Analyzing the Text
Mary, in contrast to Abigail, is lonely, naive, and plain-looking. She wants to fit in and so is easily swayed by Abigail.
Danforth is extremely condescending to Giles and uses his authority to threaten the other man into shutting up.
She doesn’t know that he has already confessed and doesn’t want to get him in any more trouble.
Sunday is a day of rest in this society, so they believe that if he occasionally plows on those days it “proves” that he does not believe in God and is in league with the devil.
He has become increasingly bold, as well as more worried. He no longer hides his indiscretion with Abigail. His actions in this act reveal the lengths to which he will go to protect his wife and expose injustice for what it is.