How Does Arthur Miller Use Foils In The Crucible

The Crucible is a historical play by Arthur Miller, and is set in the town of Salem during the late 1690s. The main characters are John Proctor, the protagonist, and Abigail Williams, the antagonist. The conflict occurs when Abigail falsely accuses others of witchcraft. This leads to hysteria in the town, with people turning in innocent people for witchcraft. Many people including John and Elizabeth Proctor are arrested and put on trial, despite their innocence. John Proctor is sentenced to death after refusing to denounce his friends as witches, forgiven by Elizabeth for his affair with Abigail, and restores his reputation of being a good man. The Crucible delves into the extent people will go betray others in order to benefit themselves

Elizabeth Proctor’s ironic white lie demonstrates that a robust reputation is helpful, even necessary, for survival. After John Proctor confesses to adultery and admits that the affair was the reason for Abigail’s dismissal, he tells Judge Danforth to summon Elizabeth and confirm the statement as “she has never lied” (Miller 79). When Elizabeth enters the room, Danforth commands her to look only at him, ensuring that she does not refer to her husband for advice or assistance. Elizabeth denies the lechery saying, “My husband—is a goodly man, sir” (Miller 80). When Elizabeth denies John’s adultery, therefore

John Proctor became a tragic hero in “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller has brought a big problem to the Village of Salem, after Procto had an affair with Abigail Williams, she began to look for revenge and she started accusing people of witchcraft. John Proctor; a well-respected man in Salem, who is a hard worker always working for his family, love his children and his wife, is founded in a critical situation after committing adultery with a girl in the village. John Proctor, the protagonist of the play “The Crucible”, a well-respected man, a noble man who has done a lot for his family, possesses a major flaw he has had an affair with Abigail Williams, and eventually he realizes what he has done in Salem and to

Foil characters are two characters that contrast viewpoints and actions of each other. John Proctor and John Hale are foils of each other by the end of the play because they have contrasting viewpoints. Reverend Hale is a man in his low forties, he is an intelligent man. Additionally, he is very proud of his position because he feels that he has earned it. During the course of the play John Hale goes from a confident and righteous man to preaching deceit rather than truth. John Proctor is a farmer in Salem, who is consumed by the guilt of his adultery. Initially, he is uncertain about his faith, but ultimately finds his goodness at the end of the play. John Proctor and John Hale are similar in the way they are prideful individuals and doubt the court, but they are also different in their views of the importance of religious practices, this causes them to be foils of each other because they disagree on the importance of keeping their integrity.

Abigail is a highly jealous character, concentrating her jealousy on Elizabeth Proctor. This jealousy is driven by lust and her desire for John Proctor. Abigail served as a servant in the Proctor household and after an affair with her husband John, Elizabeth fired her. She still resents Elizabeth for this as she is still in love with John. She clearly says to John, "You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!" Abigail is still in love with John and she assumes the converse. Her love for John only causes her resentment for Elizabeth to strengthen. She hates John Proctor's wife and in her conniving ways she attempts to inspire the same views of Elizabeth in John's mind. Saying things to him such as, "She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me, She is a cold, sniveling woman." Abigail fabricates stories in attempt to steel John from Elizabeth. She is a manipulative liar that does and says as she pleases in order to get what she wants.

Firstly, Elizabeth Proctor is a foil to Abigail Williams because they are both women that are in love with John Proctor. However, Elizabeth differs from Abigail because she is kind, merciful, and honest, as opposed to Abigail who is unforgiving, jealous, and a liar. Arthur Miller portrays Elizabeth as a character that never does anything wrong, and that “she has never lied” (Pg. 116).

I have known her." (88) This implies that Proctor admits to his lechery in a desperate attempt to save Elizabeth. This is further increased when Abigail responds to it in a tacit way "If I must answer that, I will leave and not come back again." (89) The secrets are uncovered and the reader begins to wonder how will this have an effect on decision. Danforth reacts to this by bring out Elizabeth to confirm this but he puts her in a position where he gives her no hints about who accused him. This puts Elizabeth under pressure because if she agrees she'll be on Abigail's side and if she disagrees she'll be on Proctor's side. The tension is augmented because the reader is unaware of her choice, when she replies with "No sir" it is increased more because the reader is now worried about how this will affect Proctor. Hale tries to convince Danforth that Abigail is a fraud but she creates a dramatic spectacle by claiming that she sees a yellow bird which she claims is Mary's spirit. Abigail is aware that Mary is weak and will give in easier so she continues with the act and the other girls join in. They start repeating the words that Mary is saying to make it seem her spirit has possessed them and to make it harder for Mary to defend herself. Mary realises she has no strength so she joins them and accuses Proctor of being the "Devil's Man" which contributes to the dramatic tension because

After having an affair with John Proctor, she couldn’t accept not being without him. Abigail also admires “how such a strong man may let such a sickly wife” like Elizabeth be unaware of the affair she had with John Proctor(act1pg#). As a result to the affair, Proctor is trying to rebuild his marriage with his wife. Abigail continues to intervene in John Proctors marriage and attempts to manipulate Proctor so he would confess his love for her. Proctor admits his love for her, but does not continue his affection because Abigail seeps of vengeance for other individuals. He portrays her “as a lump of vanity” who thinks to dance on his “wife’s grave!”(act 3). For her own selfish desires, Abigail accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft and tries to intentionally sabotage her. She does this for the purpose of her own selfish and fictitious relationship that she has with Proctor. Abigail believes she has the capability to influence Proctor, but her egoistic actions to win his undefining love makes her appear as the criminal in the

Proctor’s ability to see through the delirious state of the town enables him to stand up for his newly self-defined meaning of justice. Proctor is introduced to the reader as a well respected man, who “had a sharp and biting way with hypocrites… in Proctor’s presence a fool felt his foolishness instantly”(Miller 20). This description of Proctor foreshadows his stance on the events that happen later in the book, Proctor’s “way with hypocrites” allows him to point out the dishonesty and deceitfulness of certain town members, especially Abigail Williams. Proctor’s realization of the atrocities of Abigail’s accusation prompts him to question the authority of the town. For example , Proctor points out to

The Crucible Essay In The Crucible and life there are many examples of how human failures has lead to tragic consequences. The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller and takes place in Salem, Massachusetts 1692. John Proctor is going through a very hard time dealing with the Salem Witch Trials, and person issues. Their town has supposedly been taken over by black magic, and the pressure has caused people to break.

Proctor says “Is the accuser always holy now? Were they born this morning clean as god’s fingers? I’ll tell you what walking Salem- vengeance is walking Salem.” This reveals that Abigail is protected and she knows that so, she is hurting Proctor by accusing Elizabeth. This shows that Abigail is out for vengeance against Proctor. Our world accuses others wrongfully to protect them. People usually do this to draw attention away from them. For example people involved in crimes point at someone else to protect themselves because they are scared and truly guilty. Miller suggests that our world isn’t always fair when it comes to justice. Many innocent people are tried for crimes they did not commit and are sentenced to jail. Justice in the world is incredibly unfair when it comes to those who are innocent in some cases and maybe Miller suggests that justice in the world needs to be improved for the sake of innocents.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play that explores the bizarre events of the Salem Witch Trials. This play can definitely be viewed as an excellent example of a morality play. This is because two main characters have a place in representing good and evil. Abigail a character in the Crucible represents evil as Proctor who is also a character in the Crucible represents good.

Proctor, who doesn't get involved in the town's issues, has begun to intervene every single issue of the witchcraft because innocent people are beginning hang for false accusations due to Abigail's love for proctor and is trying to be with him by killing off anyone that intervenes with her plans.”Abigail Williams told you it had naught to do with witchcraft,” says Hale, a character in “The Crucible”, author Arthur Miller. Proctor told Hale that Abigail had been lying to be with him and killing people off for him. As Proctor found out about that Abigail had accused Elizabeth, Proctor's wife, that's when he started to do everything in his power to help save her from death even it means to ruin his name buy telling the court that he committed the lecture with Abigail williams. Proctor went from a Jerk, sinner, and a hypocrite to a caring and noble man buy trying to save the rest of the accused lives including his wife and the baby that she is carrying in her womb. When Proctor wanted to confess the judge told him to write down his confession so the people can see, but Proctor will not let the judge do that to him and then later tears up the confession to die an honest man than to to believing a lie of something that he didn't do. He later is

In The Crucible by Arthur Miller a group of children in the small town of Salem, Massachusetts, 1692, are harassing people by accusing them of witchcraft. The doctor of Salem says that he could not find anything wrong with the sick children, so the town calls in a local expert on witchcraft and the focal point of this essay; Reverend Hale. In this play Hale is one of the most dynamic characters because of the fact that he changes the most throughout the play.

She faked being stabbed and claimed that Elizabeth’s spirits had done it. The court then believes that Abigail’s accusations towards Elizabeth are true, and places her in jail. She knows that Abigail is out to murder her so she can steal John Proctor back but there is nothing she can do because the court believes all of Abigail’s manipulative lies. Abigail’s jealously towards Elizabeth for her desire for John Proctor has led towards her