Greek philosopher Aristotle believed that every piece of literature must have a beginning, middle, and end. Aelius Donatus further developed this theory into the three-act structure common today, calling the sections protasis, epitasis, and catastrophe. Famous authors like Shakespeare expanded the original divisions into a five-act structure comprised of an exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement. Although it was a four act play, Arthur Miller, author of The Crucible, utilized the five-act structure to further develop his plot. The exposition of a five-act structure introduces the setting, main characters, and conflict of a literary work. The audience gains critical information that is crucial for understanding the …show more content…
In order to protect herself from punishment, Abigail explained the abnormal behavior displayed by herself and the other girls in the woods by accusing Tituba of witchcraft and giving evidence, such as “She makes me drink blood!” and “She sends her spirit on me in church; she makes me laugh at prayer!” This original accusation started a chain reaction of accusations and confessions that lead the plot to the climax. In Act II, the return of Reverend Hale and the judges raised the stakes for many of the accused as the townspeople realized that there would be consequences for those who did not confess. Prominent and beloved members of the community such as Rebecca Nurse and Elizabeth Proctor began to be taken into custody. These obvious wrongdoings sparked more opposition, which is demonstrated through John Proctor’s outburst in which he exclaimed “I will fall like an ocean on that court!” The conflict between the courts in Salem and its people would soon bring the play to its …show more content…
This transition is the climax because Proctor did not want to ruin his name in town but made the decision to save his wife. Deputy Governor Danforth demands proof, and John Proctor says, “A man will not cast away his good name.” Elizabeth is summoned to confirm and despite never telling a lie, she denied the claim to protect her husband’s reputation. Proctor had spent a great deal of time attempting to suppress the paralyzing guilt upon him, and at this turning point he revealed it to society in hopes of bringing clarity to the situation. Proctor was arrested for lying to the court. With Proctor’s arrest, all hope seemed to be lost. In the falling action, which takes place in Act IV, the suspense decreased as Reverend Hale and the other judges realized that they may have been fooled by Abigail and her tricks. To right their wrongs and bring the trials to a close, Hale, feeling guilty, begged Proctor to confess to save Proctor’s life. Hale confessed that he would “count himself John’s murderer” if John were to be hanged. After some discussion, Elizabeth and John weighed the pros and cons before finally deciding that he would confess to a crime of which he was