“I am not empowered to trade your life for a lie.”
Por qué es buena
It turns a moral refusal into a matter of authority, so the blame shifts to the court.
Registro
Formal
Úsala tú
I am not empowered to trade your record for a quiet deal.
00:00 / 03:29
00:00 / 03:29
Proctor Refuses to Name Others, Explained
The Crucible · 2014
Capítulo 29 de 29 · 3'29"
Danforth has Proctor's confession but wants names, and Proctor will not give them: "I speak my own sins; I cannot judge another." Even the signature becomes a fight. He will confess to save his life but not let the court use his name to destroy anyone else — which is why "it is no confession" without it.
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 2:30–3:27
The Court Demands a Signature
57s
Proctor Refuses to Name Others, explained
What happens
In the Salem courtroom, Danforth presses John Proctor to name anyone he saw with the Devil. Proctor admits his own sin but refuses to accuse others, saying he speaks his own sins and cannot judge another. Rebecca Nurse also refuses to confess. When Danforth tells Proctor to sign his testimony, Proctor hesitates, and the court insists no signature means no confession.
What's really going on
The scene draws the line between confession and betrayal. Danforth wants Proctor to name others, because a confession that names no one has little use to the court; Proctor is willing to admit his own sin — "I speak my own sins; I cannot judge another" — but not to hand over names, because that would make him a tool of the trials. He also resists the last demand, the signature, with simple reluctance: "I have no tongue for it." The court understands what is at stake: "It is a weighty name; it will strike the village that Proctor confess." The signature is the whole point, because a spoken confession can be denied later, while a signed one is permanent and public. Proctor is not yet a hero here; he is a man bargaining, trying to save his life without spending anyone else's. The court, which has learned to weigh names, refuses to let him have it both ways.
Key lines & what they mean
- “I am not empowered to trade your life for a lie.”
- Danforth's claim that he has no authority to accept a false confession in exchange for Proctor's life.
- “You have most certainly seen some person with the Devil.”
- Danforth refuses to accept Proctor's denial: he insists Proctor must have seen someone, pressing him to name a person.
- “They think to go like saints.”
- Proctor's remark about those who refuse to confess: they imagine they are dying like saints, and he dislikes the pose.
- “I like not to spoil their names.”
- His reason for staying silent about others: he does not want to destroy their good names by accusing them.
- “I have no tongue for it.”
- Proctor's refusal to speak the names: he simply cannot bring himself to say them.
- “It is a weighty name; it will strike the village that Proctor confess.”
- The court values Proctor's confession because his name carries weight, and his admission will shake the whole village.
Theme
- Guilt — Proctor admits his own sin but refuses to name others, insisting he can only answer for himself.
- Justice — The court cares less about truth than about a signed name, and Proctor resists becoming a tool of the trials.
Qué aprendes en este capítulo
Puntos de enseñanza
Repasa justo después de verMi nivel1/7
A1–C2 es la escala MCER. Las tarjetas por encima del nivel elegido se atenúan y la reproducción no se pausa en ellas.
Puntos de lengua
Toca una tarjeta para saltar a ese momentoFrases de oro
Una gran frase en sí misma: por qué y cómo usarla“You have most certainly seen some person with the Devil.”
Por qué es buena
He dresses a guess as settled fact, which leaves no room for a denial.
Registro
Formal
Úsala tú
You have most certainly seen the memo I never sent.
“They think to go like saints.”
Por qué es buena
Calling their deaths saintly is mockery, since he sees only stubborn pride.
Registro
Neutral
Úsala tú
They think to go like saints just because they filed a complaint.
“I like not to spoil their names.”
Por qué es buena
He frames a moral line as a matter of taste, which makes it sound almost casual.
Registro
Formal
Úsala tú
I like not to spoil their names just to save myself.
“I have no tongue for it.”
Por qué es buena
Blaming his tongue instead of the others lets him refuse without sounding defiant.
Registro
Formal
Úsala tú
I have no tongue for gossip about my own team.
“It is a weighty name; it will strike the village that Proctor confess.”
Por qué es buena
The word weighty turns a private confession into something the whole village feels.
Registro
Formal
Úsala tú
It is a weighty name; it will strike the whole floor that she resigned.
Ideas clave
Lo que te llevas- Proctor confesses himself but names nobody else.
- The court treats a missing signature as no confession.
- Sport with hints the court feels toyed with.
- A score of witnesses makes his denial look hopeless.
Preguntas frecuentes
La pregunta, luego la fraseWhy does Danforth want Proctor to name others?
A confession that names no one is of little use to the court. Danforth wants Proctor to identify others as witches so the trials can continue and spread.
Why won't Proctor accuse Rebecca Nurse?
He says he speaks only his own sins and cannot judge another. Naming her would destroy her and make him a tool of the trials he knows are false.
Why is the signature so important to the court?
A spoken confession can be taken back, but a signed one is permanent and public. Danforth says without a signature it is no confession at all.
What does 'a weighty name' mean?
It means a name with influence. The court says Proctor's name carries weight, so his confession will strike the whole village and encourage others to confess.
Why does Proctor finally refuse to sign?
Signing would make the lie permanent and public. He will confess to save his life, but he will not put his name behind the court's work.