How Miller Presents the Relationship of John and Elizabeth Proctor in ‘The Crucible’

When John says that Elizabeth is still judging him because of the affair he had with Abigail, Elizabeth says this quote. She is comparing John's conscience to a judge. He feels that she has not forgiven him even though she said that she forgave him. She states that it is his own guilty conscious and heart that he is sensing. Her saying this means she's not very sympathetic for all of his problems.

To John the affair was just a one time thing and he never wanted it to be brought back up again. But for Abigail it was commitment, since they had the affair then she saw it as John being with her forever, and she realized that the only way for that to happen was to get Elizabeth out of the picture. So even though John Proctor was a good person because of his one little flaw, big issues appeared.

John Proctor has a dark secret, He possesses a major flaw he has had an affair with Abigail Williams, and eventually he realizes what he has done to Elizabeth, He has committed adultery against his wife. Due to the fact that Proctor has committed adultery against Elizabeth, he becomes a tragic hero, and Abigail Williams shows that when she says “I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near” (Act I, lines 423-425). John broke his marriage vows, but even though he regrets he has become a tragic hero. It’s too late to regret he has sinned, he has ruined his marriage with Elizabeth and now she is not pleased with him. Due to the fact that he has cheated on Elizabeth, his outlook in life is negative, when He tells her “I have not moved from there to there without I think to please you” (Act II, lines 159-161). The affair also caused Elizabeth to distrust John, who for seven months was trying to get into her good graces and is tired of her suspicion. Because of John's inability to control his desire and resist temptation, his life is being turned upside down by the jealousy and need for revenge of Abigail, marking the beginning of his downfall and path to becoming a tragic hero. As a result, the need for revenge of Abigail marks the beginning of John downfall.

In act II John Proctor is told by Mary that Elizabeth was accused and the court has come to her to take her to jail. John shows a lot of tension with Elizabeth in the beginning of act II. “I am wondering how I may prove what she had told Me.” said John, “You were alone with her?” retaliated Elizabeth. (1116) Elizabeth suspected John of adultery and is still worried about it. John is worried if he calls out Abby then their secret of Adultery will be out. “Spare me! You forget nothin’ and forgive nothin’. Learn charity, women…” (1116) In this quote it shows what John thinks about his wife after 8 months of not having Abby in their house. John’s attempts to save Salem has failed and he and his wife are sent to

John Proctor is married to Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail Williams was their maid for many months before Elizabeth kicked her out. John had cheated on his wife with Abigail, and Elizabeth had somehow found out. He knows what he’s done was wrong, but some nights he finds himself outside of Abigail’s window. Abigail knows this. She becomes obsessed with him and the idea that they’re going to be together. “But I will cut off my hand before I reach for you again.” (pg 839). John realizes what he’s done is wrong, and tells Abigail they can no longer be together. He’s starting to

One trait that Elizabeth has is loyalty to her husband, John. Although John was unfaithful to Elizabeth, she was always loyal and supported him. In Act II, Elizabeth assures John, “I will be your only wife, or no wife at all!" (Miller 62). After John has an affair with Abigail, he asks for Elizabeth’s forgiveness. Elizabeth states, “It come to naught that I should forgive you. Will you forgive yourself? It is your soul, John” (Miller 57). Elizabeth realizes that she has already forgiven John. She knows John needs to forgive himself. Elizabeth will do anything to keep her loyalty. This relates to the theme of reputation because she is always a loyal and moral person. Elizabeth has a large respect for John and her own reputation.

However, John just becomes angered when Elizabeth does not want to forgive him for his betrayal. This makes his feeling of guilt worse, and forgiving himself harder. “I see what I see John...Spare me you forget nothin’ and forgive nothin’...I have not moved from there to there without I think to please you and still an everlasting funeral marches around your heart, every moment judged for lies.” (55) Proctor becomes desperate for Elizabeth’s forgiveness but her distant behavior makes his feeling of guilt worse, and forgiving himself harder. Elizabeth’s heartbreak causes her to think that John and Abigail are not over yet, and is stumped on the thought of whether or not to forgive him. John’s goal of making amends with Elizabeth were not going as planned. He didn’t really care for Elizabeth’s thoughts he just was in need of her forgiveness and his goodness back. This specific piece of textual evidence proves the claim because Elizabeth was telling John that she sees the way Abigail looks at John. However, John becomes determined to prove to Elizabeth that the what happened is over, but she does not believe this. John tries to be a good husband by telling her that all he tries to do is please her and make her happy. The piece of textual evidence shows that John states that whatever he does there is still heartbreak and sadness around Elizabeth’s heart. She still believes that there is more that John has not said that has happened before him and

''The Crucible,'' is a 1952 play written by Arthur Miller as an allegory of Mcarthyism. The play follows a theocratic society in which the church and the state are one, and reputation plays an important role in Salem where private and public moralities are the same. In act one, the secret affair of John Proctor and Abigail Williams was revealed that led to conflict between John and his wife. Divorce was not permitted in the late 16th century, hence, the Proctors had to maintain their marriage causing discord within the Proctor household. At the start of Act 2, Miller creates a tense atmosphere of animosity portrayed by John and Elizabeth Proctor in their lack of affection, awkwardness, appraisal and guilt leading to affliction.

In the beginning of the play, John and Elizabeth’s relationship was awkward and strange. A quote from the story “Spare me! You forget within and forgive nothin” (Miller 54) which means, John Proctor to Elizabeth is explaining how she doesn’t forgive him, but in reality he doesn’t forgive himself. This quote shows his true guilt and how he hasn’t forgiven himself. Another quote that he says “You were alone with her” (Miller 53) means the lack of trust in the Proctor marriage after John’s affair with Abigail. John is upset that Elizabeth won’t forgive him and move on past the affair and Elizabeth is upset and suspicious of the fact that John was alone with Abigail. The suspicions between John and Elizabeth’s relationship, weaken and drives them apart.

The novel, The Crucible was written in 1953 by Arthur Miller, which was based on the Salem Witch Trials existing in the late 1600s. In the play, Abigail and several other young women accuse innocent citizens of Salem for the action of witchcraft. During the trials, many individuals were unfairly persecuted; such as John Proctor. This event in history may be associated with the Red Scare, in which individuals were tried for their questionable influences of communism in the United States. When Miller compares the character of John Proctor to himself, the reader is able to relate the similar experiences that both men faced. The Crucible demonstrates the struggle against corruption involving the court, which lead to the death of many innocent individuals in Salem. The Crucible generates an allegory for Arthur Miller’s struggles with McCarthyism because of his similar experience relating to John Proctor’s battle against the Salem Witch Trials, and the relation between the actions of the court in both situations. Arthur Miller uses several writing methods in order to convey The Crucible as an allegory for his struggles with McCarthyism. Miller demonstrates how the Crucible represents an allegory for his conflict with McCarthyism by relating his experiences with the plot of the novel. Miller relates the novel to his struggles by stating, “Should the accused confess, his honesty could only be proved by naming former confederates.” (Are You Now… 34) Miller is explaining how the court

Elizabeth is seen as a cold wife early in the play, during Act Two, when John Proctor and Elizabeth discuss if he should go to the court and tell the truth about what is happening. The fact that Abigail reveals the occurrences of that night had nothing to do with witchcraft, gave Elizabeth the feeling that Proctor should confess. Consequently, he hesitates

Within Act II, scene one opens with John Proctor walking into the kitchen. His wife is absent but there is stew cooking. He lifts the ladle from the pot, tastes it, and adds a pinch of salt. The significance of this short scene may justify his affair with Abigail and a contradiction of Puritan society. Elizabeth embodies the ideal of a Puritan woman, but her Puritan husband does not desire it. After she has spent a few months alone in prison, Elizabeth comes to this realization: she was a cold wife, and it was because she did not show love to her husband that her marriage suffered. She comes to believe that it is her coldness that led to his affair with Abigail. Additionally, it is with this situation that builds up to her telling a lie to save her husbands reputation.

you, sir, I do not believe it” (Miller70). Even after John’s lechery, she believed that he

His sin is the affair he had with Abigail when she was working for him as a maid.  It becomes evident in the first act of the play that when Abigail and John speak he committed adultery.  Abigail says “I know you clutched my back behind your house”(22).   This sin weighs very heavily on his conscience and causes problems between him and Elizabeth, his wife.  At the beginning of Act 2 conversation between the two of them is very strained but eventually leads to the heart of the matter and it comes out that Elizabeth is suspicious of him and Abigail.  This flaw also leads to his demise when he goes to the court to save his wife and the other people who were to be hanged.  He planned to prove that the court was a farce and that the girls were pretending to see spirits, but was unable to and ended up calling Abigail a whore and admitting to lechery.  Elizabeth, who he says never lies, is brought in to prove whether or not this is true.  In order to save her husband she lies and does not say that they had an affair.  Mary Warren then turns on John and says that he is  “the devil’s man”(118) which the court accepts as fact, deeming him a warlock and sending him to jail.

           During the beginning of the play, John Proctor is hesitant to admit to his affair with Abigail even though his feelings for her are no longer existent. He knows how substantial the consequences could be if Abigail reveals to the town of