Why is Danforth skeptical of the evidence that Proctor and the others present to the court?
A: Because he genuinely thinks that everything he has seen in court is proof of witchcraft.
B: Because he sentenced 400 people to jail and 72 to hang, and if he accepts what Proctor is saying, it means HE might have been wrong.
C: Because he doesn't like Proctor
D: A and B are both correct. *
Why is Reverend Hale questioning Danforth and the courts?
A: He doesn't like Danforth
B: He has proof that the girls are lying*
C: People like Rebecca Nurse are being sentenced to death and he realizes that
Danforth might not be considering that the girls are lying
D: None of the above.
How is it possible the Danforth is so deluded, or blind to the truth, in Act 3? To the audience, it all seems so simple. We think, surely, we could have stopped this madness. Why can't he see the truth? Select all that apply.
He is being bribed by Abigail.
He is bewitched!*
He believes that you are either with the court, or against it.*
He believes the court is doing God's work, and that people are just questioning his authority.*
He has a personal vendetta against the people sentenced to jail/death.
He believes children are the voice of Heaven, so he has to believe them.*
The correct answers are:
- He believes that you are either with the court or against it.
- He believes the court is doing God's work, and that people are just questioning his authority.
- He believes children are the voice of Heaven, so he has to believe them.
To determine why Danforth is skeptical of the evidence presented by Proctor and others, we can analyze the options given.
A: Because he genuinely thinks that everything he has seen in court is proof of witchcraft.
B: Because he sentenced 400 people to jail and 72 to hang, and if he accepts what Proctor is saying, it means HE might have been wrong.
C: Because he doesn't like Proctor
D: A and B are both correct. *
The correct answer is D: A and B are both correct.
Danforth is skeptical of the evidence because he genuinely believes that everything he has seen in court is proof of witchcraft. He has a strong belief in the court's judgment and has already sentenced a significant number of people to jail or death. If he were to accept what Proctor is saying and acknowledge that innocent people were wrongly convicted or executed, it would mean that he himself might have made grave errors in judgment.
Now let's move on to why Reverend Hale is questioning Danforth and the courts:
A: He doesn't like Danforth
B: He has proof that the girls are lying*
C: People like Rebecca Nurse are being sentenced to death, and he realizes that Danforth might not be considering that the girls are lying
D: None of the above.
The correct answer is B: He has proof that the girls are lying.
Reverend Hale questions Danforth and the courts because he has discovered evidence that the girls are lying. He has actively been investigating the allegations of witchcraft and has come to the realization that the girls' accusations may be false. This leads him to question the credibility and validity of the court proceedings.
Lastly, let's examine the reasons why Danforth is perceived as deluded or blind to the truth in Act 3:
- He is being bribed by Abigail.
- He is bewitched!*
- He believes that you are either with the court or against it.*
- He believes the court is doing God's work and that people are just questioning his authority.*
- He has a personal vendetta against the people sentenced to jail/death.
- He believes children are the voice of Heaven, so he has to believe them.*
The correct answers are:
- He is bewitched!
- He believes that you are either with the court or against it.*
- He believes the court is doing God's work and that people are just questioning his authority.*
- He believes children are the voice of Heaven, so he has to believe them.*
In Act 3, Danforth's delusion or blindness to the truth is portrayed in several ways. He is convinced that the court is doing God's work and sees anyone who questions its authority as an enemy. He also believes that children, like the accusers, have a direct connection to Heaven, making their testimonies unquestionable. These beliefs contribute to his inability to perceive the truth and the unfolding madness of the witch trials.