Henry Thoeau once warned ‘Never look back unless you are planning to go that way’. This applies to Stevens in ‘The Remains of the Day’. Stevens embarks on a journey from Darlington Hall with the purpose of finding ‘new discoveries’, however he does the opposite as the journey results to the discoveries of his past mistakes which highlights his missed opportunities, thus all he can do is look back over his life with regret. Stevens is advised by a gentleman, 'Don't keep looking back all the time, you're bound to get depressed.' The ironic tone highlights that it is too late for Stevens to be warned as he has been emotionally repressed throughout his employment at Darlington Hall.
Chad Murray also believed that ‘Our biggest regrets are not for the things we have done, but for the things we have not.’ Murray’s quote accentuates Hardy’s downfall as his biggest regret was that he stopped loving his wife, Emma, towards the end of their marriage, and this regret haunted him for the remainder of his life. Hardy also reflects John Proctor’s regret of committing adultery with Abigail in ‘The Crucible’. Proctor’s regret not only haunted him, but also haunted the town of Salem. Consequently, these characters show that a person’s mistake not only affects that individual, but also affects those around them.
‘The Remains of the Day’, ‘The Crucible’ and Hardy’s collection of ’1912-13’ poems allows us to question, why do people regret the actions that they once believed were the right thing to do? These texts also emphasise that people do not regret their mistakes until something goes wrong, or until they lose someone close to them, therefore one must question whether regret is a mechanism for coping with loss, or whether it reflects a sincere a...
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...ion of regret will remain the same regardless of the change in period and genre. Many people may use regret to reassure themselves, for example Hardy, who seemed to view his regret as a means of showing that he once loved his wife. Whilst others use regret to accentuate their apology, similarly to Proctor who spent his life portraying his regret and praying for forgiveness from his wife. Most people do make mistakes and use their regret as a means of improving themselves; however, I believe that people will not regret their mistake until it is exposed, or until they have lost someone close to them, like Hardy. However, Ishiguro encourages us as readers to take every opportunity we are given in life as otherwise ‘Year after year goes by, and nothing gets better. All we [will] do is argue and debate and procrastinate’ and eventually regret our wasted opportunities.
“If the human race didn’t remember anything it would be perfectly happy" (44). Thus runs one of the early musings of Jack Burden, the protagonist of Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men. Throughout the story, however, as Jack gradually opens his eyes to the realities of his own nature and his world, he realizes that the human race cannot forget the past and survive. Man must not only remember, but also embrace the past, because it teaches him the truth about himself and enables him to face the future.
Miller demonstrates that love and grace have the power to overcome heartbreak. Elizabeth ’s experience of betrayal is the source of her inability to forgive. John Proctor, Elizabeth’s husband confesses that he commits adultery with their servant, Abigail while Elizabeth is sick. John’s betrayal of their marriage leads Elizabeth to become judgmental and unforgiving.
As one studies classical literature, it becomes increasingly clear that characters from different stories often resemble one another, sharing specific characteristics or conflicts. For example, upon examination of the character of Abigail Williams from The Crucible, it is evident that her desire to hurt others is fuelled by the jealousy of unrequited love mirrors that of Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights, who similarly yearns to bring pain to others because his love for Catherine Earnshaw (?) was not fulfilled. Additionally, both suffer from feelings of inadequacy and a lack of self-esteem after having been rejected socially – Abigail earns a reputation for being impure after having engaged in an adulterous affair with John Proctor, while Heathcliff,
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and Nathanial Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter share remarkable parallels not only in their examination of early Puritan America, but also in the dilemma of the two main male characters, John Proctor and Arthur Dimmesdale. Both these men had sinful relations with another member of the town, and must deal with the adversity that resulted from their sin. Although both John Proctor and Reverend Dimmesdale become hypocrites in their society, Proctor overcomes his sin and is able to redeem himself, while Dimmesdale’s pride and untimely death prevent him from fully experiencing redemption.
Everybody has a flaw that leads them to their downfall. John Proctor, from the play “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, had many flaws that lead to his death, but is known as an honorable man. “The Crucible” is about a group of girls committing witchcraft but accused other innocent victims. Any of the victims the girls would accused would go to court and most likely would get hanged. John Proctor was one of the victims and was hanged because of false accusations. John Proctor is an honorable man because he is honest, he refuses to blacken his name. However, he does cheat on his wife which leads to all of the chaos in Salem.
“No one man can terrorize a whole nation unless we are all his accomplices.” In the case of The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Edward Murrow is uncannily accurate. The Crucible, set in Salem, Massachusetts during the Salem Witch Trials, proves that when one antagonist has accomplices, they can destroy the lives of many. In this story, Abigail destroys the lives of everyone in Salem. That being said, in times of stress or panic, people's’ true traits and personalities can be discovered, as shown in the cases of John Proctor and his damning indiscretion, Rev. Hale’s panicked realization, and Mary Warren’s naive and fearful indecision; all of which develop throughout the play in response to different stimuli.
Throughout Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and the duration of the Salem Witch Trials, John Proctor is a very well known community man who everyone sees as a kind, trustworthy, and loyal man. He may be seen this way, but in his possession he holds a secret that will then lead to his downfall. John Proctor starts to lose who he really is and then turns into someone who people don’t even recognize anymore. This change begins when there is a possibility that he may lose his life when confronted to the court. Proctor’s state plays a big part in leading up to his dreadful death. Such as his affair, the accusation of his wife, and the tensions taking place in his marriage.
It is always shocking when someone that was generally well loved and respected is ruined. Because such people usually have few enemies, often times, the cause of their hardship is out of control hubris. Excessive pride can ruin even the most morally upright person by motivating them to do things they would never do unless they stand to lo. In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, Miller utilizes the prideful nature of John Proctor and Mary Warren to demonstrate how arrogance can lead to the downfall of any kind of person, whether they are a moral person or a social climber.
He is feared and respected throughout the town of Salem, but few know that he is guilty of adultery with the teenage servant Abigail Williams. As a result of this affair, Proctor is caught in guilt, which effects his self-perception.
In The Crucible, John Proctor is considered the anti-hero. Honest and humble, Proctor is a good man, but one with a secret, fatal flaw. He has fallen for Abigail Williams leading to her jealousy of Elizabeth, Proctor’s wife. Once the trials begin, Proctor realizes that he can terminate Abigail’s accusations; however, he can only do so if ha admits hi own guilt. Proctor is a proud man who places great emphasis on his reputation and such an admission would ruin that. He eventually makes an attempt to name Abigail as a sham without revealing the crucial information. When this attempt fails, he finally breaks out with a confession, calling Abigail a “whore”...
Moreover, he struggles with his moral standing on this issue because he is partly responsible for Abigail's vendetta against his wife. This guilt is best demonstrated when Proctor says at the end of the second act:
A forbidden passion between Proctor and Abigail leads to the tragedy of the play. Proctor is a man with a lot of moral problems, who always concerns only the care of his family and social welfare. When avoiding his involvement in the trails of witchcraft, he is accused of witchery and sentenced to death. Arthur Miller shows us Proctor as a common farmer, who is honest, and respectable, who only cares for his family. Proctor lives in the town with his wife and their children.
During the courtroom scene, hysteria and mayhem break out, as accusations begin flying around , Mary Warrens ‘spirit’ begins to do the same, as she sends out a ‘bird’ in order to taunt Abigail. This sends the courtroom into a downwards spiral, as a hysterical outburst between Abigail and ‘the girls’ erupts. The room fills with fear and tension as the hysteria begins to build; as it reaches its climax as John Proctor blurts out “I have known her” which allows the courtroom to fall into complete silence. Miller uses John Proctor- a known, well respected man within the community- as a way to illustrate how fear and hysteria can suddenly alter our personality and force us to admit to things we never would under normal circumstances. John’s confession of having known Abigail, is his first confession during the play, but is used by Miller to illustrate how easily hysteria affects us. John’s outburst along with the silence that follows allows the audience to understand the impact of what John is confessing to; the hushed tones of voice that trail after John’s hefty confession further reiterate the weight held by John’s confession, which is purposeful on Millers behalf, to help the audience to understand the impact of John’s words. Miller’s use of fear and hysteria in the play, The Crucible, was to illustrate how easily and quickly people will change during stressful moments, as well as the way these confessions or altering of personality can go on to affect you and the way others perceive
The Salem Witch trials of 1692 was an event that shaped the history of this country, as well as the lives of those whose wives and husbands were condemned to death. In order for such an event to occur, there must be a set of people who catalyze the event, and others who speak out against it. In “The Crucible”, certain characters help contribute to the rising hysteria of witchcraft, and others contribute to the disapproval of so many wrongful convictions. Throughout the endurance of Arthur Miller 's The Crucible, vengeance and the love for John play a big role in the actions and fates of various characters. Since Abigail Williams is motivated by John Proctor, her decision to lie and accused others of witchcraft resulted in the deaths of many people in Salem by the end of the play.
...nation of regret for life choices. Robert Frost exceptionally portrays the different types of nostalgic feelings within his poems. Skillfully constructed structures and expressive imagery, and vivid symbolism lend a beneficial hand in helping these authors convey meaning. Ultimately, though both poems have differing perspectives of nostalgia, their poems express true nostalgia nonetheless.