The relationship between John Proctor and Abigail is not an appropriate relationship. Their relationship is built on hiding secrets from other people keeping each other hidden from other people. The lies they share are not good ones they are lies that could destroy their lives. But for a brief amount of time none of that matter to them. After an extended period of time Elizabeth Proctor began to suspect that something was going on between the two that should not be going on between them. With every action it has some form of a impact on others (Schroeder).
Her suspicions were right they definitely had something going on that they should not have had going on. Everyone knew that John Proctor was a married man with a family. Move forward in a new destination from the humiliation for renewed assurance (Moss).
John had committed an affair. Abigail was too young to be involved in that type of situation. But her being too young didn’t have anything to do with it because both of them were in the wrong. Both of them should have been punished for their actions there was no excuse for what they had did it was not acceptable at all. It was so unexpected to Elizabeth she was devastated. She was heartbroken she never thought that would happen to her in a million years. John tried to gain her trust back I have been carefully in the house for the past several months since she has left (Lahr).
The respect that Elizabeth had for her husband she lost it all. The trust she had for her husband was not the same after. She felt like everything he said and told her was not the truth. She had trust issues after that. She felt like her family was torn apart that her life would never be the same after. After all the lies and heart break. But that should ...
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Martin, Robert A. "Arthur Miller's The Crucible: Background and Sources." Modern Drama 20.3 (Sept. 1977): 279-292. Rpt. in Drama Criticism. Vol. 31. Detroit: Gale, 2008. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
Miller, Arthur. “The Crucible.” http://asbamericanlit.edublogs.org/files/2011/10/21078735-The-Crucible-Arthur-Miller-2hmdzot.pdf
Moss, Leonard. "Four 'Social Plays.'." Arthur Miller. New York: Twayne Publishers, Inc., 1967. 59-78. Rpt. in Drama Criticism. Vol. 31. Detroit: Gale, 2008. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
Schroeder, Patricia R. "Arthur Miller: Illuminating Process." The Presence of the Past in Modern American Drama. Rutherford, N.J.: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1989. 76-104. Rpt. in Drama Criticism. Vol. 31. Detroit: Gale, 2008. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
Abigail was in love with John Proctor. She accused Elizabeth of being a witch. John loved Elizabeth very much, but kept his thoughts to himself. Abigail wanted John for herself. She made up the false story thinking Elizabeth would go out of the picture.
Elizabeth is angry that John was having an affair with Abigail. John feels that he has endured enough. He knows what he did was not right, but he demands to Elizabeth that he needed a passion that she was not giving him. John uses emotional appeal to enforce his claim. She is offended at his suggestion that it was her fault that he was cheating on her. John says that he is only
Miller, Arthur. "Why I Wrote The Crucible." Elements of Literature: Fifth Course. Eds. Kylene Beers and Lee Odell. Orlando: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2007.
John Proctor is a man with many secrets and fatal flaws. His lust for Abigail Williams led to him having affair, and created Abby’s bitter envy toward his wife Elizabeth Proctor. “Abby I may think of you softly from time to time but I will cut off my hand before I ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched Abby” (Miller 177) John Proctor denied that he had an affair with Abby. Then Abigail utter these words “I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge
Miller, Arthur. Why I Wrote The Crucible. New York: The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 1996. Print.
Miller, Arthur, and Christopher Bigsby. The Crucible: a play in four acts. New York [u.a.: Penguin Books, 2003. Print.
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. Nevertheless, as the play goes, Miller lets us know that Proctor has a significant secret, an extramarital relation with Abigail Williams, relation that was over for Proctor, but not for Abigail. In the following passage Abigail tells Proctor, why she loves him: “I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was thought by all these christians women and their covenanted men! and now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? I will not, I cannot! You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet.”(page 177) Abigail does not want to believe that everything is over between her and Proctor. For Proctor everything is something of the past, while there is
At the beginning of the play Abigail’s motive is to save herself and her reputation; at the end of the play she realizes that she only wants to be with John. She even accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft to get rid of her, so she could be with him. According to the text “Why-! The girl is murder! She must be ripped out of this world!” Page 76 Act Two. This quote shows that Elizabeth knows that Abigail wants to get rid of her. Elizabeth changes by how she treats John throughout the play. At the beginning she is cold towards John because of his affair with Abigail. Towards the end when he finally confesses that he committed lechery; she treats him better by loving and caring more for him. At the end she just wants John to be free with in his decision with the confession. According to the text “I am not your judge, I cannot be. Do as you will, do as you will.” Page 138 Act. This quote proves Elizabeth cannot be the judge of John in this decision, but it is his will.
Life as a human is dictated by an inborn hunger or purpose, and people, in general, will act on this hunger for their own personal gain in their individual ways. This hunger, be it for wealth, land, love, power, revenge, or pride, can, and will be the undoing or failing of all mankind as Miller so clearly points out in his play 'The Crucible';. This essay will explore the motives of characters within the play and even the motives of Arthur Miller himself and therefore show how conflict stems from certain recognisable human failings including those mentioned above, fear, and hysteria.
The Puritans of Salem, Massachusetts in the late seventeenth century believed lies to be deadly sin. They were of the opinion that the smallest false-telling could turn a person from a path to Heaven to one straight into the arms of the Devil. However, during the Salem Witch Trials in the spring and summer of 1692; lies, deceit, and false accusations became common currency. The character of Abigail Williams in Arthur Miller’s 1952 play, The Crucible, illustrates this type of behavior. Abigail Williams’s lust for John Proctor and her desire for attention motivate her to falsely accuse innocent women of witchcraft, resulting in the regret and desperation she feels in regard to the choices she made, and subsequently her decision to run away from Salem to escape the pain she has caused for herself and for others.
1. Bowers, Kristen. The Crucible by Arthur Miller: Literature Guide. San Dimas, CA: Secondary Solutions, 2006. Print.
When we are first introduced to John Proctor, we learn of his affair with Abigail Williams, Abigail's involvement in the accusations of witchcraft, and of John's desire to do what is honorable. Because of John's desire to do what is honorable, he ends the affair with Abigail and begins to attempt to repair his broken marriage. Abigail's jealously of Elizabeth and desire to be John's wife leads to Elizabeth's name being mentioned in court. Abigail's mention of Elizabeth's name in court reveals her attempt to get rid of Elizabeth for she knows Elizabeth will claim innocence and be hung if she does. When word reaches the Proctors, about Abigail's mentioning of Elizabeth's name in court, John concludes that Abigail's motive is to kill Elizabeth. Knowing this information, John is faced with his first difficult decision, save his reputation, keep his affair a secret, and let the accusations continue, or ruin his reputation, tell of his affair, and end the girls' accusations. Not wanting to ruin his good name, John decides to hold his tongue and because of this the trials continue and more accusations are made, some of which lead to his wife's and his friends arrest for witchcraft and bewitchment.
Authors often have underlying reasons for giving their stories certain themes or settings. Arthur Miller’s masterpiece, The Crucible, is a work of art inspired by actual events as a response to political and moral issues. Set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, The Crucible proves to have its roots in events of the 1950’s and 1960’s, such as the activities of the House Un-American Committee and the “Red Scare.” Though the play provides an accurate account of the Salem witch trials, its real achievement lies in the many important issues of Miller’s time that it dealswith.
John Proctor faces many decisions in response to his moral dilemma to try to save his life. One of the difficult decisions John makes is to reveal that he had an affair with Abigail Williams and thereby has committed adultery. If the local court convicts him of this crime, he faces being jailed. Also by admitting this crime, John reveals a weakness in his character. This flaw in his personality will make it harder for him to stand up in the community as an honorable and believable person. In trying to convince others that witchcraft does not exist John’s dishonesty with his wife will make him less convincing to the community.
The Crucible by Arthur Miller raises many thought provoking issues throughout the play, including the importance of personal integrity, injustice in society and the rights of the community versus the rights of the individual.