Act 2 is an important Act for many characters. The scene which takes place in the Proctor's home is the main development of the plot for this play.
An interesting theme in this play is faithfulness, to another person and to God. John's initial adultery with Abigail and the promise which she believes he made to her is the guiding sin which sparks a lot of the trouble to be found in Salem. Abigail, in the hopes of procuring John for herself, turns from God and she in the other girls practice witchcraft in a field where they hope to receive help in disposing of Elizabeth Proctor. Though this plan fails, and they are caught in the act, they all claim to return to God's good graces and to accuse those which they saw while they were in service to the Devil. The initial accused are brought to court in the subsequent acts and are tried and convicted based on the theatrics which the girls are able to muster up. Each claiming the spirit of the accused would leave that body and attack their own.
When in Act 2 they come to John's home because Elizabeth is accused, he knows he must own up to his indiscretion with Abigail and remove her from the good graces of the court, the action which he attempts to carry out in Act 3. Instead when he finally confesses his infidelity they do not believe him, and call Elizabeth from her cell to beg from her the question of her husband's faithfulness.
Not knowing John had confessed and in a effort to save his good name to the court she lies, and they are both condemned for witches and sentenced to hang. The question of innocence is again and again revisited in hopes that those condemned for witchcraft will say they have participated in it and return to God's graces. Although those who are condemned will not give the court the lies it would take to set them free. If they did so they would be committing a sin against God with their lies, and so many of the residents of Salem accused of witchery are hung, because of their faithfulness to God. Ironic?
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