village: orphaned children and untended cattle are roaming the streets, while the stench of rotting crops permeates the area.

Judge Danforth, although deeply concerned, has refused appeals for a stay of execution or postponement. He finally decides that a written and signed confession by John Proctor will appease the villagers and encourage others, such as Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey, to also seek redemption and confess. To ensure that the populace knows about Proctor's admission, the signed document will be put up on the church door for all to see. It is imperative that Proctor commit to a written disclosure confirmed by his signature before sunrise, when the hangings are supposed to commence.

The judge instructs Elizabeth Proctor to be brought forth so that she may reason with her husband about admitting his guilt. Judge Danforth believes that John will soften on seeing his pregnant wife after three months of separation. He assumes that John will, therefore, more readily consider confessing. John does indeed write and sign an acknowledgment of guilt after having a dramatically painful discussion with Elizabeth.

The judge's plan falls apart, though, when, in a moment of extreme and hysterical desperation, John Proctor decides to tear up his confession. John cries out that he wants to protect his name and that the court has already taken his soul. John realizes that he can, by refusing to allow the court to use his name, retain some goodness. He will die knowing that his integrity is still intact.

Judge Danforth is overwhelmingly upset by John's response and orders that he and the others meant for execution should be hung "high over the town."

In Act III of The Crucible, Judge Danforth feels that he is in danger of losing control of the situation. Elizabeth Proctor has signed a deposition saying that she hasn't in fact seen any spirits. Furthermore, John Proctor shows no sign of relenting in his determination to go before the court and expose the witch hysteria as being based on a pack of lies.

But Danforth has invested too much of his own personal credibility in the witch-hunt; he simply cannot and will not allow his authority to be undermined. So he tries to cut a deal with John. Elizabeth has revealed that she's pregnant, and as pregnant women cannot be executed, Danforth agrees to let her live until after she has given birth, but only so long as John agrees to drop his charges against the court. Although Elizabeth has claimed to be pregnant, physical examinations have been unable to show any signs of this. That being the case, Danforth is pretty sure that Elizabeth is not really pregnant after all. So if John refuses to accept the deal—which he does—then Danforth is fairly certain that he'll be able to proceed with the planned execution.

It is helpful if you cite a particular segment of the play when asking questions so we can most accurately assist you.

In the final scene, Danforth and Proctor do quite a bit to try to compromise. In Danforth's eyes, he needs both a verbal and signed confession. He also required that Proctor name names of people he has "seen" with the Devil. Then, he needs the confession posted to document to the public the recorded sin and redemption of a particular sinner. Proctor cannot allow himself to give all of this.

Proctor refuses to give names to Danforth. Then Danforth concedes to just accepting a written confession with Proctor's name attached at the bottom.

Danforth: You will give me your honest confession in my hand, or I cannot keep you from the rope.

Here, Danforth is no longer asking for others names, so audience members can assume that Danforth will be justifiably satisfied with just Proctor's signature and then he can live.

In Act Three, John Proctor comes to court with Mary Warren in a seemingly good effort to prove that his wife is not a witch and should be set free. Mary Warren is brought to the court to tell them that the girls had been lying all along. As John Proctor is beginning to present this evidence to Danforth and Hawthorne, Danforth provides John Proctor with information that his wife is pregnant. Daforth offers a deal to John, asking him if Danforth allows his wife to stay alive at least until another year until the baby is born ... will he disregard the evidence that he is bringing to court and be on his way. Proctor refuses to take Danforth's deal becasue his friends' wives have also been accused.