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Persistent Characters In The Crucible

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Persistence: continuing firmly or obstinately in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. In the play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, multiple characters posses this personality trait. Miller has shown this trait frequently throughout the acts. Each time being persistent has concluded differently for the characters and has caused tragic side effects responsible for the outcome in the play. Of the many characters sharing this disposition, John Proctor, Abigail Williams, and Giles Corey are just three examples. John Proctor, a farmer in his middle thirties, indeed is proven to be persistent. For instance, near the end of Act II, in order to clear his wife's name, he insists to Mary Warren that she must declare to the court the truth of what really happened with the poppet and blame Abigail for it. He says, “You’re coming to the court with me, Mary. You will tell it in the court.” But when …show more content…

Her hatred for Elizabeth Proctor emerges from the very beginning of Act I, saying that, “Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!” after she was discharged from being their servant and no other family has contacted her for her services. She continues her hatred in Act II when Abigail first accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft and Elizabeth knowing this, responds with, “I am sure she does--and thinks to kill me, then take my place.” Abigail is so determined to get her way that she even puts on a show to get her arrested. According to Ezekiel Cheever, “She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris’s house tonight, and without a word no warnin’ she falls to the floor… in the flesh of her belly, he drew a needle out. And demandin’ of her how she come to be so stabbed, she testify, it were your wife’s familiar spirit pushed it in.” The outcome in Act III, is that due to Abigail’s persistence, Elizabeth was charged for witchcraft and is more than likely to be punished for her

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