Elizabeth Proctor Character Analysis example essay topic

In the late sixteen hundreds, the fear of witchcraft was a major concern amongst New Englanders. Arthur Miller's book, The Crucible, tells the story of a town's obsession with accusing innocent people of witchcraft. All the accusers were young females who claimed they were attacked by demonic specters. Members of the community supposedly sent out these evil spirits, but in reality, the girls were doing it as sport.

One such person accused was Elizabeth Proctor, wife of John Proctor, known throughout the community to be a noble woman. Throughout the book Elizabeth proves to be a moral, cold, and determined. Elizabeth's moral character proves to be an important factor all through the book. She gives people in the play and people today the example on how to treat others when she said, "I have sins of my own to count".

(Miller 137) People can't go around judging others and not check themselves and be rightly so to judge. Before she knew of this she said, "I have read my heart". (Miller 137). She was angry at John, but she had to examine herself first to see if she even has the right to do so. After telling John these things, she eventually got to John as he contemplated confession. John rejected and her moral sense triumphed over all the lies.

Elizabeth was a strong, cold woman. She knew of John's lechery with Abigail, who was their servant at the time, while she was sick. She came not to trust John while being sick, so she put Abigail on the highroad. A wife that would be more intimate with her husband and loving will have a less chance experiencing this lechery. She even said, "it needs a cold wife to prompt lechery", (Miller 137). around the end of the play. One reason she distrusts John, is that he has claimed he was not alone with her.

He later says that he was, in fact, alone with her for a short while. It takes a person of strength to be able to take that lie he gave and still control herself in the manner a wife should do. It was her inner strength that showed her that "it were a cold house she kept" (Miller 136). and needed to fix that problem. Another strong character trait of Elizabeth was her determination in what she believed. She was a Christian woman who was tied to her beliefs. She stated this about witchcraft to Hale "I cannot think the Devil may own a woman's soul, Mr. Hale, when she keeps an upright way, as I have.

I am a good woman, I know it; and if you believe I may do only good work in the world, and yet be secretly bound to Satan, then I must tell you, sir, I do not believe it" (Miller 70). Even after John's lechery, she believed that he was a good man and was truly sorry for what he had done. After about 6 months of jail time she still stayed as determined as she was before. Hale tried to convince her that John could lie his way in a confession by saying, ."..

Let him give his lie. Quail not before God's judgment in this, for it may well be God damns a liar less than he that throws his life away for pride... ". (Miller 132).

After hearing this she simply said, "I think that be the devil's argument (Miller 132). Her determination kept her strong throughout the ordeal. Some character traits of Elizabeth were that she was moral, cold, and determined. It was through these strengths that Elizabeth was able to survive the Salem witch-hunts. Soon after Elizabeth, stood up for her innocence, other women followed her example.

They realized that the truth is key and the truth shall set you free. They also realized that these judges had no heaven or hell to place them in so if they were innocent (in which they were), they would have died and been in heaven with the true Judge. Only the strong survive in situations like these, and Elizabeth (Goody) Proctor survived..