Comparing John Proctor And Abigail Williams In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

​In act I, John has shown his sinful past with Abigail and his hatred towards authority. John and Abby talk for a bit about his past with her and John shows mixed emotions but overall wants to forget about her. “Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut of my hand before I reach for

In the beginning of act two was when Elizabeth Proctor first speaks in the story. The first thing Elizabeth says is “what keeps you so long? It’s almost dark” (Miller 49). This quote shows the suspicion that Elizabeth has for her husband. The trust that Elizabeth has for John is very thin and she still feels that he see abby. Consumed with the feeling of guilt, John continuously tries to please Elizabeth. John states, “If the crop is good I’ll buy George Jacob’s heifer. How would that please you?” (Miller 50). John is trying anything to make Elizabeth forgive him for what he has done, but Elizabeth stays emotionless. The relationship in the beginning was tense and troublesome for the two making the couple look unhappy with each other.

Proctor and Abigail's complicated relationship is already defined in the book. John arrives at Reverend Parris’s house then Abigail and him end up in a room alone together. Abigail confesses to John,”And you must. You are no wintry man. I know you, John. I know you. She is weeping. I cannot sleep for dreamin’; I cannot dream but I wake and walk about the house as though I’d find you comin’ through some door”(Miller 22). Here Abigail is expressing her desire and love for John. In numerous instances Abigale professes her love to John, and he expresses the same animosity every time. Scene 2.2 restates everything that develops in the book. Instead of letting their relationship play out through multiple scenes, the essence of it is caught in one scene. The play is understandable and smooth with no strange gaps; the play doesn’t truly require the scene. This is recurrent to what is known about their relations; he scene is not really needed, it's just fluff on what the reader already

Abigail is a highly jealous character, concentrating her jealousy on Elizabeth Proctor. This jealousy is driven by lust and her desire for John Proctor. Abigail served as a servant in the Proctor household and after an affair with her husband John, Elizabeth fired her. She still resents Elizabeth for this as she is still in love with John. She clearly says to John, "You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!" Abigail is still in love with John and she assumes the converse. Her love for John only causes her resentment for Elizabeth to strengthen. She hates John Proctor's wife and in her conniving ways she attempts to inspire the same views of Elizabeth in John's mind. Saying things to him such as, "She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me, She is a cold, sniveling woman." Abigail fabricates stories in attempt to steel John from Elizabeth. She is a manipulative liar that does and says as she pleases in order to get what she wants.

John is Elizabeth’s husband and they have children this is why she loves him, but Abigail only loves John out of lust. John loved Elizabeth and always tried to make up for the wrong he had done and show her how he did not want anyone but her. John never showed Abigail attention in that way again; he hated Abigail and knew he never loved her that he had just lusted after her. Elizabeth always tries to do what is best for John even if it means raising children, keeping up a house, and providing on her own for the family. Elizabeth knows the truth will always be brought out there is no use in telling a lie. Just like Abigail and John’s untruth was eventually brought about all other untruths will be. Abigail always resolves to lying to try and get her way, but Elizabeth always told the truth even if it meant being in prison for innocence. All Abigail wanted is what she could not have, but her untruthfulness lead to the death of the one person she cared for other than herself. Abigail was believed by many when Elizabeth was believed by

Throughout the play we see instances where Abigail shows she still has feelings for John saying things like “ Give me a word, John. A soft word.”, but she is only met with rejection from John “ No, no, Abby. That’s done with.”. (Miller 22) as he has moved on and is trying to live a more righteous life. Even though John has made his intentions clear Abby continuously attempts to sway him “...do you tell me you’ve never looked up at my window?” (Miller 23) believing he will still come back to her. After still facing rejection from John, Abigail believes the only reason he denies her is because of his wife. Knowing that she has the power to condemn people by accusing them of witchcraft, Abigail decides that it is the only option she has to be with John. As time goes on the Proctor family is torn apart when Cheever, a clerk of the court, comes with a warrant for Elizabeth. The Proctor’s find out the reason for the arrest is because of attempted murder through the use of witchcraft. It is to our understanding that a poppet that is in the possession of Elizabeth, given to her by their servant, Mary, was used to attempt to murder Abigail . As the situation goes on we discover the entire ordeal was an elaborate plan by Abigail when Mary says “...she saw me sewin’ it in court. Or better still: Ask Abby, Abby sat beside me when I made it.” revealing that it was a plan by Abigail. Abigail saw Mary making a poppet for Elizabeth and came to the realization that it would probably be her best chance to get Elizabeth out of the picture. By placing blame on Elizabeth, Abigail is able to further her own personal goal of being with

Arthur Miller’s The Crucible presents Elizabeth Proctor and Abigail Williams who serve important roles through their unique characteristics and thinking. John Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth, has two defining characteristics that show throughout this play: she not only lives to please everyone around her and behaves passively, but she lacks the assertiveness to confront what lies directly under her nose. However, Abigail, the girl John Proctor commits the crime of adultery with, manipulates those around her. She is keen to act upon an opportunity when one arises and feels a determination to get her way. While Elizabeth and Abigail are similar in their love for John Proctor, Elizabeth differs from Abigail through her tendency to try to please everyone and keep her own emotions bottled up, while Abigail believes the world revolves around her and works to make things go her own way.

Abigail proclaims her guilt by revealing her character and purpose. She is mad in love with John Proctor, and attempts to sway his feelings for her. She speaks to him with a brimming passion, and even cries for his attention (Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Act I, 21,22). Even though Proctor is a married man, she strives to make him fall in love with her. Proctor’s wife Elizabeth asserts that, “...She (Abigail) cannot pass you in church but you will blush” and she believes he blushes, feeling the guilt of being too close to Abigail while she is beside him (Act II, 58,59). Abigail’s conduct is improper and shows her obvious guilt.

The reasons Abigail Williams loves John Proctor are very different than how Elizabeth loves John. Abigail just likes John for his looks. Elizabeth loves John genuinely for him and who he is. Abigail is bad and wants to bring anyone down that is in her way. Whereas Elizabeth just wants what's best for everyone. Abby likes to bring people down and Elizabeth doesn’t want to hurt anyone. Abigail accuses people, innocent people. Elizabeth doesn’t accuse people.

Elizabeth is seen as a cold wife early in the play, during Act Two, when John Proctor and Elizabeth discuss if he should go to the court and tell the truth about what is happening. The fact that Abigail reveals the occurrences of that night had nothing to do with witchcraft, gave Elizabeth the feeling that Proctor should confess. Consequently, he hesitates

Within Act II, scene one opens with John Proctor walking into the kitchen. His wife is absent but there is stew cooking. He lifts the ladle from the pot, tastes it, and adds a pinch of salt. The significance of this short scene may justify his affair with Abigail and a contradiction of Puritan society. Elizabeth embodies the ideal of a Puritan woman, but her Puritan husband does not desire it. After she has spent a few months alone in prison, Elizabeth comes to this realization: she was a cold wife, and it was because she did not show love to her husband that her marriage suffered. She comes to believe that it is her coldness that led to his affair with Abigail. Additionally, it is with this situation that builds up to her telling a lie to save her husbands reputation.

After having an affair with John Proctor, she couldn’t accept not being without him. Abigail also admires “how such a strong man may let such a sickly wife” like Elizabeth be unaware of the affair she had with John Proctor(act1pg#). As a result to the affair, Proctor is trying to rebuild his marriage with his wife. Abigail continues to intervene in John Proctors marriage and attempts to manipulate Proctor so he would confess his love for her. Proctor admits his love for her, but does not continue his affection because Abigail seeps of vengeance for other individuals. He portrays her “as a lump of vanity” who thinks to dance on his “wife’s grave!”(act 3). For her own selfish desires, Abigail accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft and tries to intentionally sabotage her. She does this for the purpose of her own selfish and fictitious relationship that she has with Proctor. Abigail believes she has the capability to influence Proctor, but her egoistic actions to win his undefining love makes her appear as the criminal in the

(Page 150, Miller). Abigail is lying about Elizabeth and expects Elizabeth to tell lies about her for payback. John doesn’t like the fact that Abigail is saying bad things about

John reveals to his wife, Elizabeth that he “have been thinking [he] would confess to them,” (Miller 535). This reflects Proctor’s willingness to give up his good name in order to live on with his wife, and unborn child. Elizabeth cries out, “I cannot judge you, John, I cannot!” (Miller 536), as if she was trying to convince herself. Elizabeth loves her husband, no matter what, she believes she will always love him.

In the beginning of the story, John Proctor chose to commit adultery with Abigail Williams. During this wrongdoing, Abigail worked for John and Elizabeth Proctor. When John admits to having sexual relations, Elizabeth immediately fires her, but the true reason for firing Abigail is kept between her, John, and Elizabeth. John apologized to Elizabeth for his actions, and she stayed with him. But, depicted in Act II, the relationship