I saved her life today.
– Arthur Miller
The Crucible, Act 2. We see a complete power shift between John Proctor and servant Mary Warren in this act. When John goes to whip Mary after she talks about the Devil being loose in Salem, her response stops him in his tracks. The once shy and subservient Mary boasts of having saved Elizabeth Proctor’s life at the witch trials by testifying in her favor. The 17-year-old servant now wields the power of life and death.