TERMINALE LV1 · UPPER SECONDARY · B2 to C1 · C1/C2 extension track in every session

Session 3: Act III: the court

Part 3. Who holds power in the courtroom, and why is it impossible to prove one's innocence?

Objectives

Understand the courtroom scene of Act III
Analyse power and reputation
Re-enact the scene in your own words

Warm-up

Image analysis: a real trial in Salem. George Jacobs, an old man, was accused in 1692. Who is accusing him? How does the painter show the courtroom and the crowd?

Tompkins H. Matteson, The Trial of George Jacobs, August 5, 1692, 1855 — Tompkins H. Matteson, *The Trial of George Jacobs, August 5, 1692*, 1855. Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.

Students imagine a trial where the judge says: "If you are innocent, you have nothing to fear." Is this fair? Why or why not?

Documents

Document 3: Act III. Mary Warren, the Proctors' servant, comes to court with John to admit that the girls were pretending. Deputy Governor Danforth refuses to doubt the court. To destroy Abigail's credibility, Proctor confesses his affair. Elizabeth, who has never lied, is called to confirm it, but she lies to protect her husband's name. Abigail and the girls turn against Mary, who accuses Proctor. Hale denounces the court and leaves.

"It were only sport in the beginning, sir, but then the whole world cried spirits, spirits"
Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Act III, Mary Warren to Deputy Governor Danforth

"A person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between."
Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Act III, Deputy Governor Danforth

"Private vengeance is working through this testimony!"
Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Act III, Reverend Hale

Activities

Read the three quotations. Who speaks? What does each one show about power in the court?
Reputation: why does Elizabeth lie, and why is it tragic? Why will Danforth not admit he was wrong?
Language of the court: Your Honour, I object, the evidence shows, I swear that, I beg you to.
Intermediary task (interaction): re-enact the courtroom scene in your own words, not Miller's.

More activities

Close reading: Proctor in court

Proctor's outburst at the end of Act III.

"A fire, a fire is burning! I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! And it is my face, and yours, Danforth!"
Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Act III, John Proctor

Who is Proctor accusing in this speech? Only Danforth?
What is the fire? What is Lucifer here?
Why does Proctor include himself ("it is my face")?
What is the consequence of this speech for him?

Sentence starters

Proctor uses the image of fire to...
By saying 'my face', he admits...
This speech marks a turning point because...

Close reading: Danforth

Compare the two Danforth quotations.

"I have until this moment not the slightest reason to suspect that the children may be deceiving me."
Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Act III, Deputy Governor Danforth

What does Danforth trust? What evidence does he accept?
Why can he not admit that the children are deceiving him?
Is Danforth a villain, or a man trapped by his own authority? Justify.

Sentence starters

Danforth trusts... because...
If he admitted the truth, he would...
In my view, Danforth is... since...

Sentence starters

Your Honour, I swear that...
The evidence shows that...
How can you be sure that...?
If you hang these people,...
I beg the court to...

Role play

Groups of four: Danforth, Proctor, Mary Warren and Abigail. Mary tries to tell the truth, Proctor supports her, Abigail turns the court against her, Danforth must decide. Play it in modern English, then swap roles.

Gap-fill worksheet

Word bank: testimony, credibility, pretending, confess, reputation, court, innocence, contempt

Mary Warren says the girls were ______.
Danforth refuses to doubt the ______.
Proctor decides to ______ his affair.
He wants to destroy Abigail's ______.
Elizabeth lies to protect her husband's ______.
Hale says private vengeance is working through this ______.
In Salem, it is impossible to prove your ______.
Danforth treats every doubt as ______ of court.

Answer key

pretending
court
confess
credibility
reputation
testimony
innocence
contempt

Homework

Write Danforth's private letter to the governor (150 words): what happened in court today and why he will not stop the trials.

Watch the film at home

The Crucible (1996), directed by Nicholas Hytner. In France, the film is called La Chasse aux sorcières.

Where to watch: see the list of streaming and rental options on JustWatch France.
DVD: ask at your local library or médiathèque.
Official trailer: on the Apple TV page of the film.
Scenes to watch: Act I: the girls dance in the forest at night (the opening of the film). Act II: the officers arrest Elizabeth at home. Act III: in court, the girls turn against Mary Warren. Act IV: Proctor tears his confession and walks to the gallows.

Watch with English subtitles if you can.

Assessment grid

Criteria	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
Understanding of the scene	Misreads	Partial	Accurate	Accurate and nuanced
Own words	Copies the text	Some own words	Own words	Own words, lively and precise
Interaction	Rarely reacts	Reacts simply	Reacts and argues	Reacts, argues and persuades
Pronunciation	Hard to understand	Understandable	Clear	Clear and expressive

Terminale LV1 · C1/C2 extension track

For strong or anglophone students. Power in the courtroom: logic turned against the accused.

Extended extract

It were better that ten suspected witches should escape, than that one innocent person should be condemned.
Increase Mather, Cases of Conscience, 1693 (public domain)

Critical analysis

Explain the principle stated here.
How does the court in the play break this principle?
Why is it impossible to prove innocence in Act III?

Nuanced vocabulary

Word or phrase	Meaning and use
presumption of innocence	the principle that one is innocent until proven guilty
burden of proof	the duty to prove a claim
due process	fair legal procedure
arguably	to present a view as defensible but open to debate
to hinge on	to depend entirely on