John Proctor's Irony In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Abigail is attempting to keep the undertaking a mystery. While in court, Proctor calls Abigail a prostitute, which prompts to Danforth scrutinizing his thinking to call her a prostitute, to which he answers "I have known her sir, I have known her" (110). Delegate said this to attempt to demonstrate that Abigail is not a genuine individual, but rather it winds up reverse discharges on him. He is extremely worried about the entire occasion and was not thinking plainly when he shouted it out. This is the essential admission that demolishes Proctor's life and in the end, paves the way to his demise.

This strong revelation perfectly labels Abigail as a vindictive and immoral woman, immediately highlighting Elizabeth’s fondness. Thus, Proctor’s regret is what assures the reader that Elizabeth is his true love. While Abigail’s entire life revolves around sin and treachery, Proctor praises the fact that his wife’s way of being is completely transparent. He says, “In her life, sir, she have never lied. There are them that cannot sing, and them that cannot weep- my wife cannot lie”(103).

At this instance, he is indirectly fueling Abigail and the girls to accuse whomever they want to. Judge Danforth’s irrationality bubbles out in this situation, as according to his judiciary system any person accused of witchcraft have no chance of being a defendant due to the absence of a witness. This shows incompetence and irrationality of legal judgments on the part of an experienced Judge such as Danforth. Lastly, Danforth’s poor judgment is also revealed in the instance of the play wherein John proctor sacrifices his name and tell the truth that he and Abigail had committed the crime of Lechery. In order to confirm this Judge Danforth calls Elizabeth Proctor to testify in court, in which she lies, as a result Danforth says “She spoke nothing of lechery, and this man has lied” (Miller 114).

The Crucible Rough Draft Have you ever felt guilt? Guilt can control a lot of people. Guilt did control some of the characters in the Crucible. John Proctor had a lot of guilt thought out the Crucible for having an affair with Abigail and hurting his wife Elizabeth because of having the affair with Abigail.

Angered by this, Proctor physically attacks Abigail and denounces her as a whore, and has to back up what he says with evidence. Overcome with emotion, and distraught of how far he allowed the court’s corruption to continue, he confesses to having an affair with Abigail and her plot to trying to rid of Elizabeth in hopes of replacing her. By telling the truth, John shows growth in his character, as he accepts that his good name must be ruined to protect innocent victims, ““I have made a bell in my honor! I have rung the doom of my good name – and you will believe me. Mr. Danforth” (page 116)!

He finally admits to Danforth that he has known Abigail “in the proper place where my beasts are bedded” , ultimately stating his confession about the affair he had with Abigail, committing a major sin in Puritan ideology (Miller 110). Proctor in confessing about his affair, he astonishes the court and making Abigail furious about what he had admitted to. However, Abigail attempts to lie to the court, denying any claims of any such event. Yet , Proctor exclaims “I have made a bell of my honor. I have rung the doom of my good name - you will believe me, Mr.Danforth!”

Proctor is now confessing, “his shame great” of when he committed adultery with Abigail (Miller 110). Although Proctor is incriminating himself, he is trying to reveal Abigail’s true character and motives to Danforth. Finally, pathos is effective at convincing Danforth Abigail’s accusations are lies because Proctor’s emotions are raw and unadulterated, so much that “Danforth seems unsteady” (Miller 111). Danforth believed Abigail was a redeemed sinner being used by God to indicate those still in the dark, but now Proctor has shed all propriety and revealed the true Abigail. Pathos is so effective here because it is what Abigail used to convince the court.

(Miller 77). Proctor shows that just because Abigail is the accuser, doesn’t mean she is innocent and that she is lying so she can gain revenge. Once again, the court ignores all of the reasonable answers that Proctor provides and agrees with Abigail’s theory of witchcraft. After further disagreement with the court, Proctor finally decides to confess his affair with Abigail to prove that she isn’t as innocent as she seems. This action sacrifices Proctor’s good name; which is sacred in the Puritan society.

After continuous pressuring Mary Warren replies with ‘I cannot, they’ll turn on me— “showing us the mob has driven fear into people and how Marry is afraid to tell the truth in the case everyone will turn on her and blame her. Mary’s feeble attempt to recompense backfires, so when Abigail uses the poppet to blame it on Elizabeth, making Mary feel even worse thus she agrees to go with proctor to testify against Abigail in court. Later after agreeing to go to court to support Proctor Mary is asked who is at fault and in fear replies pointing to proctor “You’re the devil’s man!” (act three, page 119). This demonstrates how the fear of the mob and the overwhelming pressure from the Abigail makes her turn from the truth.

Proctor realized the truth behind everything and decided it was time to come forward and tell Danforth, “She thinks to dance with me on my wife's grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a whore's vengeance, and you must see it now” (Miller ). John tries to reveal who Abigail really is but it does not help the lives of those who are to be hanged.

(I.465-472). Seeing Abigail cry, it suggests that Abigail’s affair with John Proctor has influenced her behavior in jealousy and lust as she strives for nothing more than her love for John Proctor. By only being heartbroken, Abigail is not to be fully blamed for the hysteria within the town as her actions are only based on desperate attempts to win John Proctor over, and no intentional harm whatsoever. However, on the other hand, Abigail cannot be excused with outside forces making her the way she is due to the fact that she has clearly had a choice in most of her decisions and actions throughout the witchcraft crisis. When Mary Warren, another girl involved in the forest incident, enters the court, she explains to Danforth, the judge, that the girls are lying and are only pretending to see spirits.

Abigail finally sees the outturn of her lies she has made for what she wants. Proctor is hanged which she didn’t attend to do, but now pays the price. She also found out what lying can do “They’re pretending, Mr. Danforth... Mary, please don’t hurt me!.”(miller 120-121). Lying has made her corrupt and is used to persuade to make harm with.

Also, in attempt to tell the truth about Abigail, John Proctor admits to cheating on his wife with Abigail, but Elizabeth lets her fear assist her in lying. John Proctor tells everyone in the court, previous to Elizabeth arriving, “she [has] never lied” (III.891.). With everyone now knowing that she does not lie, it makes her trustworthy and believable. Deputy Danforth then brings Elizabeth in to confirm what

In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, John Proctor is accused of performing witchcraft and contracting with the Devil. He is faced with the decision to either confess to or deny the accusations. Ultimately, Proctor chooses to deny the accusations and dies a martyr. Proctor’s decision to sacrifice himself is justified because he protected the reputation of those who died and risked being arrested to save his wife, Elizabeth Proctor. John Proctor’s death is justified because he was willing to sacrifice his life to protect the reputation of others.

  After this, Mary Warren, who is John Proctors maid, very breathlessly tells Abigail “Abby, we’ve got to tell.  Witchery’s a hangin’ error, a hangin’ like they done in Boston two years ago!  We must tell the truth, Abby!  You’ll only be whipped for dancin’, and the other things!”