'The Crucible' Quotation Analysis Flashcards
“For now my ministry’s at stake, ministry and perhaps your cousin’s life.” (Act 1)
Parris’ statement to Abigail shows a desire to protect his name fiercely which he goes on to do as the play progresses. Here, Parris mentions his ministry before his daughter’s life which indicates where his priorities lie, with his name and preserving it in the village. His fear is for his name rather than his daughter.
“There be no blush about my name.” (Act 1)
Abigail shows the same, selfish, concern over her name and reputation as her uncle, Reverend Parris. Abigail’s tone here is defensive and forceful which highlights her anger at her reputation being questioned. The ‘blush’ which she refers to is in direct relation to her affair with Proctor which, at the time of the play would have rendered her virtue tarnished and brought shame upon her.
“In Proctor’s presence a fool felt his foolishness instantly- and a Proctor is always marked for calumny therefore.” (Act 1)
Miller foreshadows the events to come in his prose insert before Proctor enters the stage. By
suggesting that John’s powerful and
intimidating presence can leave him open
to slander and opposition. The word choice of ‘instantly’ highlights
the inherent superiority Proctor has over others and his natural ability to make others feel foolish, this is something that causes problems for John throughout the play and insights conflict between him and others.
“He is a sinner, not only against the moral
fashion of the time, but against his own vision
of decent conduct.” (Act 1)
Through Miller’s clever use of stage directions, it is made clear that this flaw in Proctor’s character is something which causes an inner struggle, an inner conflict for Proctor. The audience is made aware of this turmoil as Miller states that Proctor feels he has gone against ‘his
own vision’. Puritan law was very strict and very specific, his sin (his affair with Abigail) carries great consequences for Proctor in the Salem theocracy. Not only is it a sin against god, it was
illegal as the church was the law. This highlights that Proctor values morals, and resents himself for going against these.
“(Looking at Abigail now, the faintest suggestion of a knowing smile on his face.)” (Act 1)
Miller characterises Proctor as a man who is flawed, who feels a sense of lust for Abigail and who struggles to hide this. However, it must remain hidden as the theocratic and restrictive nature of Salem and his concern over his reputation. The stage directions make it clear that John
does still have some affection for Abigail and he flirts with her a little, despite feeling like he has sinned against ‘his own vision of decent conduct’.
“We never touched, Abby.” (Act 1)
John’s desire to forget the affair, and his grater desire to preserve his reputation is introduced. His blunt statement carries no affection and the rejection and refusal to admit their affair, out of concern for his name, sparks a rage in Abigail which she carries throughout the play.
“I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again.” (Act 1)
After Abigail pleads with John, he once again reassert his position out of concern for his name. The harsh language and image highlights how unwilling John is to accept and reveal the affair at this point out of concern for his reputation.
“I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what a pretence Salem was.” (Act 1)
Abigail’s plea highlights both her desperation and her hatred of Salem. She holds John in an elevated position for bringing her to knowledge through their sexual relationship, the knowledge being that the lessons taught in Salem, strict and rigid, are not always true. Her fierce loathing of the entire town is shown through the word choice “lying”,
“pretence” and punctuation – a series of exclamations.
Abigail hates Salem, and in the course of The Crucible, she makes Salem pay.
“I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus!” (Act 1)
Abigail’s over-dramatic outburst is true of the character which we have come to know thus far, who is concerned only with preserving her own life and continuing her affair with John. This outburst sets her on the path to achieve both and points out a flaw in the Salem community which gives way to the hysteria. Miller highlights the tendency for those to ‘confess’ their desires and innermost thoughts under the guise of giving ‘spectral evidence’.
“I have good reason to think before I charge fraud on Abigail, and I will think on it.” (Act 2)
The concept of name and reputation is very important
for John Proctor. He skirts around the issue at hand but it is clear that he understands it very clearly.
The short sentences and pauses throughout the scene with Elizabeth highlight tension and his vulnerability at
this stage. Ironically the ‘good reason’ is that he does not
wish to tarnish his reputation in the village. The blunt tone which ends the sentence suggests a finality- he will not move on this and he is set in conflict with his wife, Elizabeth.
“I’ll plead no more! I see how your spirit twists around the single error of my life, and I will never tear it free!”
Proctor feels that he has atoned for his error and that
Elizabeth should let it go. Anger and desperation for some forgiveness made clear through the personification of Elizabeth’s judgement which ‘twists’ itself around John, suggesting it restricts him and causes him great pain, which it does as Miller makes clear Proctor’s opening commentary.
“The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you.” (Act 2)
Elizabeth contradicts John and explains that it is not her who judges him, it is himself. It is ironic that she says this and it dismissed by John as it is made clear at the end of the play, once he has admitted his sins and done what it right by refusing to confess others, that it is the forgiveness of himself which allows him to find ‘some shred of goodness’.
“I see no light of God in that man. I’ll not conceal it.” (Act 2)
We see here how Proctor cannot fail to tell the truth. He could easily keep his opinions about Parris to himself but feels that he needs to confess his thoughts about Parris in order to justify his own actions. Ironically, when he does this later in Act 3 and tells the absolute truth, he is not believed. He is, essentially, an honest, upstanding man.
“I will bring your guts into your mouth but that goodness will not die for me!” (Act 2)
Our perception of the relationship between Proctor and Elizabeth, symbolised through reference to winter and coldness, changes as we see Proctor fiercely trying to protect his family, despite the consequences for himself. John, although flawed is admirable. His assertive tone highlights the love he has for his wife and this act begins Proctor’s transformation as he chances forsaking his name and risks conflict with the court in order to save his wife.
“You must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between.” (Act 3)
Danforth’s statement, given in response to Proctor’s initial attempts to reveal the truth through various avenues, aptly sums up the attitude of the authorities toward the witch trials. In his own right, Danforth is an honourable man, but, like everyone else in Salem, he sees the world in black and white. Everything and everyone belongs to either God or the Devil. His ‘buying into’ the corruption and hysteria of Salem, ultimately leaves him a dishonourable man at the end of the play.
