Tense Note With Elizabeth Proctor Being example essay topic

... thee any graven image. ' HALE You have said that twice, sir " PROCTOR (lost): 'Aye. (he if flailing for it.) ELIZABETH (delicately); Adultery, John. The stage directions show the difficulty this couple have had in discussing this topic. It seems fortunate for Proctor that he does not recall this last commandment on his own.

This could suggest that he is willing to put his affair behind him. When Elizabeth intervenes see merely 'delicately' lets him know what he is 'flailing' for as if to suggest that she has difficulty in saying the word. Very recent stage directions in this particular scene show that Elizabeth is 'without hesitation, even eager' to recite the commandments. This shows that Elizabeth still thinks about his husband's affair. The act ends on a tense note with Elizabeth Proctor being arrested and John Proctor demanding Mary Warren to testify against the girls. He vows that he will fight the proceedings, even if it means confessing his own adultery.

In Act 3, it becomes obvious soon after the trials started that many people were going to be falsely accused by their neighbours as a method of revenge, and as an outlet for their maliciousness. When Abigail uses this to attack Rebecca Nurse, one of the holiest Puritans in the Salem, John Proctor begins his efforts to stop the injustice. This increases when Elizabeth Proctor is tried and sentenced to death. This is now John Proctor's struggle. He must fight to save his wife, his community and eventually himself. In addition, he also has to convince the leaders of Salem that they are mistaken in believing in Abigail.

After Proctor admits to being an adulterer Elizabeth is brought in to support his confession and Proctor reassures Danforth, 'that woman will never lie, Mr Danforth'. This statement is to have terrible consequences. As it is knowledge to John, Hale and the audience that Elizabeth is one of the saintliest of people it comes as a great shock when she denies the charge of lechery between her husband and Abigail so as to save her husbands reputation. DANFORTH 'Answer my question!

Is your husband a lecher?' ELIZABETH 'No, sir. ' PROCTOR ' (crying out): Elizabeth, I have confessed it!' ELIZABETH 'Oh, God!' PROCTOR 'She only thought to save my name!' This would have left the audience feeling disappointment and pity for John Proctor. The audience feel that this would have finally destroyed Abigail's credibility, but Elizabeth's misplaced loyalty destroys his case. The immediate events will consequently lead to John Proctors death where Mary accuses him of witchcraft. Abigail screams and claims that there is a bird on the beam and that it is attempting to attack her. Mary tries to stop her, Abigail repeats Mary's words and is soon joined by the other girls in copying Mary.

This dramatic acting by the girls would have also been visually exciting to watch although quite unbelievable that they are doing this. ABIGAIL 'The wings! Her wings are spreading!' Mary, please, don't, don't -!' HALE 'I see nothing, your honour!' DANFORTH 'Do you confess this power! (He is an inch from her face) speak!' ABIGAIL 'She's going to come down! She's walking the beam!' After being accused by Mary of being a witch, John confesses. This would have surprised the audience as he is now lying, that is considered a sin, so as to avoid being hanged and not confessing, as what he knows is the right thing to do.

Even though he has lied it makes no difference. ' I am no good man. Nothings spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rot ten long before " However he cannot allow Danforth to make his confession officially documented as he worries about his reputation. As Danforth asks him why John answers with a cry; PROCTOR 'Because it is my name!

Because I cannot have another in my life... How may I live without myna me? I have given you my soul; leave me my name The word 'name' is repeated a number of times. John will not sign the paper stating his confession for the sake of his children's future reputation. He realise's his ability to be a good man and can accept death because of this. Hale starts to doubt if the very thing that he searches to rid the people of might be a lie.

HALE "I am a minister of the lord, and I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it". Hale leaves and denounces the proceedings he started. Abigail's true evilness is shown in this act in the way that she play acts against the gullibility of the court to accuse John Proctor of witchcraft, because of the jealousy inside her. Act Four is staged in the isolated jail of the Salem village, the stage directions tell us that the place is in darkness and that the moonlight only 'seeps' through the bars.

This would have created a depressing atmosphere and was evidence that the end is inevitable. In this act Hale and Parris are now terrified. They go to visit the innocent people in the jail and beg them to make false confessions in order to save their lives. Hale believes that the blood of the people who are being hanged is on his hands. Hale no longer believes in witches. Hale urges Goody Proctor to get her husband to confess to save his life.

Reverend Hale's character changed from believing in witches and saving the people's souls from the devil to saving their live's from a lie. Elizabeth forgave John for being unfaithful and blames herself for not being able to love him. ' It needs a cold wife to prompt lechery " Elizabeth allows John to make up his own mind about confessing and supports him and refuses to try to influence him when he chooses death. Although visually this was a calm scene, there would have been apprehension. This separate storyline and conversation would have kept the audience captivated in the final parts of the play as they would have been eager to discover what the outcome was for this couple and also whether this conversation would have had any impact on the note the play finished on.

Which of course by the end of the play we know that it did as it leaves Elizabeth to say;' He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!' By choosing death, Proctor takes the high road and becomes a true tragic hero. He ends up choosing death because a false confession would mean implicating other accused people. He cleansed himself at the trial, standing for what he knew was right and died a righteous person. What was most important to him was to make a stand against the insanity of the town, for himself and for God, and using that as a last resort to make people aware of what was happening. This last stand for righteousness is an example of Proctor's true character and rationale.

At the close of the play, ironically Reverend Hale 'weeps in frantic prayer'. This shows the transformation of John Hale, and it is ironic because at the beginning of the play he is confident with his knowledge and expertise of witchcraft. He has total acceptance of the girls confession to show off this skill and is delighted by his success, crying, 'Glory to God! It is broken, they are free.

' Towards the end of the play the audience had probably changed their opinion about Reverend Hale and should have liked him, appreciating his struggle to save peoples lives from a false confession rather than letting them die. Although in one sense he maybe wanted the confession for selfish reasons - so that he no longer had 'blood on his head'. In any case the audience would have empathized with him making them feel that the play was much more of a tragedy. The loud drum roll that heightens violently at the end of the play shows that the play is over, but it leaves a tense atmosphere; 'The calm after the storm. ' This atmosphere leaves the audience to contemplate the play and particular characters and their relevance to the title.

The light that shines through the window at the very end of the play makes the ending symbolic. The word 'new' almost lets us forget all the tragic events that have just passed and that the best solution would to start afresh. It leaves the audience thinking that there is hope for the people of Salem especially with the presence of light. I believe that The Crucible was written with a moral.

Arthur Miller, by writing The Crucible, warned us that if we did not become aware of history repeating itself, our society would be in danger. Such as has been seen during the McCarthy era. As the witchcraft hysteria took place in one of America's wholesome, theocratic towns, it makes the miscarriage of justice such a mystery even today.