There are a few main characters in "The Crucible" that undergo changes. Danforth is the head judge in Salem; a slightly gullible, older, but wise man, that believes everything that Abigail and the other girls tell him. The judge is very demanding in keeping order in his court and must know who and what is happening in his court at all times. He rules the court as if he is a dictator. Danforth keeps a steady character throughout the play, he has the almost same personality the entire time. He has a few slight changes as the play progresses due to the key events in the play. .
When Danforth first enters the play, you only hear his voice. "You will keep your seat," Danforth demands Giles in the court In the judges first appearance, he is question who the people are in his court room. He appears to be keeping his cool and seems to be relaxed. Danforth has many questions about the witchcraft happening in Salem. He has great experience with his job as the judge, telling Francis "And do you know that near to four hundred are in the jails from Marblehead to Lynn, and upon my signature?" Danforth seems to get frustrated as the case goes on with people denying seeing the devil and hangs everyone that denies it. Danforth believes that every person Abigail said she saw was with the devil, actually was. Abigail seems to have the most power over the court, deciding on innocent people's lives. If a person admits to seeing the devil, whether they actually did or not, then Danforth let them free. If they were accused of seeing the devil, but denied it they were hanged. Danforth use this technique because he said the sin is invisible, leaving no witnesses other than than Lucifer himself. He is under the assumption that people are trying to overrule his court when they deny seeing the devil. The judge is becoming frustrated with these events, but is not questioning his choice of hanging people or letting them free.
