Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a play about the Salem witch trials, which took place in Massachusetts in 1692. John and Elizabeth Proctor are two of the main characters in the play.
John Proctor is a farmer who is accused of witchcraft. He is also Elizabeth’s husband. Elizabeth is a stay-at-home wife and mother.
The relationship between John and Elizabeth is not a happy one. In fact, they seem to be more like friends than husband and wife. There is little affection between them.
One reason for this may be that John had an affair with Abigail Williams, another character in the play. This affair caused a lot of tension between John and Elizabeth.
In act 2, the stage directions introduce John and Elizabeth’s connection. The scene begins with John being told to season the stew that Elizabeth has prepared for their evening meal, claiming that he was not entirely happy with what she had created. This might be interpreted as a hint implying that he is dissatisfied with Elizabeth because she isn’t good enough for him.
However, as the scene progresses it becomes clear that John is actually very fond of Elizabeth and is only teasing her.
When Elizabeth asks John about his day, he immediately starts to open up to her and tells her about all the events that occurred, including his confrontation with Abigail Williams. It is evident that he trusts Elizabeth enough to confide in her about such matters. He also admits that he feels somewhat guilty for the way he treated Abigail, which shows that he is a considerate husband who takes his wife’s feelings into account.
Throughout the play, there are many instances where John tries to protect Elizabeth from the truth about his affair with Abigail. For example, when Mary Warren comes to their house to confess to Elizabeth what really happened in the woods, John quickly sends her away before she can say anything. He knows that Elizabeth would be devastated if she found out about his infidelity and he is clearly trying to spare her from that pain.
In general, Arthur Miller portrays John and Elizabeth’s relationship as a very strong one, despite the challenges they face. They are able to overcome these obstacles by communicating openly with each other and always putting each other’s needs first.
Because of the fact that John pours wine over his head, it is possible that he has not been pleased with Elizabeth for a long time. When they get to eat, John praises Elizabeth on how well the dish was seasoned, which is ironic because we know he seasoned it himself, and she did not realize in stage direction that says she “blushed with pleasure.” This implies that he may have been pleased with her for a long period of time.
It is significant that John never actually refers to Elizabeth by name during this scene, only as “woman” or “you.” There is a sense offormality and coldness in the way he speaks to her. This is in contrast to the way he talks about other people, such as his clients, whom he always uses their first names. The fact that John doesn’t use Elizabeth’s name could suggest that he doesn’t see her as an equal anymore, which would be significant given their earlier conversation about him becoming more like a ruler than a husband.
When Elizabeth asks John about his day, he seems almost annoyed by her question. He tells her that it was nothing out of the ordinary and that he just did his job. This suggests that he is not pleased with his job, which could be a result of the fact that he is not being paid enough. Elizabeth then asks John if he has seen their daughter, Mary, to which he replies that he has not. This suggests that he is not interested in seeing his daughter, which could be because she is a reminder of Elizabeth’s infidelity.
The fact that John and Elizabeth are not on good terms is further shown when they start to talk about the rumors of witchcraft in Salem. Elizabeth tells John that she heard from Goody Proctor that there are people being accused of witchcraft, to which John replies “I’ll not have the talk of witches in this house!” This suggests that he is not interested in the rumors and does not want to talk about them. Elizabeth then asks John if he has heard anything about it, to which he replies “No, I have not.” This could be because he doesn’t want to worry Elizabeth, or because he doesn’t believe the rumors.
The conversation between John and Elizabeth reveals that their relationship is not as strong as it once was. There is a sense of tension between them, which is shown through their body language and the way they speak to each other. It is clear that they are not on good terms, which could be a result of the fact that they have been having problems for some time.
She recalls, “I took excellent care of her,” implying that even though John is dissatisfied with Elizabeth’s gift, she made an effort to please him. This may be due to John’s guilt about his relationship with Abigail. However, it also implies a lack of communication between them since John believes he must conceal the fact that he added salt in order not to upset Elizabeth.
Elizabeth’s response to this is, “I am so sorry.” She then asks, “What can I do?” This line suggests that Elizabeth feels powerless in her relationship with John. It may be because he is the breadwinner and she is reliant on him, or it could be due to the fact that she is a woman in a time when men had more power. Elizabeth’s next line is, “I am not worth your love,” to which John replies, “No, no,” trying to reassure her.
This shows that despite their problems, John still loves Elizabeth. He tries to tell her she is wrong about herself, but she is convinced she is not good enough for him. This could be due to the fact that she is not as beautiful as Abigail or because she is not able to give him children.
Elizabeth then says, “I am a cold woman,” to which John replies, “No, no, Elizabeth.” This could be interpreted in two ways. Firstly, it could be another example of Elizabeth feeling powerless and inadequate. Alternatively, it could be her way of pushing John away so he will not be hurt when she leaves him.
In the final scene of the play, John tells Elizabeth he loves her and she asks him to forgive her. This suggests that despite their problems, they still have a deep love for each other.
One possible interpretation of this is that their relationship represents the struggles of a real marriage. It is not always easy, but they are willing to work through their problems.
Another interpretation is that Elizabeth represents John’s conscience. She is the part of him that is goodness and light, while Abigail represents his dark side. Elizabeth is the one who keeps him from succumbing to temptation and she is the one he ultimately chooses in the end.
The dish, in essence, reflects the couple’s disparities in character. Miller employs dramatic irony to illustrate that even with something as little as this there is still dishonesty between them; this is what has caused trust to break down. It might also imply that Proctor wants to improve his situation: especially since Elizabeth.
The couple’s relationship is further strained when John tells Elizabeth about his affair with Abigail. Elizabeth is understandably hurt and angry, but she eventually forgives him. This shows that their relationship is built on trust and forgiveness, despite the challenges they face.
Miller presents the relationship between John and Elizabeth Proctor as a strong one, despite the challenges they face. Their honesty with each other and their ability to forgive each other are key to their survival in the midst of the witch trials.