After
what seems like an eternity, Mary Warren finally plucks up the courage to tell the truth about
what really happened in the woods that night. She also tells Judge Danforth that Abigail has
been lying and that what she, Mary, said about Elizabeth Proctor was pure fabrication.
However, Mary's courage in speaking out is all to no avail as the court is unwilling to
listen to her. For good measure, Abigail and the other girls claim that Mary's been sending out
her spirit to attack them. Mary's credibility as a witness is further undermined by her
inability to faint. This indicates to the court that such fainting cannot be faked and that
Abigail and the other girls have been telling the truth all along.
As Mary's
testimony has been decisively rejected by the court, she recants it. She realizes that there's
simply no point in telling the truth; no one will believe her. Without the protection of the
court, Mary knows that she's very much on her own. This would be a scary situation for most
adults, let alone a frightened child. Justifiably scared of what Abigail will do to her, Mary
feels that she has no choice but to recant her testimony.
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