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English

The Crucible

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The Crucible, a tale of superstition and tyrannical oppression set to shake our complacency and make us think. Arthur Miller, the author of this compelling play, deals with controversial issues and subjects which could be classed as taboo such as infidelity and witchcraft. He has a rare talent when it comes to writing and conveying human emotions to his audience.

Act 2 opens in the ‘common room’ of Proctor’s house. John Proctor arrives later than usual after a hard days work. Carrying his gun he enters the “low, dark and rather long living-room”. The stage directions not only suggest he is displeased with his food upon tasting it - he meddles with the pot situated on the fire: “Then he
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Though it is not just Elizabeth who is doing all the watching; John does his fair share too. From Arthur
Miller’s stage directions we hear how Elizabeth watches John with his back turned ‘absorbing the night’. Then just as she stops and gets up to take his plate he watches her back. This is devastatingly tragic - the way in which two people who once deeply loved and respected each other and underneath still do, are now so distant and alone from one another. Both are treading carefully and trying to mask their true feelings, until Elizabeth can’t hold back any longer. The stage directions at this point show what turmoil she, Elizabeth, must be in ’(she doesn’t want friction, and yet she must)’.

The mention of Salem alone is a trigger to feel got at for John: “Why?
I have no business in Salem”, hence the defensive barrier he puts up straight away. To add to the already arising argument, Elizabeth mentions that Mary Warren went to court. This is like adding salt to the wound for John because he specifically asked Elizabeth to prevent
Mary doing so: “You heard me forbid her go to Salem anymore!”.
Pathetically Elizabeth claims she could not do such a thing, warranting John to remind her that she, Elizabeth is the ‘Mistress’ of the house. John is very dismissive of Elizabeth and patronises her with his imprecision. It seems in this argument stage directions suggest the looks given say more than the words and that actions really do speak louder.

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