Discussion Topic
John, Elizabeth, and Abigail's Interconnected Relationships in The Crucible
Summary:
In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, the interconnected relationships between John Proctor, Elizabeth Proctor, and Abigail Williams drive the plot and highlight themes of guilt, revenge, and integrity. Abigail's affair with John leads her to resent Elizabeth, seeking to remove her through witchcraft accusations. John and Elizabeth's marriage is strained by infidelity, yet they demonstrate deep love and loyalty as they navigate the witch trials. Abigail's manipulations and accusations fuel the conflicts, ultimately leading to John's tragic end as he chooses martyrdom over false confession.
What are Abigail's feelings towards John Proctor in Act 1 of The Crucible, and why is she antagonistic towards Elizabeth Proctor?
Arthur Miller's play The Crucible is a dramatic presentation of the Salem witch trials, and the playwright focuses on the non-historical relationship between John Proctor and Abigail Williams as a central element for his version of the story. Let's talk about that relationship and its consequences in more detail to get you started on your questions.
In the first act, we learn that John and Abigail have been having an affair. John, however, has a wife, Elizabeth, and he is ready to break off the relationship with Abigail. Abigail fancies herself to be in love with John, and she wants to be his wife. Elizabeth has already become suspicious and fired Abigail from her servant position in the Proctor home. Abigail, in a combination of revenge and desire, has been trying to perform some kind of charm to curse Elizabeth. Abigail claims, though, that she and the other girls...
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were just dancing and carrying on in the woods and Betty got scared.
Now, however, with John having spurned her, Abigail is all the more determined to get rid of Elizabeth. She begins talking of witchcraft and accusing townspeople of being witches. Elizabeth will soon be among the accused, and John Proctor himself will become a victim of the witch hunt.
In The Crucible, act 2, what new traits do John and Elizabeth Proctor exhibit?
Act Two shows us John and Elizabeth Proctor at home, and thus we can assume that they are relatively comfortable and not attempting to conceal anything from one another. We certainly get a sense of John's bitterness and guilt, something we hadn't seen in Act One, when he raises his voice to his wife, saying, "You forget nothin' and forgive nothin'. Learn charity, woman." He is angry at his wife for continuing to hold a grudge against him due to his infidelity with their former servant, Abigail Williams. Elizabeth does continue to have her suspicions about him. When John says that he spoke to Abigail alone, his story doesn't match the first one he told her, and she claims, "John, you are not open with me. You saw her with a crowd you said." His continuing guilt and resentment due to her continued suspicion of him drive a wedge between them.
We also learn that the Proctors' are very pious people, though they have a spotty record of attending Sunday services of late. They know their commandments (excepting that John has trouble with the one), John helped to build the church, and so forth. Their "soft record" has everything to do with John's dislike of the Reverend Parris, an antagonism we saw in Act One. Though the Proctors are pious, they are not not perfect, and their failure to believe in witches does make them somewhat unusual for their era.
Finally, we see how much John really does love his wife, and she him, when she is threatened by an accusation from the court. Suddenly, all of their bad feelings seem to vanish, and their love for one another takes center stage. Proctor claims that he will "fall like an ocean on that court" in order to save her. We might have thought that John's feelings for Abigail were being put to the side only because he felt an obligation to his wife (from the conversation between John and Abigail in Act One), but Act Two makes it quite clear that -- even though he may have some feelings remaining for Abigail -- it is his wife that means the most to him.
In The Crucible, Act 2, who is more responsible for the conflicts, John Proctor or Abigail?
Although John Proctor plays a part in the conflicts of the Crucible, it's Abigail Williams who is more responsible for the conflicts in the plan.
John Proctor is a good man. He hates hypocrisy and has a strong moral compass. That doesn't mean he is perfect. He did commit adultery against his wife with Abigail Williams. John's wife knows about it, and Elizabeth and John both suspect that Abigail is using her newfound witch accusing power to eliminate her "enemies." In act two, Elizabeth is mentioned as a possible witch and Elizabeth suspects the reason is to get rid of her so that Abigail can pursue John. Elizabeth even tells John to have a word with Abigail and dispel her notion that John's adultery is equal to a marriage promise. In a roundabout way, if John had not committed adultery with Abigail, she might not have accused as many people, but I think that is a stretch.
A reader could make the case that John is also to blame for the events in Salem because he possibly could have put a stop to them sooner. Salem looks at Abigail as a saintly young girl who has the power to help root out the evil of witchcraft that seems to be gripping Salem. All John would need to do is admit to the town that he committed adultery with Abigail and that would immediately remove Abigail's "halo of goodness." John doesn't do this though because he fears for his good name.
Despite all of that, I still think Abigail is more to blame than John, because it is Abigail who STARTS the accusation process. Sure, John MIGHT have been able to stop it, but if Abigail never accused anybody in the first place, then the ensuing hysteria never gets started. She may be young, but Abigail is old enough to know what she is doing and understand the consequences being brought on the accused. Without Abigail, nothing happens. With John's confession, the events MIGHT have stopped, but even John doubts his word is enough to overcome the grip that Abigail has over the town.
What is the conflict between John Proctor and Abigail in Act 3 of The Crucible?
The fundamental conflict between both characters in Act III is one of belief. Abigail's ability to get people to believe in her accusations and her stories are of central importance. These are the reasons why the trial is being held. Proctor is trying to get the court and others to believe that her beliefs are fraudulent. This is where their conflict lies. Proctor and Abigail wage a sort of "chess match" of veracity whereby both are seeking to be seen as true and right. Only one of them can win. Both realize what is at stake. Proctor tries to follow the path of legal purpose. When this fails, he confesses to adultery, in the hopes of taking away the cloack of secrecy within which Abigail operates. When this fails, he hopes Mary Warren's testimony will assist. When Abigail conspires for this failure, she gives him an evil smile, small and creeping across her face, when Mary collapses in Abigail's arms. At this point, Proctor knows that Abigail has won. Their fundamental conflict in this scene resides in who is going to be accepted more and with "open arms" by the court and the people of Salem. In this, John loses, but ends up understanding and gaining more as a result.
What is the relationship between John Proctor and Elizabeth in The Crucible?
John and Elizabeth have a strained marital relationship as a result of John's affair with their servant, Abigail Williams, some seven months ago. Elizabeth suspected he was being unfaithful and, evidently, confronted him about it, and he confessed it to her; she immediately fired Abigail (this is what Abigail referred to in act 1 when she spoke alone with John). Now, we can see in act 2 that John and Elizabeth are trying to repair the broken trust, but it is not entirely smooth sailing. For example, John is apparently still not completely honest with his wife. When he told her of what Abigail said to him about the girls' activities in the woods being "only sport," he didn't mention that he was alone with Abigail at the time. Now, Elizabeth reproaches him for that omission, saying, "Why, then, it is not as you told me." He begins to get angry and defend himself, but, according to the stage direction, "she has suddenly lost all faith in him." John feels that Elizabeth continues to judge him, and he reprimands her saying, "Let you look sometimes for the goodness in me, and judge me not." She responds with one of the more famous lines from the play, as she says to John, "The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you." She claims that she is not still upset, though it seems clear that she does not wholly trust her husband any more, and John is tired of the whole situation. Unfortunately, it takes tragedy to bring them back together.
John and Elizabeth Proctor are husband and wife in The Crucible. They are farmers on the outskirts of Salem, and they have three sons. At the beginning of the novel, their relationship is strained because of John's affair with Abigail. John says he is sorry to Elizabeth numerous times; however, Elizabeth is having a hard time forgiving him. John calls her "cold" towards him. It is normal that it would be hard to forgive your husband for cheating, and John needs to be more patient with Elizabeth. When he comes home with news about witchcraft in Salem, and the main accuser is Abigail, Elizabeth gets worried that she will be named a witch. Her fears come true, and she is arrested. When brought before the judges to answer questions about the relationship between John and Abigail, Elizabeth lies and says that John has been faithful. This goes against her values for she has never been known to lie. John steps in and tells Elizabeth that he has (finally!) already confessed. Both are arrested; Elizabeth to spend time in jail because she is pregnant, and John to be hanged if he denies God and doesn't sign a petition that states he is a witch. At the end of the play, there is a touching scene where John and Elizabeth profess their love for each other with Elizabeth understanding why John cannot sign the petition. John is hanged, and Elizabeth is later set free to live without John.
Describe Abigail's affair with John Proctor in The Crucible.
Miller does not go into specific details regarding Abigail Williams and John Proctor's affair, but their brief romance has a profound impact on the play and is a catalyst for the witch trials. Seven months prior to the start of the play, Abigail was employed as a housemaid in the Proctor home. John was attracted to Abigail Williams and committed adultery in a moment of weakness. Miller does not provide details regarding the place, time, and length of their affair, but it is implied that their romance was brief. Elizabeth Proctor learned about the affair and immediately fired Abigail Williams. Abigail struggles to find work after being fired and views Elizabeth as a "sniveling," bitter woman.
Abigail deeply resents Elizabeth's reaction and continues to possess strong feelings for John Proctor, who is guilt-ridden and filled with remorse and shame for his significant transgression. As an austere Puritan, John Proctor recognizes himself as a fraud and sinner. Although he still cares about Abigail, he controls his desires and refuses to entertain her advances. In addition to John's negative feelings towards himself, Elizabeth contributes to his guilt by distrusting him and acting cold in his presence. As the play progresses, Abigail attempts to get rid of Elizabeth by accusing her of witchcraft and attempted murder. John Proctor ends up confessing to lechery in front of Salem's court as an attempt to undermine Abigail's authority, but he is arrested when Elizabeth lies on his behalf.
Abigail Williams is the seventeen-year-old niece of Reverend Parris. It was a common practice, in Puritan households, for a young woman like her to be employed by a local family, helping out with the household by caring for the children, cleaning, preparing the food, doing the washing, and so on. It was kind of like being a wife and mother in-training.
Seven months prior to the start of the play, Abigail had been working in this capacity for the Proctor family. However, Elizabeth Proctor eventually began to suspect an inappropriate relationship between Abigail and her husband, John, and so she confronted John about it. When John confessed to having an affair with Abigail, Elizabeth fired her.
Since that time, John has recommitted to his marriage and vowed never to break his vows, or one of the Ten Commandments. Though he admits to having some lingering "soft" feelings for Abigail, he says that he will "cut off [his] hand" before he ever touches her again. Though John has moved on, it is clear that Abigail is still very much in love with John. She is bitter toward Elizabeth and says Elizabeth is spreading "lies" about her in the village. Parris, however, wonders why, if Abigail's reputation is so spotless, no one has tried to hire her for their own family since she was let go by the Proctors.
The affair is the main reason why the witch hunt began. Abigail very much wanted to be with John Proctor. However, girls were to remain pure. Certainly, adultery was forbidden but for a young girl to have an affair with a married man would have been the most horrible crime of all.
Although we never really get the details of the affair, we know that Elizabeth and John were having troubles in their marriage. John succumbs to his desires albeit momentarily. When he realizes what he's done and tells Abigail the affair is over, she is scorned, jealous and hateful. She has to find a way to get back at him. How does she do this?
When the group of girls is caught in the woods in what is perceived as acts of evil (dancing, singing, laughing...how could they??), the sensible people think they must have been overtaken by spirits. Perhaps in an attempt to hide the truth, the girls continue this thinking. Eventually, women throughout the town are accused of being witches. John's wife is among them.
It seems that this is in keeping with the common thinking: if I can't have him, you can't either.
Proctor's affair with Abigail is an important plot device. Ordinarily for the Puritans, adultery was a serious offense. It was considered to be not only a sin but as a criminal act, for which the accused could be whipped or otherwise publicly humiliated or even executed. (See the article at the Washington Post link below.)
However, the judges overlook Proctor's true confession of a crime he really has committed and hound him to confess to a false accusation. And they completely ignore the fact that the person who has so falsely accused him is the partner in his adultery. By putting the two crimes in comparison, Anderson is emphasizing how rabid and arbitrary the witch hunts had become.
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In The Crucible, how does Abigail's relationship with the other girls compare to her relationship with John Proctor?
Abigail Williams is the leader of the group of girls who accuse innocent citizens of being involved in witchcraft. Abigail controls and manipulates the other girls to follow her lead after threatening them in Act One. In Betty's room, Abigail tells the girls,
Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it; I saw Indians smash my dear parents’ heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down! (Miller, 20)
Abigail also enhances the hysteria of witchcraft by dramatically acting out in court, which makes the other girls believe spirits are also attacking them. Essentially, Abigail uses the girls' fear of being punished to her advantage and threatens to harm them if they do not follow her lead. Abigail then creates an hysterical environment in the courtroom, which affects the girls' mental state and perception of reality.
In regards to Abigail's relationship with John Proctor, she attempts to tempt him when he visits Reverend Parris's home at the beginning of the play. She still has feelings for John and even drinks blood to put a curse on his wife. Abigail also accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft in an attempt to get rid of her. She does not directly threaten John the way that she does the other girls but attempts to manipulate his behavior by attacking his wife. In both instances, Abigail uses her status and threats to manipulate and control both the girls and Proctor's behavior. However, Proctor decides to challenge Abigail rather than capitulate to her like the other girls.
What are Abigail's feelings towards John Proctor and why is she antagonistic towards Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible?
Abigail is a selfish vindictive girl. She wants to feel like she has power. She is a bully and threatens her friends to keep quiet about the truth.
Abigail had become the housekeeper for John and Elizabeth Proctor. She and John have an affair, and when Elizabeth finds out about this, she fires Abigail. Abigail is furious at Elizabeth. She claims Elizabeth is spreading lies about her around town. Abigail thinks she is in love with John, and is convinced he feels the same way.
"I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men: And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? I will not, I can not! You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!"
After Abigail says this to John, he tells her he has no feelings for her. Abigail then sees Elizabeth as the woman who has everything she wants. Abigail concocts the entire story of witchcraft, to have Elizabeth executed, so she can marry John, and finally have everything she wants.
What is the relationship like between John and Elizabeth in The Crucible?
John and Elizabeth have a strained relationship. Elizabeth does not trust John since she learned of the affair John had with Abigail. Elizabeth is having trouble forgiving John. Their relationship is a cold one.
Elizabeth was very sick when John had an affair with Abigail. This affair hurt her so much. Now, Elizabeth holds unforgiveness in her heart. The two are not as close as they once were.
When John goes into town, he speaks with Abigail. He keeps this from his wife. There is still distrust between them. John cannot share his visit with Abigail with Elizabeth because she does not trust John. When the Reverend Hale comes to interrogate the Proctors, the visit John had with Abigail comes up. The fact that John had kept this a secret from Elizabeth proves that the couple has not regained the trust that a man and his wife should have.
When Elizabeth is accused of lying to the court of her pregnancy, John swears she would never lie. Even though they have a cold relationship, John still supports his wife, indicating that he has total trust in her:
For all the coldness and disappointment of the Proctor’s relationship, Elizabeth’s honesty is unquestioned by her husband. Elizabeth’s unfailing honesty is sharply contrasted with John’s original unwillingness to let the truth be known to the court.
It is not until John is about to be hung that Elizabeth shows any tenderness toward John. Up until then, she had remained cold and distrusting. When John is about to be hung, she gently forgives hims. She is tender with him, proving her forgiveness.
In The Crucible, do Elizabeth and John communicate effectively when arguing about Abigail?
Their conversation begins with Elizabeth encouraging her husband to travel to Salem and inform the court officials that the girls testifying are frauds. When John mentions that he has no proof because there were no witnesses in the room while he spoke to Abigail, Elizabeth begins to question his honesty. There is clearly a distance between John Proctor and Elizabeth throughout their discourse concerning Abigail. Elizabeth is still filled with resentment over her husband's affair, and John's guilt is depicted throughout his bitter responses. When Elizabeth tells John to do as he wishes, he responds with anger by asking his wife if she continues to doubt him. John Proctor takes the defensive by saying,
"You will not judge me more, Elizabeth. I have good reason to think before I charge fraud on Abigail, and I will think on it. Let you look to your own improvement before you go to judge your husband anymore." (Miller, 54)
Proctor then begins to criticize his wife for her lack of charity and judgmental attitude. Their relationship is clearly strained. Proctor begs his wife to exercise forgiveness, and Elizabeth responds by questioning John about why he was not initially open with her about being in the room alone with Abigail. Elizabeth then tells John,
"I do not, judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you." (55)
Considering the fact that both characters resent each other for various reasons and that John is not persuaded into travelling to Salem, I would say the couple does not effectively communicate.
The communication between John and Elizabeth is charged with resentment, guilt and shame over John's affair with Abigail Williams.
"The tension between John and Elizabeth is thick as they sit down to dinner. While unfailingly polite, their relationship is visibly strained."
"Elizabeth, continues to interrogate and to accuse. Her judgment of her husband lacks mercy and understanding."
Elizabeth wants John to go to the court and tell the officials what Abigail told him about the girls dancing in the woods being innocent, but he does not want to get involved in this way.
John resents the authority of the church, and fears what will happen to his name if the community finds out about his affair with Abigail. Elizabeth wants him to tell the truth and be moral.
No. At least, there is not effective, clear, and direct communication. The two know each other well, and can communicate a lot in a few brief exchanges. There's a lot of emotion flying back and forth in this argument. However, they aren't good at communicating directly. There are several reasons for this. The simplest is lack of skill, but the most important reason is that the subject is tied up with matters of such importance for them. John's desire for Abigail is sinful in their world, and Abigail's influence over him suspect.
How is Abigail's attraction to John Proctor evident in The Crucible?
Abigail's attraction to John Proctor can be seen when she admits it and attempts to cling to him in Act 1.
In Act 1, John and Abigail find themselves alone together. John is definitely uncomfortable with the situation, but Abigail is wonderfully excited to be alone with John again. John attempts to leave, but Abigail rushes to block his path. She then begs for John to say a "soft" word to her.
He takes a step to go, and she springs into his path.
Abigail: Give me a word, John. A soft word. Her concentrated desire destroys his smile.
Essentially, Abigail is hinting that she wants John to "whisper sweet nothings" to her, as John likely has before. Stronger evidence in support of her attraction to John is in the stage direction about "her concentrated desire." Abigail wants more than mere small talk with John. She is attracted to John, and she's not afraid to remind John of the passionate times they have shared, saying,
I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near!
Abigail is also not afraid to say she wants those illicit rendezvous again.
Abigail, grasping his hand before he can release her: John — I am waitin' for you every night.
What transpired between Abigail Williams and John Proctor before The Crucible begins?
The text makes it obvious that John and Abigail (who was then employed by the Proctors as a maid) have been involved in an extramarital affair. In Act 1, when the two of them are alone in the room with the unconscious Betty, Abigail makes an advance on him. She is upset when he resists her and says that their liaison is over. She then reminds him of the times that they have actually been together:
I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near!
Abigail makes it clear that she believes that it was John and not his wife, Elizabeth, who dismissed her from their service. She states that she knows that John still loves her just as much as he did before her humiliating dismissal.
It’s she put me out, you cannot pretend it were you. I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved me then and you do now!
Elizabeth terminated Abigail's service when she suspected the affair.
Abigail's claim that John still has a soft spot for her is supported by his acknowledgement that he does sometimes look up to her window when he passes her residence. Elizabeth later makes a similar accusation in Act 2 when she first states that he still blushes when Abigail passes him in church. She also later claims that John refuses to speak to Abigail or denounce her since the teenager still has a hold on him.
You’ll tear it free--when you come to know that I will be your only wife, or no wife at all! She has an arrow in you yet, John Proctor, and you know it well!
It is tragically ironic that Elizabeth later lies in court about the affair. Thinking that she is protecting her husband's integrity, she testifies that she dismissed Abigail because she felt that John was paying her too much attention, not because of his adultery.
I came to think he fancied her. And so one night I lost my wits, I think, and put her out on the highroad.
She then tells the court, on a direct question from Judge Danforth, that John did not turn away from her. What Elizabeth does not realize is that John has already testified that he was a lecher. Her confession leads to her husband's arrest for contempt and eventually results in his conviction as one who had been conspiring with the Devil.
The audience learns that John Proctor's wife, Elizabeth, had been unwell for some time following the birth of their third child. During this time, Abigail Williams, the orphaned seventeen-year-old niece of their pastor, came to the Proctors' home to help with Elizabeth's household tasks. John and Abigail's shared attraction became a sexual relationship, and it is implied in her dialogue that he took her virginity. Elizabeth discovered the affair and Abigail was dismissed from their employ. John, however, continued to lust for Abigail and would sometimes look up at her window after she returned to her uncle's home in the parish house. Abigail proclaimed her love for John and tried to rekindle the affair but John insisted that their relationship was over and rebuffed her advances.
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. Viking, 1953.
How would you interpret Abigail's relationships with the other girls and Proctor in The Crucible?
Abigail can best be described as manipulative, wild, and a touch crazy. Early in her life and before coming to live with her uncle, Reverend Parris, Abigail witnessed the murder of her parents by Native Americans. This definitely impacted her life. With the girls, she is the ultimate “mean girl.” She controls them in every way, and they follow her anxiously. When Betty begins to doubt Abigail “calling out” witches, Abigail threatens her and says she will come in the dead of night to get her.
The girls will follow Abigail as long as they get the attention they need. They pretend to see hallucinations and unnatural things when they all realize they have the power to not only get out of trouble for going into the woods with Tituba but also the power to get what they want in town. For Abigail, that is accusing Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft so she will have a chance with John. The girls love their new status in the Salem community because they were very repressed by the Puritan values throughout their lives.
Abigail is extremely manipulative with John as well. She uses her youth and beauty to seduce him during a time Elizabeth is ill. While the affair is going on, Abigail is Elizabeth's helper or housekeeper, a role she does not cherish. When John realizes the sin he has committed by having an affair with Abigail, he ends the relationship. She, however, is not happy, and it is then she starts accusing Elizabeth of witchcraft.
At the end of the play, Abigail runs off when she realizes that the plot to get rid of Elizabeth fails, and John is hanged.
The best words to describe Abigail's relationships with all the characters is that she uses her manipulative and self-centered ways to get what she wants even at the cost of other lives.
Analyze the relationship between Abigail and John Proctor in The Crucible.
The relationship between John and Abigail is a bit complex. It's made clear to readers that John had an affair with Abigail months before the play begins.
I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near! Or did I dream that? It’s she put me out, you cannot pretend it were you. I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved me then and you do now!
We are never told who initiated the relationship, but that doesn't change the fact that it was completely inappropriate from multiple angles. The Proctor family was Abigail's employer at the time. John is also a married man with kids. He should absolutely know that having sex with a teenager is inappropriate. Elizabeth Proctor discovered the infidelity and had Abigail dismissed. John has worked very hard to secure Elizabeth's forgiveness, and he makes it a point that he will never reach for Abigail again.
Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby.
John is adamant that he will remain faithful—however, Abigail isn't willing to accept John's attempt to distance himself from her. She wants John back in her life, and she believes that John secretly wants her too.
John - I am waitin’ for you every night.
. . .
Abigail: I have a sense for heat, John, and yours has drawn me to my window, and I have seen you looking up, burning in your loneliness. Do you tell me you’ve never looked up at my window?
Proctor: I may have looked up.
This exchange does seem to indicate that John may still have emotional or lustful feelings for Abigail; however, he is making a mental decision about what to do. He may feel like acting one way, but he knows what the right thing to do is. It's unfortunate that John had to hurt his marriage so much in order to learn this kind of self-control, but John's mental strength in doing what is right ultimately comes through when he publicly admits to the affair with Abigail.
How does John and Elizabeth's relationship reveal themes in The Crucible?
John and Elizabeth Proctor show clear examples of the theme of morals and morality throughout the play. John's adultery leads to much of the events that take place in the play. While he feels remorse at having betrayed his wife and his integrity, Elizabeth struggles with forgiveness and dignity. Abigail is the only one not struggling with guilt, she is more intent on ruining the marriage so that she can get John back. Abigail does not care who gets hurt in her desire to attain her goal, and lives will be lost. John and Elizabeth are quietly trying to piece together their marriage, but Abigail shows no shame in stopping them.
John and Elizabeth ultimately stand by their own moral code to the very end. While it would spare his life, Proctor refuses to do the easy thing and confess. But he knows it is more important to regain his integrity and refuses to participate in the madness anymore. Elizabeth will lose her husband, but knows what he is doing is sparing his soul, and for her, that is the most important thing. Others will show weakness of character and fear for their lives, but they will stand firm in their beliefs.
I think that Reverend Hale is a character who is motivated by the relationship shared by Proctor and Elizabeth. He recognizes that his desire to save those who are condemned can be aided if Elizabeth can persuade John to confess. Hale understands this because he recognizes the strong relationship between Elizabeth and John. His desire to act in the end of the drama, specifically towards John, is a result of his observing and being motivated to use the relationship between Elizabeth and John. Though it might be awkward to suggest, I think that Abigail is motivated in the end to flee Salem, in part of because of the relationship between John and Elizabeth. Her desire to claim John for her own stems from the basic idea that the marriage cannot be saved. Yet, when it becomes evident that John is willing to take the fall to save Elizabeth and still refuses to acquiesce, a major reason for Abigail initiating the trial has gone asunder. It is never really known, but a part of Abigail's reason for living has to be due to the fact that she could never pry apart Elizabeth and John. In both of these intances, the relationship of Proctor and Elizabeth serves to motivate characters in Miller's work.
What is Abigail's relationship to John and Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible?
Abigail's relationship to John and Elizabeth Proctor is, from the outside, that of an employee to her former employer. She used to work for the Proctors in their home (in the position which is currently occupied by Mary Warren), but she was let go seven months prior to the start of the story. Further, Elizabeth Proctor fired her because she was having an affair with John and Elizabeth found out. She still loves John and seems to believe that he still loves her too.
When Betty claps her hands over her ears, she seems to do so as a result of hearing the words "'going up to Jesus'" being sung below stairs. Mrs. Putnam assumes that it is because "She cannot bear to hear the Lord's name!" and we don't really get an explanation other than that. Such a symptom is considered to be a sure sign of someone's being the victim of witchcraft. Perhaps Betty is simply anxious and the song makes her more so.
Finally, Parris seems to feel resentful of his parishioners because he believes that a number of them are participating in a "faction that is sworn to drive [him] from [his] pulpit." Further, he has "fought [...] three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to [him]" and now he feels that it could all come to nothing if they learn of his niece and daughter's activities. He seems, then, not to have a great deal of respect for the people of Salem -- calling them stiff-necked and implying that they are stubborn and, perhaps, not very intelligent. Moreover, there is some disagreement about how much he is supposed to earn: sixty pounds plus six for firewood or sixty-six pounds plus firewood. This seems to be a point of pride for Parris who is "not used to this poverty." He argues for quite a while with Proctor and Giles Corey over this point. They will not give him the deed to his home either -- but apparently they never give the minister the deed to this house -- though he believes this shows a lack of confidence in him.
Why is Abigail significant in Arthur Miller's The Crucible, and what is her connection with John Proctor?
The hysteria surrounding accusations of witchcraft among the people of Salem takes on a life of its own as Reverend Parris, a petty, paranoid individual, browbeats his niece, Abigail, into “confessing” that she and her friends, along with the reverend’s slave from Barbados, Tituba, were engaging in unnatural and evil activities after he discovered them dancing in the woods. Parris’ daughter, Betty, was among the girls frolicking in the woods, but fainted when discovered by her strict puritanical father. Convinced that accusations of witchcraft directed against his daughter, niece and slave will result in his firing and alienation from the community, Parris instigates a crisis that soon spins out of control. The following exchange is indicative of the mindset of Arthur Miller’s characters in his play about the Salem Witch Trials of the late-17th Century, The Crucible:
Parris; Now look you, child, your punishment will come in its time. But if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it.
Abigail: But we never conjured spirits.
As people from the community arrive at the reverend’s house to inquire regarding Betty’s situation and the circumstances that led to her mysterious illness, the reverberations over the ill-advised partying expand to include Tituba. Abigail’s efforts at protecting herself – she was orphaned when her parents were killed by Indians and lives with Parris and Betty in a tenuous status, working as a servant to whoever will hire her – result in her attempts to shift the blame for the innocuous event to the slave. The arrival of the Reverend Hale results in an escalation of charges:
Hale: Why can she [Betty] not wake? Are you silencing this child?
TiTUBA: I love me Betty!
Hale; You have sent your spirit out upon this child, have you not? Are you gathering souls for the Devil?
Abigail: She sends her spirit on me in church; she makes me laugh at prayer!
Parris: She have often laughed at prayer!
Abigail: She comes to me every night to go and drink blood!
TiTUBA: You beg me to conjure! She beg me make charm -
Abigail: Don’t lie! To Hale: She comes to me while I sleep; she’s always making me dream corruptions!
As The Crucible progresses, charges of witchcraft become an instrument by which individuals can exact revenge for any slight or grievance. Abigail exploits this paranoia to the fullest extent. Her status in Salem is beneath that of the townsfolk with whom she lives, and her previous affair with John Proctor, for whom she still has feelings, but who chooses to remain with his wife, Elizabeth, consistent with the conservative values the town represents, has instilled in her a growing sense of alienation combined with unrequited love (or lust). That Abigail’s accusations take on a life of their own as she subverts the town’s social stability is one of the play’s main metaphors for the anti-communist hysteria that provided the basis for Miller’s story. Abigail went from vehemently denying any involvement with the supernatural to using charges of witchcraft as a weapon as a way to strike out at a world that was ostracizing her because of her affair with Proctor. She exploited the paranoia for her own ends.
What happened between John Proctor and Abigail Williams before the play's events?
Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, is set during the Salem Witch Trials and contains fictional and embellished events and characters, including John Proctor and Abigail Williams. In Act I, Scene II, Abigail and John are left alone in a room with Betty Parris, who is in a kind of trance. Believing Betty cannot hear them in her bewitched state, Abigail begins to confront John. As it turns out, the two were engaged in an extramarital affair some time before the setting of the play. Abigail had previously worked in the Proctor family's home as a housemaid, but she was fired when John's wife found out about the affair. He feels deeply shamed, but Abigail is quite certain he still has feelings for her. She tries to draw him back to her, but John stands firm in his repentance. Abigail resigns herself to accusing John's wife of witchcraft.
What is the relationship between Abigail and John Proctor in The Crucible?
This story is set in Salem, Massachusetts. A group of girls have been accused of witchcraft. When the Reverend Parris questions his niece, Abigail Williams, about the accusation, Abigail tells him that the girls were just dancing in the woods. However, Betty, the Reverend's daughter and a participant in the dancing activities, appears to be in a comatose state. The Reverend demands to know if Abigail has been 'conjuring spirits,' but she vehemently denies it.
Eventually, Abigail is questioned by John Proctor about the witchcraft allegations. It is obvious that both Proctor and Abigail are sexually excited by each other. In fact, both Abigail and Proctor had an affair while she worked at the Proctor home the previous year. The affair was discovered by Proctor's wife, Elizabeth, who promptly fired Abigail for her treachery. Abigail propositions Proctor once more, but he refuses her advances. He tells Abigail that he cannot send for her anymore and that, basically, their sexual trysts are at an end. Abigail refuses to accept such an answer; she claims that Proctor has always 'sweated like a stallion' whenever she comes near to him, hinting that he has never overcome his sexual need for her.
Later in the play, Proctor's wife, Elizabeth, is called to the stand but refuses to provide testimony which would implicate her husband in the crime of adultery. Throughout the play, Proctor is shown to be a man who is torn between his lust for Abigail, his loyalty to his wife, and his conscience. Even though he does not continue his affair with Abigail after she leaves the Proctor home, he remains greatly affected by undercurrents of their former sexual and emotional connection.
How does Abigail's relationship with the Proctors in The Crucible evolve?
At the beginning of The Crucible, readers find that Abigail was dismissed as the household servant in the home of John and Elizabeth Proctor seven months ago. Although readers have no idea why at that point, there is some speculation that it was concerning misconduct, as Parris questions Abigail as to why no other household has been interested in hiring her since then.
Also in Act I when John Proctor enters the play, readers find out exactly why Abigail was fired, and exactly what kind of relationship John and Abigail had at one point. Abigail flirts with John; although John attempts to playfully push Abigail away, readers find that he isn't stern or certain in his feelings that he wants nothing more to do with her. In fact, it is revealed that he was looking up at Abigail's window late at night not long ago.
A turn in the relationship between John and Elizabeth with Abigail occurs in Act II. John's attitude toward her goes from flirtatious to hateful. When Elizabeth brings up any mention of the affair, John gets angry and claims that he will go to town to reveal her as a fraud to get her in trouble. He claims he has no feelings for her and will take her down to prove to Elizabeth where his loyalties lie.
In Acts III and IV, Proctor goes from angry to furious when it comes to the subject of Abigail. He, in these acts, realizes just how much an affair with the evil Abigail has ruined his entire family and their lives. It is Abigail who is ultimately responsible for John's unfair death and the separation of the entire Proctor family.
Analyze John Proctor's relationships with Abigail and Elizabeth in The Crucible.
The triangle between the three characters reflect the difference between that which is temporal and that which is transcendental. For Proctor, his affair with Abigail is a plunge into the temporal. The momentary satisfaction of the flesh is something that Proctor willingly admits is something that he engaged in out of weakness. He succumbed to her, entering into adultery, in a moment of personal failure. Proctor understands from this that his relationship with Elizabeth is a representation of the transcendental, or that which is real and existing beyond the contingency of what was with Abigail. Like all that is transcendental, Proctor understands how much of a challenge it is to be committed to this. It is here where Proctor exists in the relationship dynamic between the two women. Abby is more of a momentary plunge into that which is not lasting and Proctor's difficulties with Elizabeth and the challenges there reflect that which is more transcendent. It is for this reason that Proctor's "goodness" is only able to be achieved while he strives to be a better husband for Elizabeth. Abigail ends up leaving Salem and living a life where contingency and temporality reign supreme. In this, Proctor's relationship dynamic between both women is a reflection of the struggle between recognizing that which is not real and superficial and that which is substantive and more worthwhile and lasting.
How is the relationship between John and Elizabeth depicted in The Crucible?
John and Elizabeth Proctor have a pretty rocky relationship these days. Seven months prior to the beginning of the play, Elizabeth Proctor began to suspect that her husband, John, was having a sexual affair with their employee, the minister's seventeen-year-old niece, Abigail Williams. Elizabeth confronted John, he confessed, and she fired Abigail from their employ at that time.
Since then, John has felt like a "fraud" as a result of his adultery, Elizabeth has felt hurt and suspicious of him, and Abigail has developed an intense dislike for Elizabeth. John says, a few times in Act Two, that he "mean[s] to please" his wife. He evidently wants to make her happy and is taking steps to try to repair the damage he has done to their relationship. However, when he mentions that he spoke, alone, with Abigail, all of Elizabeth's suspicions seem to return, and the emotional gulf between them seems to widen even further.
It is clear that they still love one another very much—we see this in Act Four when they are allowed a few minutes to speak alone—but John's unwillingness to be honest with his community about his infidelity ends up costing him his own life.
What is the relationship between Elizabeth and John Proctor in The Crucible?
What is the relationship of Elizabeth and John Proctor in "The Crucible?"
The simple answer to the question is that they were husband and wife. But, as with all of literature, the answers are never that simple. Their relationship is much more complicated than that.
John Proctor is a simple farmer living in the town of Salem, MA. In spite of being a married man, John gives in to the sexual advances of Abigail, a seventeen year old girl who worked for the proctors as a servant. Because his conscience bothers him over the adulterous relationship he confesses this to his wife. In spite of this confession she has a very difficult time forgiving him, yet he still resists the continuing advances of Abigail.
Abigail, being rejected, decides to get revenge by starting the accusations of witchcraft which would snowball into what we know historically as the Salem Witch Trials.
How does Miller present John and Elizabeth Proctor and their relationship in The Crucible?
Part of this introduction should encompass how Miller presents the couple in an overall manner. I would suggest that the introduction bring to light the idea that Miller depicts the Proctor relationship as one where challenges and disenchantment live alongside honor, loyalty, and commitment. You should always consult what the instructor suggests and the ideas that are asked of you, but if it is open in nature, I would think incorporating the arc of the relationship from the start of the play to its conclusion would be appropriate. I would also suggest that part of this introduction stresses how honest and open Miller is about their relationship. There are significant elements which demonstrate that the couple has endured some level of challenge and frustration, but with the growing emotional contagion of Salem, the couple being to redefine their marriage with a renewed sense of self and one another. This helps to bring to light the idea that marriage can represent both emotional drain and emotional renewal.
What is John Proctor's connection to Abigail in The Crucible?
Abigail was a former servant in the Proctor household. John Proctor had an affair with her and when Elizabeth, his wife found out she dismissed her from service.
At the beginning of the play Abigail still believes that Proctor loves her and appeals to him but he tells her to forget their affair, as he remains loyal to Elizabeth and he now regrets what happened. This angers her and she determines to get her revenge on both of them by accusing Elizabeth of being a witch, leading to the central dramatic conflict in the play.