“He have his goodness now. God forbid i take it from him!” (63), schrieks Elizabeth Proctor as she watches her husband get executed right in front of her. Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, tells a story about the Puritan civilization taking place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, becoming corrupted by the lies of witchcraft. Some in the town believe this witch hunt is made-up, not believing in the accusations handed to them. Other people however are using this witch hunt to eliminate anyone of their choice, without being severely punished. Through many obstacles, John Proctor, a well respected man in the town, alongside his wife Elizabeth, attempts to set the court straight and prove innocence of everyone who was accused, even if they were …show more content…
When John Proctor first arrived at court, he had admitted about the lechery committed with Abigail Williams, and how terrible of a person she was. John didn’t care at all about getting in all this trouble, and told the complete truth in order to establish justice. The court was very sceptical about John’s claim, so they had asked to bring Elizabeth into the room and prove John’s statement. Elizabeth was brought into the room and was questioned by Judge Danforth. “Look at me! To your own knowledge, has John Proctor ever committed the crime of lechery?” says Danforth sternly. Elizabeth faintly answers the question with “No sir” (50). John recognized that she had tried to save him by lying, but unfortunately ended up hurting him greater. John yells, “Elizabeth, tell the truth!” (50). By that time, she had been forcefully removed from the room. She had attempted to save John’s good name by sacrificing her’s. John had become very appreciative of this later in the play, actually thanking Elizabeth for lying to the court. “I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is a fraud. I am not that man. She is silent. My honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am no good man. Nothing's spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before.” (59) says John weakly after experiencing multiple months in jail. “And yet you've not confessed till now. That speak, goodness in you.” (59) replies Elizabeth. Elizabeth had sacrificed her innocence in an attempt to save John. She was willing to sacrifice something of hers to benefit others, proving her good
Arthur Miller was the author of the Crucible who wrote this in 1953 in response to the second red scare of communism in the United States. He used the Salem Witch Trials to compare the situation happening at home where many people were accusing others of being communists. In the play people are accused of witchcraft and given unfair trials much like what was happening in the 50’s. Because lying had more benefits than honesty, many people in the play decided to lie and confess to witchcraft in order to stay alive.
He hopes to save Elizabeth by confessing his lechery and to expose Abigail. He thinks Danforth and Hathorne will believe him because he has a high reputation in the community. They do not believe him because his wife did not validate his words. 6. How is Elizabeth’s testimony used against Proctor?
The Crucible by Arthur Miller has many lessons to learn from. One of The major lesson I thought that is important is honesty. The accusations throughout the story were built on lies from those trying to protect their own name, and putting the town into confusion. Nobody in Salem, Massachusetts felt like they could trust anymore, after all of the false allegations made. If Three characters in the story would have been honest from the beginning, the town would not have been in such confusion.
The Salem witch trials were a time period when any individual could be accused of witchcraft for numerous reasons. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller focuses on the deviation of the trials and how the town’s most religious and honest members of the community are tried with witchcraft. John Proctor, the town’s most honest man, is accused of being a witch and must decide if he should confess or not. Proctor’s confession will stop the town from rebelling and uphold the reputations of Deputy Governor Danforth and Reverend Parris. Hale also wishes for Proctor’s confession so he does not have to feel responsible if Proctor were to be hanged for his witchcraft accusations.
Elizabeth has never lied in her life but She does in order to protect his good name showing an act of forgiveness and compassion. In Act IV Elizabeth then does everything in her power to have him “forgive” her. In the end of Act IV she then questions him if he will confess and whichever he decides she will not judge him for she “…cannot judge...John” (1114) and then she tells him that she will not forgive him until he forgives himself for he longer thinks himself a good man and cannot forgive himself for all the trouble he put his wife and a the village through. “John it come naught that I should forgive you, if you’ll not forgive yourself. It is not my soul, john, it is yours.
This quote reveals, Elizabeth’s genuine understanding and faithfulness in her husband. She believes that John carries the burden of his own guilt, which is a lucid indication that he has a sense of morality. John feels this guilt, as he recognizes and takes responsibility for the sin he commits, against his wife. Additionally, due to John’s guilty conscience, he also realizes the value and tenderness that his wife brings him. He accepts his misdoings, and never utters a blame against his wife, for his actions.
John Proctor was a man of honor and had a well respected name in the town of Salem. Sadly he died tragically but as a hero. He was hanged because he was accused of doing the devil’s work. He was given the chance to save his life if he admitted on a piece of paper that he was working with the devil but he refused to tell that lie. He wanted his sons to be able to walk the streets without being shunned from the world because they deserved better.
Elizabeth Proctor, John’s wife told John to do what he thinks is best, disagreeing with the ideas proposed by Reverend Hale, to confess to the court. Reverend Hale’s
Since the beginning of time people have gone through trials in court to either be proven innocent or guilty. In the Crucible by Arthur Miller a massive number of people were being convicted in Salem, Massachusetts because of the witch trials. The law of the land states that everyone is above suspicion until they are demonstrated to be guilty by legitimate evidence; in the play the Crucible if a person was accused of an unlawful act they were summons for being a witch and working for the devil without proper confirmation. Citizens in Salem were imposed to establish their innocent or be put to death, which caused conflicting issues in the village.
Proctor’s Opposition to His Society In the book, The Crucible, Arthur Miller introduces us to John Proctor. Proctor is married and simple, yet he's argumentative toward his town for the persecution of “witches.” Proctor faces conflict throughout the town, his morals are challenged and his view on ethical implication are changing.
The Crucible “The Crucible” is a play, by Arthur Miller, about the Salem Witch Trials. After reading “The Crucible”, you will be asking yourself, is it necessary for a person to suffer? The answer to the question is shown through the characters, Giles Corey, John and Elizabeth Proctor, and Abigail Williams. John Proctor is a respected puritan man in the community. John had made the mistake of sleeping with, a teenage girl, Abigail Williams.
Also, in attempt to tell the truth about Abigail, John Proctor admits to cheating on his wife with Abigail, but Elizabeth lets her fear assist her in lying. John Proctor tells everyone in the court, previous to Elizabeth arriving, “she [has] never lied” (III.891.). With everyone now knowing that she does not lie, it makes her trustworthy and believable. Deputy Danforth then brings Elizabeth in to confirm what
John Proctor never settles for keeping his opinion or what he thinks is right to himself. He knows telling Danforth that he is guilty for adultery won’t help his cause but it shows his desperation to win the case in order protect his wife, Elizabeth. John Proctor was sick and tired of watching Abigail win with a lie, in this case he spoke the truth knowing his consequences. John states, “Excellency, forgive me, forgive me. She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave!
Likewise, when Elizabeth is brought before Danforth to verify Proctor’s confession, she lies to protect her husband, whom she refers to as a “goodly man,” from suspicion (Miller, 113). The affair may have caused Elizabeth to doubt Proctor but both parties still care deeply for each other and try to protect each other from harm. Even in his last moments, Proctor’s last words- “Show honor now, show a stony heart and sink them with it!”- were directed toward Elizabeth and were full of love and care (Miller, 144). Proctor may have sinned but his regret over his affair with Abigail and the trouble he had brought upon his wife justifies his
John Proctor’s words towards Elizabeth signal irritation and annoyance. John Proctor, the main character of The Crucible, has an affair with a much younger girl, Abigail Williams, breaking his wife, Elizabeth’s trust in him. Her suspicion of him rises when he tells her he was in a room alone with Abigail. Elizabeth’s growing mistrust begins to aggravate John, which is revealed when he says, “I’ll not have your suspicion any more” (489). Elizabeth is doubtful after learning about John’s affair with Abigail and her lack of trust in her husband begins to anger him.