending she is attacking them. Under pressure, Mary breaks and accuses Proctor instead. Fear proves stronger than honesty in the courtroom.
Proctor admits to his affair to discredit Abigail, but the plan fails when Elizabeth’s testimony unintentionally harms him. Proctor is arrested, and the court’s refusal to question itself confirms that reason has lost to hysteria.
Act 3 shows the last serious attempt to stop the trials. After this act, the court fully commits to its flawed logic, making tragedy unavoidable.
Key themes include abuse of power, fear versus truth, and the danger of mass hysteria. These themes are intensified by the courtroom setting.
Focus on how character choices reveal moral conflict. Use Act 3 to show how authority, fear, and reputation drive the play toward its tragic outcome.
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