How Is Elizabeth Proctor Presented In The Crucible

This 1692 play The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, takes place in the small town of Salem, Massachusetts during the time of witchcraft. A few of the main characters are John and Elizabeth Proctor. A married couple who lives outside of the Salem village with their three children and household helper Mary Warren. The couple that is very afraid and angry about many things during the play. John Proctor is a farmer on the outskirts of the town of Salem and is a very angry man at many times in this play. He is accused, ridiculed, and tried for several things. One of which is the adultery of him and Abigail Williams. Before the play begins Abigail works at his home helping his wife do things around the house and take care of the children. Soon she is fired and thrown out of the home because Elizabeth (John’s wife) has suspicion of her and John having an affair with each other. John and his wife stay together and try to fix things but she is still angered. John is terrified for people to find out about his affair because he does not want to be jailed. In the play John yells to Elizabeth, “No more! I should have roared you down when first you told me of your suspicion. But I wilted, and,

She is a timid woman and is afraid that John will leave her for Abigail. Elizabeth is still angry at John and is holding a grudge it seems. Although she is being lenient toward John she still has her suspicion about John and Abigail’s relationship. In the play she and John have a heated argument about their feelings toward the subject. John states, “I think you’re sad again. Are you?” Elizabeth replies, while not wanting friction but does anyways, says, “You come so late I thought you’d gone to Salem this afternoon” (Miller 49). In this small conversation is it clear that Elizabeth is questioning John of his whereabouts that day. It is if she does not have much trust in John, which explains why she is so timid around him in the