What Role Does Elizabeth Play In The Crucible

Logically, John is at fault for the affair, because nobody held a gun to his head and forced him to cheat on his wife, and middle-schoolers aren't really practiced seductresses. However, Arthur Miller was using the events of the Salem witch trials to make a point about contemporary society, so he leveled a certain amount of guilt Elizabeth's way (for not holding her husband properly) and Abigail's way (for being the source of all evil). The text gives you room to make any argument you choose. Truth won't hold all of them, but that's fiction for you…

After a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, 1692, claimed to be singing songs and dancing around a fire, nine year old, Elizabeth Parris, daughter of Salem Village minister, lies in an un-moving, unresponsive state. Elizabeth seems to be possessed and was heard speaking gibberish. Some also believe to have seen her flying over a barn. Rev. Parris has sent for Reverend John Hale of Beverly, an expert on witchcraft. Could this really be what is seems?

Sara Shepard wrote in her book Flawless “The sweetest smiles hold the darkest secrets…” This quote relates to the main character Abigail in a play called The Crucible. This play was written about the Salem Witch Trials and inspired by the McCarthy Hearings in which Arthur Miller—the author—was living through. In The Crucible, Miller portrays Abigail Williams as a troubled orphan who is manipulative, cunning, and has a propensity to victimize herself in every situation that does not fall her way.

Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (Miller). If John is crying out his whole soul because he wants his name to have a good reputation, then that means that a name is worth a lot more than just being seen as nice in the community. A name means your family, and if your name is looked down upon, then that means that your family will also get the same treatment. John Proctor is afraid to put his name down because he understands that this will risk his children’s future, which explains why Abigail is keen on ruining the Proctor’s name, while simultaneously strengthening her own name and image. Lying about her affair with John Proctor and about the witch trail is awful because of the lives Abigail puts in danger, but it kept her name safe, and that's all that mattered to

The witch trials allowed for those whose reputation was lowly to elevate to a position of power and authority. Abigail Williams is the character who takes advantage of this. She is consumed with having a good reputation because for her to rise to a position of power she must be someone who has a pure name. When Parris questions about her dismissal from the Proctor household she is enraged and insists that she did nothing wrong. “My Name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!” (Miller 13). Therefore, Abigail accuses Elizabeth of damaging her reputation. Abigail is cautious about her reputation because if rumors are going around that her name is soiled, surely people would not believe

Abigail is the main protagonist, ask anyone. She is manipulative, ambitious, and devious. She abuses her gained power and her crooked words tempting with the lives of many.

Abigail Williams was ultimately the cause of John Proctor's death. She was a sneaky girl who wanted to get rid of John's wife, Elizabeth. The acts that Abigail committed throughout the play all were leading up to John's death, even though that is not what she intended to happen. Abigail is most responsible for the witchcraft in the drive. She is the person you drives all the other girls to cry witchcraft.

In Act I of the play The Crucible (1953), Miller informs the audience of John Proctor, and Abigail's affair that occurred during the time Abigail worked in the Proctor's home. The affair transpired during John’s marriage to Elizabeth Proctor. Later in the act, Elizabeth becomes aware of the affair and automatically dismisses Abigail. Throughout the play, Elizabeth is always portrayed as a level-headed individual who always stays true to herself and others, however, her husband John is not as composed, but values his self-worth causing him to find it difficult to forgive himself. The opening scene of Act II, Miller reveals the shallow depth of Elizabeth and John Proctor's relationship.

As the play continues, Elizabeth gets arrested after Abigail accuses her of being a witch and a servant of Satan. John comes to his wife’s rescue by presenting evidence testifying his wife’s good character in order to save her from the charge of witchcraft. He also threatens Mary Warren, one of the girls and the Proctor’s former servant, into confessing to lies and pretense concerning the accused witches in court. After Mary turns on him he is forced to admit his sin of adultery with Abigail in an attempt of proving that Abigail had a motive to lie. Elizabeth is then brought to court and is questioned regarding Proctor’s adultery with Abigail.

The champions of the 2015 NCAA March Madness Tournament were Duke University Blue Devils but they were not the real winners: the NCAA truly won. The NCAA is a “non-profit” organization which is “...dedicated to safeguarding the well-being of student-athletes and equipping them with the skills to succeed on the playing field, in the classroom and throughout life.” (NCAA.org). The NCAA regulates college sports, enforce rules and organize college sporting events. The NCAA more or less performs as a professional league’s governing body would do except one major thing, paying its moneymakers. Now is the time to pay college athletes because most live under the poverty line, the NCAA has enough money to, and the athletes are being taken advantage of.

and cold to her husband. In act II we see a glimpse into the Proctor's home life, it is awkward and the two seem act unlike a real married couple. The aftermath of John's affair still haunts them both. The line in the text 'He gets up, goes to her, kisses her. She receives it.' (The Crucible Act II) She still hurts while John wants to move forward. As she is trying to convince John to go to court and tell that Abigail said the accusations were in sport, jealousy and judgement creep in despite her efforts. She does not want to upset their precarious balance, but she must convince him to tell the truth. She is John's moral compass, --we see that more in act III. Elizabeth values the law and the truth. When she is arrested for witchcraft that same night she goes willingly although scared. In fact if it was not for her arrest we would not see her next phase of development.

"How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave my name!" (Proctor) John Proctor a farmer, and the husband of Elizabeth. He had an affair with Abigail Williams while she worked as a servant in his house. John is a powerful man in both build and character. " John Proctor is a tormented individual. He believes his affair with Abigail irreparably damaged him in the eyes of god, his wife Elizabeth, and himself. True, Proctor did succumb to sin and commit adultery; however he lacks the capacity to forgive himself." (www.cliffsnotes.com) John Proctor goes from being loved and well respected to a sinner and later on becoming a tragic hero which was surrounded by strong feelings and beliefs.

The roles of the women in the drama are significant because of the way they shape the story and help the reader understand the nature of one of the strangest events in human history. Throughout the novel, women are portrayed in many different ways. Some are shown as being good and moral people while others the complete opposite. Arthur Miller's treatment of women in this play show women as weak beings who give into their husbands. Each women in the drama plays a significant role in showing the different archetypes there were among women especially Mary Warren, Elizabeth Proctor, and Abigail Williams. In addition, Kohlberg’s Moral Stages are six developmental stages of human moral reasoning which can tie into the view in which we have of the women in the play.

“Individuals have the right to live their lives in any way they choose as long as they do not violate the equal rights of others” stated by David Boaz on drug use and the constitution(Boaz,). Marijuana along with other illegal drugs are all components which are considered to be victimless crimes and are one of the top investments law enforcements make on fighting. Victimless crimes overall are more potential to hurting the economy and society as a whole by keeping them illegal then if they were legal. The reason for this is due to the fact that there is no unwilling participant and the real reason these acts are illegal is due to an external psychic cost. People in the society do not want to see these acts being committed even though

Parris even asks about Abigail’s reputation when he says, “Your name in the town-it is entirely white is it not?”(Miller 12). Abigail defends her name to a tee and even goes as far as accusing others and staying in the spotlight so she is absolved from partaking in witchcraft herself. In life it’s said that your reputation precedes you, even after death it is what you are remembered by. “ Where she walks the crowd will part like the sea for Israel”, Abigails name is taken to a whole other level when she starts labeling the witches (Miller 53). Elizabeth is another character who knows the importance of a good name and when she is asked whether John cheated she protected him and denied the allegations (Schlueter 113). By the time the trials have been started, there is not much left to hold on to besides family and reputations. John Proctor and Rebecca both are people, “willing to lay down their lives if need be to preserve their dignity” (Schlueter 115). To hold onto something even more than life shows great courage.