In Act Two, what are the purposes of handling the events of court through narration rather than through dramatic presentation?

One possible reason for this technique is to reiterate the
historical nature of the play. In researching the Salem witch trials, Arthur Miller read
historical records, including testimonies from the trials themselves. Since the only way
for contemporary audiences to learn about the trials is via these historical documents,
it makes sense to portray this portion of the play with narration rather than with
dialogue. In this way, readers and audiences of the play are reminded that history is
relayed through the records created by those present. In this case, the portrayal of the
witch trials came from court officials and clergy, both groups that were predisposed to
sanction the persecution of the accused.  Narration is a way of communicating that our
understanding of history is only made possible by interpreting the records left by those
who lived it.