Look closely at the meeting between john proctor and Elizabeth proctor
in the prison in act 4. In what ways does it show their relationship
to have changed from earlier in the play? How does Miller make this
episode both moving and tragic?
Miller saw a connection between the Salem witch trials in the 17th
century, and the McCarthy trials of the 1950’s. What he wrote about
was based on theory, which is linked to the 1950’s trials. Miller is
using the Salem witch trials to criticise the American society. He
talks about Proctors tragedy to show how culture and belief can ruin
innocent lives.
In act 2 John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor’s relationship develops.
At first John takes extra care to make sure that he doesn’t say
anything other than a compliment to Elizabeth. When John enters the
house he tastes the food that is cooking, isn’t happy with it so adds
some salt. However when Elizabeth enters the room and starts to serve
the food for him, he tastes it and says, “It’s well seasoned”. This
shows how desperate he is to please her. When she hears the compliment
she blushes with pleasure and it is like she is trying to get
compliments from him to prove that she is better than Abigail. When
John kisses Elizabeth she receives it and doesn’t kiss him back. This
shows how distant they are, a normal husband and wife would have been
warmer to each other and if a wife’s husband had said something nice
they would have been happier and thankful. When Elizabeth is telling
John to go to Salem to tell the court about Abigail, she is hurt
because he says he will think on it. This is because she thinks that
he still has feelings for Abigail, which is why he wont tell on her.
John gets angry at her “I know I cannot kee...
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...dren. It is his identity and his children have
the same last name, which will be put to shame when the confession
goes up in the village. When he rips the confession up, it is like he
has reached his goodness. He has made the right decision for himself
and for Elizabeth. She also knows how important this is to him and her
final words are “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from
him.” The sun is shining in the play as he is about to be hanged,
showing that he is in the right. That he is going to go to god.
Overall this play is a tragedy because John and Elizabeth part forever
just when they realise their true love for each other. When they could
live together with ease and be a family with their three and soon to
be four children every one of these opportunities is taken away from
them by the culture and beliefs of the people surrounding them.
In 1692, the witchcraft trials occurred in the small town of Salem. The events started when John Proctor started to have an affair on his wife Elizabeth with Abigail. This started chaos because Abigail started to have love for Proctor. Proctor didn't want a relationship because he still loved his wife Elizabeth. John frustrated with the situation, he began to notice Abigail wanting to kill his wife so they could be together. Abigail knew of only one way to get rid of Elizabeth without going to jail! This was the action of voodoo. I believe that Proctor is guilty for causing the widespread panic of Salem witch trials because of his affair with Abigail. Also, I think Elizabeth,
life, and acting upon his responsibilities in order to follow with his heart, instead of with
have for him but to keep his life. To lose his dignity but to keep his
In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, various characters, whether it is from physical trials or unseen personal struggles, experience some kind of major conflict. There are those who spend every day in fear, wondering whether or not they will be falsely accused of witchcraft. There are others who struggle with more internal trials, such as forgiving those who have hurt them. The protagonist, John Proctor, was a man of strong moral constitution, and held himself to a high standard for the sake of his good name and family. As a result of this, he struggled with a major internal conflict throughout the play.
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 was the death of nineteen men and women to hang and jailed many more. The city was filled in accusation; as fear and and distress took all control. As one of the men was accused, John proctor a man of irreproachability and truthfulness was hanged for his association with the devil. In the play The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, the author portrays John Proctor to be a good man because of his loyalty and honesty shown throughout the play.
Before and during the times of the Salem Witch Trials, Puritans who were a god-fearing religious sect, always believed in two worlds. They believed that God controlled both worlds, and that if they displeased him, he would punish the entire community. The Puritans did everything in their control, so that they wouldn’t displease him. They paid attention to things that occurred around them, because they believed that he was sending them signs. At the time, they believed that every terrible thing occurring to them was God showing his displeasure with them. Since the Salem community was ruled by the Puritan Church, they instilled their same beliefs and ideals to everyone else in the community. The people of Salem were all taught and shown to fear
...e to cope with the ominous recurring flashbacks and the heart-aching memories he suffered from every day. He may have been able to be saved if he only had an outlet to express his feelings. To that end, the significance of connection and communication between one another cannot be further stressed and hopefully this story was encouragement enough to reach out to fellow loved ones and even acquaintances in an effort to gain better relationships and advance as a society.
it. At the end we find him that he had changed his old corrupted moral
occasion and beat the odds and become a better man, or he can follow in the footsteps
makes up his mind of killing himself too by her dead body. At the tomb
The primary dramatic focus in the play The Crucible is the moral struggle of its protagonist, John Proctor. Certain characteristics of John Proctor's character and also the environment of the Puritanical Salem alleviated this problem for him. The main issues running through out the play are a series of dilemmas that John Proctor faces. The first and foremost of these is his guilt over his adulterous affair with Abigail Williams, the second his hesitation to testify against Abigail to bring out the truth and the third, his final decision to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Proctor's attempt to decide his fate is reinforced by stage directions within the script. When Proctor asks Elizabeth to help him decide his future, "He turns directly to her", creating intimacy between the characters. This is later revisited after Proctor's execution with the lighting directions describing "The new sun… pouring in on her face". Together the physical movement and lighting help to increase dramatic tension and create atmosphere.
pursue his dream of learning about God and the truth. Finding the truth in all things is
Out of all the characters in the crucible was great, but in my opinion, Elizabeth is the best character in the cast in the Crucible. She was a faithful wife, a good mother, and strong in her faith/religion. Even though her husband cheated on her she still remained faithful to him. Elizabeth demonstrates a very truthful woman. She’s the wife of John Proctor. Nicknamed Goody Proctor, because she was a good christen woman. Everyone liked her, because she was a woman who never lied. Until, she lied in court one day to save her husband’s life. She acts very frigidly to others. The only person that didn’t like her was Abigail Williams. Abigail wants Elizabeth to die because Abigail wants John Proctor all to her self.
Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, is a statement to the 17th century witchcraft. The Crucible renders John Proctor as a puritan, a husband, and a highly respected man. His name is his prime possession. John Proctor is a farmer and a villager who is faced with intense dilemma. He also commits adultery, which becomes his tragic flaw. Therefore he is to make a decision to tell the truth and ruin his name or lie and save his most prized possession. By this John Proctor is portrayed as an honest, tenacious, and faithful man.