Scene one: Williams is standing before the court, mentally gathering himself before he is asked to present his defense. Confidence is definitely present: Williams knows that he is in the right. However, a hint of nervousness stills wisps about inside of him, for he knows how consistently stubborn and close-minded these Puritan judges can be. Still, though, he is determined: justice will be brought to this court. Danforth, who sits upon his throne with a blind confidence, looks about the court room, seemingly locating and analyzing everything and everyone that may pose a threat to the fortress of fear that he has built up. A fortress of one-sided logic and God’s wrath, always ready to break anyone who dares oppose it. The audience is anxious
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Floyd steps into the middle of the floor, the defense in which he has spent so much time preparing sitting on the tip of his tongue: I believe that you all know why I am here. It is because I hold the belief that all of the accused are nothing more than that; accused. They are not guilty, and have only been brought to this court either because someone was selfish and greedy, or because the evidence on which they were accused is faulty. Some of these cases even consist of both aspects: someone selfish and greedy accused them on false evidence. Danforth’s eyes narrow at all of this as the reality of direct opposition to the court becomes apparent: Now, I do not wish to sit up here and bore you with various claims about how the accused are, in fact, innocent… my goal is to prove to you that they are. Let me begin by addressing the case of John Proctor. Williams clears his throat as he brings to the forefront of his conscious the details concerning Proctor’s case: Fear. It can cause us to do some unusual things, from wetting our trousers to forgetting everything of immediate importance. It’s a brutal thing that constantly holds the potential to overwhelm our minds and manipulate the outcome of a situation. When Mr. Proctor was accused, fear was very much present in the accuser.
Danforth, with a matter-of-fact tone: Quite obviously Mary Warren was afraid; the girl had just been found out for being a witch! Not only that, but the intimidation …show more content…
That the girls are indeed faking all of this, and that they did not see spirits in the woods. Because of this, they know that they cannot be found out for lying, else major consequences will come to them because of their dishonesty in court. So, when Mary began accusing them of lying, their only option would be to disprove her credibility in some way; in this situation, it was by accusing her of being a witch.
Danforth: I suppose that makes sense, but only if the girls are guilty of lying, which I have no evidence of at all. Along with this, there is no reason for them to start lying… Why not just admit that they never saw any spirits?
Williams, quick to respond: Your Honor, my belief is that they didn’t say anything due to the fear of being scorned for dancing in the woods. Another reason is that Abigail, the leader of the bunch, has her own agenda… and that is to rid John Proctor of his wife so that he becomes a single man, providing Abigail with the opportunity to be with him.
Danforth, surprised at the proposition and obviously dismissive of the idea: Why would Abigail be so determined to kill off his wife in order to replace her, Mr.
Floyd steps into the middle of the floor, the defense in which he has spent so much time preparing sitting on the tip of his tongue: I believe that you all know why I am here. It is because I hold the belief that all of the accused are nothing more than that; accused. They are not guilty, and have only been brought to this court either because someone was selfish and greedy, or because the evidence on which they were accused is faulty. Some of these cases even consist of both aspects: someone selfish and greedy accused them on false evidence. Danforth’s eyes narrow at all of this as the reality of direct opposition to the court becomes apparent: Now, I do not wish to sit up here and bore you with various claims about how the accused are, in fact, innocent… my goal is to prove to you that they are. Let me begin by addressing the case of John Proctor. Williams clears his throat as he brings to the forefront of his conscious the details concerning Proctor’s case: Fear. It can cause us to do some unusual things, from wetting our trousers to forgetting everything of immediate importance. It’s a brutal thing that constantly holds the potential to overwhelm our minds and manipulate the outcome of a situation. When Mr. Proctor was accused, fear was very much present in the accuser.
Danforth, with a matter-of-fact tone: Quite obviously Mary Warren was afraid; the girl had just been found out for being a witch! Not only that, but the intimidation …show more content…
That the girls are indeed faking all of this, and that they did not see spirits in the woods. Because of this, they know that they cannot be found out for lying, else major consequences will come to them because of their dishonesty in court. So, when Mary began accusing them of lying, their only option would be to disprove her credibility in some way; in this situation, it was by accusing her of being a witch.
Danforth: I suppose that makes sense, but only if the girls are guilty of lying, which I have no evidence of at all. Along with this, there is no reason for them to start lying… Why not just admit that they never saw any spirits?
Williams, quick to respond: Your Honor, my belief is that they didn’t say anything due to the fear of being scorned for dancing in the woods. Another reason is that Abigail, the leader of the bunch, has her own agenda… and that is to rid John Proctor of his wife so that he becomes a single man, providing Abigail with the opportunity to be with him.
Danforth, surprised at the proposition and obviously dismissive of the idea: Why would Abigail be so determined to kill off his wife in order to replace her, Mr.