The crucible Flashcards
“I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and i will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And I you know I can do it; I saw Indians smash my dear parents’ head on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down”
Characterises Abigail as having a violent and dark nature. She creates fear in the other girls and this is how she controls them. This contrasts Abigail’s character with Elizabeth, who is a loving honest woman.
“Pointy” is a metaphor for Abby’s revenge symbolising a sharp object such as a knife.
“…he had a sharp and biting way with hypocrites…has come to regard himself as a kind of fraud”
This is information contained within the notes to the director and it is our first glimpse of John Proctor. The audience’s first impression of proctor is seemingly positive as his dislike of hypocrites makes him seem like an honest man. However it is hinted at that he feels some guilt making the audience curios about his character.
“I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near”
Dialogue between John and Abigail. This confirms to the audience for the first time of John and Abigail’s affair. Adultery by modern standards is viewed as immoral but by standards of this religious society it is viewed as unthinkable.
“Sweated like a stallion” shows that John was animalistic and succumbed to his animal urges.
At this point the audience has a negative view of Proctor.
“Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of your mind”
Dialogue between John and Abigail, He acknowledges his affection for Abigail but is clear that the affair is over. His guilt towards the affair makes the audience soften towards him.
“You’ll speak nothin’ of Elizabeth! (shaking her) Do you look for a whippin”
John’s dialogue with Abigail is forceful. The use of an exclamation mark plus stage direction of him shaking her, emphasises to the audience how determined he is to defend his wife. He feels guilt for what he has done and this therefore hints to us that he has affection for his wife. This again makes the audience soften towards Proctor.
“Pray god. I hurt my heart to strip her, poor rabbit”
Dialogue between Elizabeth and John. Elizabeth reveals that she was upset, when having to kill and cook a rabbit to feed her family. This respect for life shows the tenderness of Elizabeth’s character and is a stark contrast to Abigail’s cruel disregard to even human life.
“Spare me! You forget nothin’ and forgive nothin’ learn charity, woman…”
John’s dialogue with Elizabeth seems to highlight his anger towards her when she questions him about having lied about his meeting with Abigail. This frustrates the audience as they view Elizabeth’s suspicions as being extremely justified and that John is clearly in the wrong. He has gone from defending his wife in Act 1 to criticising her. We feel that this is perhaps a defence mechanism due to guilt.
“Oh, Elizabeth, your justice would freeze beer!”
John is implying that Elizabeth is cold and unforgiving. He is turning the blame around.
)” 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 bond to Satan, then I must tell you sir, I do not believe it.”
Their branch of Christianity believed absolutely that witches were real and to deny their existence was treasury. Elizabeth however is so truthful and honest that she refuses to ever tell a lie even if the truth will potentially lead to her arrest. This is in contrast with Abigail who lies freely in order to protect herself.
“My wife will not die for me! I will bring your guts into your mouth but that goodness will not die for me”
In John’s dialogue with Mary it is revealed to the audience his love for his wife and confirms that he will not allow his wife to be sacrificed for him. The use of exclamation marks emphasise john’s determination. The word choice of “goodness” personifies his wife as the embodiment of goodness in his eyes. This restores the audience’s faith in John as they see how much he truly loves his wife.
“(without warning or hesitation, Proctor leaps at Abigail) How do you call heaven! Whore! Whore!”
In the stage direction we can see Proctor lashing out at Abigail in hypocrisy and out of frustration because the judges are believing her. His anger is further emphasised through the repetition of the word whore is a charge which John must prove. This outburst signals a point of no return for John’s character.
“(trembling, his life collapsing about him): I have known her, sir. I have known her”
This stage direction emphasises John’s fear and the word choice of “collapsing” highlights to the audience that john’s admition to adultery will destroy his life. John already believes his soul is damned because of his actions, but now his reputation, position in society and his life are left in ruins. This also makes it more likely that people will believe accusations of witch craft made against John
“ ( his voice about to break, and his shame great): In the proper place – Where my breasts are bedded”
This stage direction shows the shame that John feels. This shame is empthasised in the dialogue where he tells us that he had sex with Abigail in the barn. He implies that this was the correct place for this to have happened as he views himself as nothing more than an animal.
“ In her life, sir, she have never lied. There are them that cannot sing, and them that cannot weep – my wife cannot lie. I have paid much to learn, sir.”
Emphasises John’s high regard for his wife she is honest and pure in contrast to Abigail. We are reminded of Elizabeth’s unwillingness to lie to Reverend Hail in Act 2 even though it could have saved her. Elizabeth’s honesty is only ever tested later in this scene when she lies to protect her husband. She is willing to sacrifice her soul in order to save him.
“(his mind wild, breathless): I say – I say – God is dead!”
The stage direction emphasises John’s natural state. John is out of control and believes that the terrible goings on in Salem are proof that god cannot possibly exist. By saying god is dead John is in effect sentencing himself to death. To say such a thing is unthinkable in such a religious society.
