WORD LISTS

"The Crucible," Vocabulary from Act 3 (Part 1/2)

October 12, 2015
By Mr. Rudebusch (SD)
The accusations fly in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible." The play's dramatic retelling of the Salem Witch Trials where the truth gets obscured by sensational charges of possession by demons echoes the crusade of Senator Joseph McCarthy to root out communists, which was occurring while the play was being written. Learn these word lists for the play: Act 1, Act 2, Act 3, Act 4
scorn
Martha Corey’s Voice: I do not hurt them. I scorn it!
remorseless
Judge Hathorne enters. He is in his sixties, a bitter, remorseless Salem judge.
affidavit
Then let him submit his evidence in proper affidavit.
deposition
"Deposition" also means "the act of removing a powerful person from office"--while this definition is not intended in Proctor's words, it is suggested in Parris's accusation: "They’ve come to overthrow the court, sir!" The deposition contains Mary Warren's statement that she had never seen any spirits, and if believed, it would depose the leading accuser (Abigail) and the judges (Hathorne and Danforth) who were brought in from Boston especially for the trials.
Proctor, reaching into his jacket: She has signed a deposition, sir--
vile
Excellency, you surely cannot think to let so vile a lie be spread in open court!
concealment
We burn a hot fire here; it melts down all concealment.
extravagance
I understand well, a husband’s tenderness may drive him to extravagance in defense of a wife.
undermine
There lurks nowhere in your heart, nor hidden in your spirit, any desire to undermine this court?
imperceptible
Danforth, now an almost imperceptible hardness in his voice: Then your purpose is somewhat larger.
briskness
Despite the statement of being "ready to hear" and especially since he interrupts Proctor in the middle of a sentence, the briskness Danforth suddenly displays here is closer to brusqueness ("an abrupt discourteous manner") than to lively eagerness.
Danforth, with a sudden briskness of manner: I judge you not, sir. I am ready to hear your evidence.
discontent
And I think you will want to know, from each and every one of them, what discontents them with you!
befuddle
As a judge, Danforth should not be befuddled, but his complete lack of befuddlement at what's good and what's evil actually makes him a bad judge, because most people and situations are not as precise and sharp as he'd like to see them as.
Compare with "confounded" in this list--a confounded witness such as Mary should befuddle the proceedings, but Danforth threatens her into his vision of Proctor compacting with the Devil.
This is a sharp time, now, a precise time--we live no longer in the dusky afternoon when evil mixed itself with good and befuddled the world.
conspiracy
Here, "conspiracy" is synonymous with "compact" (see list for Act 2), with the exception that Parris is referring to secret agreements between two humans as well as those between the Devil and a human. Linked to conspiracy, "confidence" becomes a negative word; in its definition of "a secret that is entrusted to another" the focus is on the secrecy rather than the trust.
Without confidences there could be no conspiracy, Your Honor!
anonymity
Old man, if your informant tells the truth let him come here openly like a decent man. But if he hide in anonymity I must know why.
prodigious
There is a prodigious fear of this court in the country--
reproach
Reproach me not with the fear in the country; there is fear in the country because there is a moving plot to topple Christ in the country!
effrontery
This is a court of law, Mister. I’ll have no effrontery here!
immaculate
Excellency, I have signed seventy-two death warrants; I am a minister of the Lord, and I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it.
probity
The pun on "probity" can be seen in its Latin roots: "probare" means "to test" and "probus" means "good"--although Danforth is asking whether Hale doubts his integrity, as a judge who's in charge of interrogation, he's also asking whether Hale doubts his ability to do his job.
Unless you doubt my probity?
sublime
The chosen definition gives the adjective an ironic tone, especially since it contrasts with the adverb "placidly" ("in a quiet and tranquil manner"). Since the official is also described as dutiful, the use of "sublime" as an adjective might be closer to the definition of the word as a noun: "an ultimate example."
Cheever waits placidly, the sublime official, dutiful.

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