Cheever tells Danforth how Proctor ripped up the warrant, but Proctor says that it was only out of temper. This plan backfires, as when Elizabeth is brought in she says her husband isn't cheating on her, which is technically true since it was in the past. This is a sharp time, now, a precise time - we live no longer in the dusky afternoon when evil mixed itself with good and befuddled the world. Danforth goes on to assert that the court is the direct result of God's light; therefore, to be against the court is also to be against God. God sees my name; God knows how black my sins are!. I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! But, not realizing what he had done, Giles Corey had just sentenced his wife to be hanged. Plot and Quotes The play begins with Reverend Parris praying over his daughter, Betty, who lies seemingly unconscious in bed.
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 not your Harry Potter, magical train platform, quidditch-playing witches. This quote is extremely significant because it consists of two crucial choices that John made within his time that dramatically affected the outcome of his situation. And well she might, for I thought of her softly. On the other hand, Abigail Williams, the antagonist, plays an inferior role as an orphan who has no social status in a place like Salem. Over the course of the play, John Proctor is absolutely awakened and transformed by Abigail Williams.
Although the confession, in the context of the play, refers to witchcraft, it can be inferred that he is referring to his affair with Abigail, is accepting his fault in the matter, and wishes not to point the finger at another. A major motivation John Proctor,Abagail,and Parris share is pride in their names,which eventually leads to their ultimate downfall. But then Mary tries to save herself by saying John bewitched her to make her testify. Danforth arrests Giles for contempt, and Giles makes a rush for Putnam, but Proctor holds him back. Hysteria It is not God, but hysteria, that rules over the court in Salem. Many caracteurs in this play thought differently from one and other.
He would be alive having falsely accused others. These decisions result in immeasurable consequence, yet allow him to change as a human being for the better in the eyes of God and his wife. Despite the damage it does to his own reputation, John plunges on with his confession in order to reveal Abigail's selfish motives: ''She thinks to dance with me on my wife's grave! In order to right one of his many wrongs, he wishes for Elizabeth Proctor to convince John Proctor to sign a false confession in order to save his life. The Chief Justice of this court was William Stoughton, an avid witch-hunter who permitted many questionable deviations from normal courtroom procedure including the admission of spectral evidence testimony by afflicted persons that they had been visited by a suspect's specter and private conversations between accusers and judges. How may I live without my name? Now, by God's grace, the shining sun is up, and them that fear not light will surely praise it. All the accusers were young females who claimed they were attacked by demonic specters.
Proctor asks Danforth if it strikes him odd that these women have lived so long with such an upright reputation only to be accused. Everyone got whipped into a frenzy of accusations. Feared and resented by the many people in Salem he has made feel foolish, Proctor has a powerful sense of personal integrity. He sold his soul, all he has left is his name. The Salem witch trials took place from June through September of 1692, during which time nineteen men and women were hanged at Gallows Hill near Salem, while another man, , was stoned to death for refusing to submit to a trial on witchcraft charges. This act also provides us with a glimpse of the inner workings of hysteria, which is when people lose their heads in the midst of intense emotion, through the mind of Mary Warren as she describes how she was caught away by circumstances and peer pressure to say she saw spirits. It was very much a 'you're with us or you're against us' mentality.
Because I cannot have another in my life! Giles claims that someone told him that he heard Putnam say that his daughter gave him a fair gift of land when she accused Jacobs. The first of these is that, to prove his own innocence and prove himself faithful to his wife, must publicly declare his infidelity. John Proctor like many others is a tragic hero. And it is my face, and yours, Danforth! This motivation to repair his mistakes is what causes him to make the decision to confess to adultery, and he did this in confidence that it would help save his wife. Danforth, I only thought I saw them but I did not. Focused on maintaining public reputation, the townsfolk of Salem must fear that the sins of their friends and associates will taint their names.
Later in the play The Crucible, Proctor realizes his flaws and tries to fix them but it is too late. Marauding Native Americans killed Abigail's parents when Abigail was young. Although 83 years old, he is ridiculed and blamed for things that go wrong. I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! Giles Corey showed courage and respect for his wife, his fellow man, and his family. Over the course of the play, John Proctor is absolutely awakened and transformed by Abigail Williams. She says that Proctor never committed lechery.
And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! He's supposed to be the witchcraft expert. He does not manifest any particular political ambition, but instead acts to preserve the strength of the court over which he rules. However, Miller does not make Danforth a direct equivalent of the irrational demagogue McCarthy; rather, Danforth is a stern, cold man of unfailing faith in his judicial powers. She's also a skillful liar. I danced for the Devil; I saw him; I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand.
Tell me—you have three children? First, The Crucible is based on real people and real events, but it's not historically accurate. Proctor is a very respected man in Salem but he also has a few flaws that have proved him to be a tragic hero which are prideful, lustful, and well respected. This married couple faced major conflicts during this historical event in which The Crucible took place. Proctor says that his wife meant only to save his reputation. I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil! God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. Proctor is trying to move on but Abby is still in love with Proctor.
Many characters have desires that drive them to pursue certain things. I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! She thinks to dance with me on my wife's grave! But it is a whore's vengeance, and you must see it; I set myself entirely in your hands. He is also one of the few people in Salem who recognize the witch trial as a mischief from the beginning. Dangerous Dichotomies It can be dangerous to assume there is no such thing as a middle ground. For Proctor, we quickly realize, their relationship belongs to the past—while he may still be attracted to her, he is desperately trying to put the incident behind him. The Parris' slave, who was likely a South American Arawak Indian and not African , immediately came under suspicion. As Hale notes, it is a natural lie for Elizabeth Proctor to tell, yet an incredibly ill-timed one; Elizabeth Proctor chooses dishonesty at the precise moment that her integrity matters the most.