The Crucible Group

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mikeyahoo
mikeyahoo
Student
High School - 10th Grade

What excuse does Miller give for John's affair with Abigail?

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Posted by mikeyahoo on Wednesday September 30, 2009 at 12:21 PM and tagged with act 4, affair, john proctor, the crucible.

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  1. dbrooks22
    dbrooks22 Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    In Act 4, Miller gives somewhat of an excuse for John's behavior. It is more of an acceptance of shared responsibility by Elizabeth, John's wife.

    In an effort to get John to perjure himself and admit to witchcraft, Danforth and Parris decide that Elizabeth should speak with John. When John explains to Elizabeth that he is considering telling the courts he engaged in witchcraft, she tells him that she knows he is a good man. She tells him that she has her own sins to count for. She says, "It needs a cold wife to prompt lechery," meaning that she takes partial blame. She says, "I counted myself so plain, so poorly made, no honest love could come to me! Suspicion kissed you when I did; I never knew how I should say my love. It were a cold house I kept!"

    This is somewhat of an excuse because Elizabeth is saying that she was not the wife she should have been. She realizes that because she was withdrawn from John, he sought intimacy elsewhere. This statement is Elizabeth’s way of forgiving John.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/crucible/act-iv-scene-2-summary-ana...

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    Posted by dbrooks22 on Wednesday September 30, 2009 at 1:17 PM