Hale begs Elizabeth to convince Proctor to lie, to give a false confession, in order to save himself. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. C. Desire for Elizabeth to hang so that she can marry John Proctor. The motivations in the crucible are different for each character and suit their needs at the time (for example, Parris is motivated by reputation). Born and raised in Lynn, Massachusetts, she came to Salem after her marriage to Proctor, in 1674. Parris had an affair with John Proctor her desire to have John Proctor all to herself untrustworthy witnessing her parents’ murder good at deceiving others violent leader vengeful Betty Parris scared10 -year old daughter of Rev. Answers (1) Why did Elizabeth Proctor fire Abigail? She was much older, wiser and she devoted her … Hale, in trying to convince Elizabeth Proctor to save John’s life, tells her that God’s greatest gift to man is what? Elizabeth's motivation changes over the course of the play. As the play just about closes her motivation becomes to see John feel free. Although her actions have made a multitude of people lose their lives, it is somewhat understandable to a degree. Once Elizabeth is arrested, John becomes motivated to save his wife's life but also desires to protect his reputation. John's motivation, on the other hand, changes throughout the play. Character Analysis of Elizabeth Proctor from The Crucible by Arthur Miller In the late sixteen hundreds, the fear of witchcraft was a major concern amongst New Englanders. Abigail wants Proctor for herself and will go to any length to secure him. Verbal, Dramatic, or Situational irony? What does Deputy Governor Danforth represent or symbolize in the court? John's motivation remains fairly constant: to find falsehood and expose it. However, he eventually comes to the realization that it is possible for him to retain integrity and, to do so, he must be willing to die for it. Proctor extremely dislikes hypocrites and by being a lecher, he is automatically a hypocrite. He would die to demonstrate the truth. Elizabeth is initially motivated to please John and repair her marriage in The Crucible. 15. Desire for honesty and truth. Claiming that “I want to open myself”, Abigail automatically escapes the hanging, whipping and all the other punishments. He doesn't want to have to share the news of his sin with the community, and so he is reticent to expose Abigail as a liar. John Proctor Ultimately, John Proctor is a key part of the Crucible.His refusal to open up about Abigail’s lying (which she admits in Betty’s bedroom) allows Abigail to whip the village of Salem into a frenzy – accusing anyone and everyone of witchcraft. Arthur Miller’s book, The Crucible, tells the story of a town’s obsession with accusing innocent people of witchcraft. Social Expectation - A social expectation of The Crucible is to confess if you have been involved with witchcraft in any way. At the end of the play, John makes the selfless and brave decision to die a martyr by tearing his confession. If this was the case, then all the death warrants he has signed where in error, resulting in the innocent blood being placed on his shoulders. It takes seconds! Another argument is that Abigail, seeing that Tituba escaped the situation by confessing. 8. John Proctor - the Crucible. He is a proud and powerful man, much respected in the village. Danforth and Hathorne disagree. A desire for Elizabeth to hang so that she can marry John Proctor. B.A. 13.what does Abigail say about Elizabeth proctor? Elizabeth proctor was accused because abigail wanted to get even with her for firing her mary warren resented her as her boss mary warren gave her an evil poppet a poppet was found in her home with a needle in it . Elizabeth Proctor is depicted as a morally upright woman, who is somewhat dull and callous, particularly towards the beginning of the play. John only confesses to adultery when all hope seems to be lost and he is out of options. Help us Feed and Educate Children by Uploading Your Old Essays, Notes or Assignments! Top subjects are Literature, History, and Arts. He says that life is God's great gift, and no belief or religion should be followed if it harms life. Later, Elizabeth is motivated to expose Abigail as a liar and protect John's reputation. We will review and post them on our website. 3. why is Rebecca nurse charged? While she was a servant for John and Elizabeth Proctor, Elizabeth contracted an illness and was unable to fulfill her husband’s desires. 12. what event transpired between Abigail and john proctor prior to the beginning of act one? It takes seconds! A more subterranean motivation that Abigail has is her “love” for John Proctor and her jealousy of Elizabeth Proctor. Historical Questions. answer as many as you can. "When suspicion swings to his wife, John is forced to choose: keep quiet about his lechery or expose Abigail and possibly forfeit his own life (High Intensity)". Abigail is most likely to be motivated by power and social status than anything else. 14. what happens to betty when she hears the lords name? In this story, a character is created that is pure and kind, unlike the time she lived in. :] 11. give three characteristics of john proctor? She is cold, sniveling woman, and you bend to her! personality: conniving, lustful, vengeful, controlling, manipulative.effect on plot: after Tituba is forced to confess, Abigail jumps in and starts accusing others. He fears that Abigail will reveal their adulterous affair. He considers confessing a lie, and actually does it at first, because he wants to go on living and to be alive for his family. However, when this failed, Proctor decided to sacrifice and ruin his own reputation to point out Abigail’s dishonesty and falsehood. Reverend Hale is a complex character. She is afraid that John still has feelings for Abigail but does not fly into a fit of rage when she discovers that her husband was alone with her. Both Elizabeth and John Proctor's motivations change throughout the play. Science, English, History, Civics, Art, Business, Law, Geography, all free! ©2021 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Last Updated by eNotes Editorial on November 4, 2020. However, his motivations change when he is told his wife is safe. Describe the character of Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible. He struggled with whether to sign a false confession or not. Hysteria, which has gripped much of the village. He contests the idea of condemning innocent people to hang but he realises that the girls are frauds too late to be able to stop the out of control trials of the court. It was not until April of 1697, after her farm had burned, that Elizabeth Proctor’s dowry was restored to her for her use by a probate court, on a petition she filed in June 1696. What is John Proctor’s motivation in confessing to adultery in front of the whole court? When in court, Abigail’s power and reputation has been described. Elizabeth is a good woman known for never telling a lie. how might this effect the outcome of the play? According to Elizabeth Proctor, what is the motivation behind Abigail's accusation against her? 5 facts about Elizabeth Proctor. Initially, Elizabeth seems motivated to please John and repair her marriage. However, what it actually signified was a physical intimacy at most and that John still loves his wife. (Um, isn't John a little responsible, too?) As the play goes on, his motivations begin to change. Even though she knew that John Proctor had cheated on her with Abigail Williams, her loyalty for her husband did not falter. As a result, he was seduced by Abigail which Abigail saw as a sign of love. https://schoolworkhelper.net/character-motivations-crucible/, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible: Abigail Williams Analysis, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible: Characters Analysis, The Crucible: John Proctor Character Analysis, Conflict in Arthur Miller’s All of my Sons, Theme of Relationships in Death of a Salesman, Hamlet Analysis: Intelligent, Mad, and Selfish, “On the Sidewalk, Bleeding”: Analysis & Theme, Satire in Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, Albert Camus’ The Stranger: Summary & Analysis, The Portrayal of Women in An Inspector Calls, Power, Control and Loss of Individuality in George Orwell’s 1984. Elizabeth wants John to forgive himself and find internal peace. In fact, against her Puritan faith, she lies in court about John's lechery, thinking that he would have lied. It’s interesting to evaluate Elizabeth’s motivation for her actions in the play. Elizabeth’s motivation came from the passion of raising her family; she wanted to restore the trust in her marriage to Proctor, for the benefit of her children. Elizabeth Proctor Elizabeth Proctor stayed by her husband's side until the end and stayed loyal to him. Elizabeth is forced in the middle of Act 3 to testify in court about her husband’s involvement with Abigail. Already a member? At the end of the play, Elizabeth desires John to hold onto his goodness and find internal peace. What are some quotes said from Mary Warren in the play. main motivation: to be with John Proctor.main conflict: she is unable to be with John because he and Elizabeth are still married. Also, seeing how much Tituba controls the adults at first, leads her to desire all that control for herself. According to Elizabeth Proctor, the motivation behind Abigail's accusation against her is Abigail's. Elizabeth’s motivation came from the passion of raising her family; she wanted to restore the trust in her marriage to Proctor, for the benefit of her children. Miller wrote Elizabeth Proctor in an amazing way that allows the reader to connect to her character very well. Are you a teacher? At first, he is motivated by an honest cause, to help the people in Salem afflicted by witchcraft, starting with Betty Parris. She is telling lies about me! She was much older, wiser and she devoted her life to her religion. To protect herself, she lies that she conjured with the devil and even goes as far to accuse other people and condemn them to being hanged. PROCTOR: ‘I mean to please you Elizabeth’(Proctor saying to Elizabeth that his wife is more important than his reputation.) from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. 14. To me, Elizabeth seems to be motivated by the desire to get her relationship back on track -- though she struggles to trust her husband again -- and for the trials to end (and for Abigail Williams to be known for the liar that she is). Proctor v. hale- Proctor v. paris- paris doesnt think proctar was a good leader Proctor v. mary warren- got elizebteh in trouble, tell the truth about the doll Internal - deciding between telling … Elizabeth seems more disappointed than anything but is reluctant to express her displeasure with John because she is primarily focused on repairing her marriage. Getting rid of Elizabeth will, in Abigail’s mind, open John’s heart to her which results in the witchcraft in the woods (as Abigail drinks a charm to kill Goody Proctor) as well as Elizabeth being convicted as a witch. He also forces Mary warren to confess that all the nonsense of the witch trials was only “pretence”. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. However, having a low social position also motivates her to bring the witch trials into place in Salem. Explore the motivations of John Proctor throughout The Crucible. Start your 48-hour free trial and unlock all the summaries, Q&A, and analyses you need to get better grades now. It is she who prompts John to go to the court and tell them what Abigail told him -- that Betty's illness has nothing to do with witchcraft -- though he is reluctant. Yes, she did hold grudge against him for a while, however when the time came for her to step up for him, she did so. Science Teacher and Lover of Essays. Hale shouts that the confession must be a lie since Proctor is innocent. While she was a servant for John and Elizabeth Proctor, Elizabeth contracted an illness and was unable to fulfill her husband’s desires. Because Elizabeth doesn't like Abigail's uncle, Reverend Parris O B. Historical Acccuracy / Analysis This motivation came from the moment Abigail and John Proctor first began their relationship where she was most likely lead to believe that they could be more than lovers. Although her purpose in these things is to silence the girls involved, the audience can believe her as she would sacrifice her “friends” to save herself (for example, when Mary Warren goes with John to the court). Throughout the play, Abigail is motivated by jealousy, power, and attention. She was also known as Goody Proctor. By accepting his sin and broadcasting it to protect others, in some way, Proctor is attempting to prove to himself that he is an upright person. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania M.A. Another motivation for her actions was proving people that she is innocent and regaining her dignity. Elizabeth Proctor’s children Abigail and William disappear from the historical record after 1695. Elizabeth Proctor Characters Elizabeth Proctor. It is also arguable that John is motivated to save his wife and his friends. Readers first encounter Elizabeth through the words of Abigail, who describes Elizabeth as a “bitter woman, a lying, cold, sniveling woman.” When Elizabeth enters the action of the play in the second act, we immediately see that Abigail is the liar: Elizabeth is anything but bitter and sniveling. Let her turn you like a --". When the audience is introduced to Elizabeth Proctor … Why is she antagonistic toward Elizabeth Proctor. With his wife, as she tried to make him feel guilt, he made sure she understood her cold nature may have prompted his cheating. In The Crucible, how does the relationship between John and Elizabeth Proctor change throughout the course of the story? When everything fails and all the blame hangs on his shoulders as well as accusations of witchcraft, Proctor refuses to save his own life with a lie and would die to demonstrate the truth. The Putnams had eight children but only one survived, yet even the one alive is having problems thus showing that the Putnams are jealous. All-Power Authority. By the end, he refuses to save his own life with a simple lie. This makes it very understandable that she would leap at the first opportunity to seize any chance to obtain a higher social position and some control over others (as is shown by her control over the other girls). John Proctor's behavioral motivation is based around his wife and the goodness of his name in Salem. Article last reviewed: 2020 | St. Rosemary Institution © 2010-2021 | Creative Commons 4.0, why is the chacter movaition so important. Your online site for school work help and homework help. Although Elizabeth struggles to forgive John, she is not overtly antagonistic towards him and attempts to exercise patience when he gets upset. At first, as a reaction to her jealousy for John being seduced by Abigail, Elizabeth's motivation is to make him feel terribly guilty for what he has done. the most gets 10 points!!!! She loves her husband deeply, but seems to have the sense that she doesn't … John Proctor is a more simple and plain character, showing his true colours throughout the play. The Crucible: Character Development & Relationships, Cite this article as: William Anderson (Schoolworkhelper Editorial Team), "Character Motivations in The Crucible," in. We’ve discounted annual subscriptions by 50% for COVID-19 relief—Join Now! Rev. But as the play proceeds and she is accused, her motivation is  just to get to be with him. English, 21.06.2019 16:00. Arthur Miller makes some characters (like John Proctor) very obvious in their motivation while people like (Thomas Putnam) need some more information to be figured out. The fact that she was exposed to such levels of brutality frequently (she also claims she has seen “some reddish work done at night”) partially negates the surprise the audience has at her accusative attitude. Yet it is most likely that John went to court to redeem himself in front of his wife but more likely to prove to himself that he is not a fraud. Play and Novel. This motivation wasn’t clear at first as the point above but develops later on. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. When she discovered her husband's sin, she gave Abby the boot and then proceeded to drop a few hints around town that the girl was a floozy. This description is as follows, “when she walks, the courtroom parts for her as the sea parted for Israel”. The other people being accused of witch craft only strengthened her chances of winning support for accusing Elizabeth Proctor. Another example of Abigail's jealousy is when she says to Proctor "She is blackening my name in the village! I don't think Elizabeth was trying to make John feel guilty about his marital infidelity. As a result, the only people below her are slaves and social outcasts (like Tituba and Sarah Good). Readers already know that John has confessed his adultery, but Elizabeth doesn’t. Log in here. Please help us feed and educate children with your old homework! Their wives are also accused”. He believes that he is the right man to do this as he has spent his whole life training to be the best witch hunter and he is finally psychologically prepared to “tackle” the devil. Later, however, in Act III, the motivation to save his wife trumps his concern for his own reputation, and he confesses his lechery in an attempt to prove Elizabeth's innocence and Abigail's treachery. (1107) Abigail's jealousy gave her motivation to try to kill Elizabeth because she was convinced that John loved her as much as she loved him. What are Abigail's feelings toward John Proctor in The Crucible? Elizabeth, to Hale: I cannot think the Devil may own a woman’s soul, Mr. Hale, when she keeps an upright way, as I have. What is the real reason John Proctor avoids going to Salem? Initially, John is motivated to earn Elizabeth's forgiveness, forget his past sins, and cut all ties with Abigail. To expose the lies associated with the witchcraft, John uses a number of weapons. In the play, Abigail's motivation of jealousy is shown when Betty says "You did, you did! D. Desire for revenge for being dismissed from the Proctor household . Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. First of all, he uses the Putnam’s situation to prove that they encouraged the girls to pretend they were being attacked. He walks on eggshells around Elizabeth but struggles to contain his anger when she alludes to his unfaithfulness. She fires Abigail Williams as her servant when she discovers that the girl is having an affair with Proctor. He is motivated to find falsehood and expose it. He desires to expose Abigail, putting an abrupt end to the witch trials. (II.65-74) Elizabeth's reaction to the affair also reveals a bit of a vindictive streak. By the end of the play, Elizabeth is selflessly concerned about her husband's soul and refuses to judge John regarding his decision to confess or die a martyr. He believes that through his actions, he can stop something wrong and manipulate it into something good and right (as is shown when Tituba confesses to the devil, Hale decides to rip her out of the devil’s grasp). What three things does hale learn about that condemn the proctor household. Sign up now, Latest answer posted September 19, 2015 at 12:48:26 PM, Latest answer posted August 20, 2017 at 2:20:14 PM, Latest answer posted April 30, 2020 at 4:21:00 PM, Latest answer posted October 19, 2017 at 5:54:49 PM, Latest answer posted November 24, 2014 at 5:19:54 PM. 2. A more subterranean motivation that Abigail has is her “love” for John Proctor and her jealousy of Elizabeth Proctor. List all of Abigail's reasons (motivation) for accusing Elizabeth proctor. He then becomes motivated to save Elizabeth's life, protect his name, and undermine the corrupt court. With the court, he sacrificed his own reputation to point out the falsehood of the accusations that Abigail was making. Her main goal is to eradicate Elizabeth Proctor and to gain back John's "love". MOTIVATION FOR ACTIONS PERSONALITY TRAITS Abigail Williams to protect herself 17 -year old niece of Rev. He is also motivated by the administering of justice and the non-corrupted legal proceedings of a fair unbiased court. What is the relationship between John Proctor and Elizabeth in the story The Crucible? Miller could have written Elizabeth Proctor, married to the adulterous John Proctor, to be scornful, vengeful or pitiful, even. Initially, he is concerned with not only getting his marriage back on track (as is his wife) but also with protecting his reputation. This moment shows her desperately trying to be honest in explaining why Abigail hates her but also trying to be fair to her husband, who she loves. What are Giles Corey’s famous last words? Initially, John is motivated to earn his wife's forgiveness and repair his marriage. Ad revenue is used to help feed, clothe and send children from developing nations to school. Another question on English. She lied to save his reputation. In Act IV, John is motivated first by a desire to save his life and then, finally, by a desire to retain his integrity. You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! When he is questioned about his intentions, he exclaims that “these are my friends. She is an orphan, an unmarried, dependent teenager and worst of all, for her (especially in the patriarchal Puritan society) a female. Also, admitting his error would automatically diminish his reputation as well as the public’s trust. Tutor and Freelance Writer. When confronted with the truth, he is uncertain about admitting his error, probably because he had never fathomed the idea of the accusers being wrong. John is also motivated to defend his name and recognizes that dying a martyr will undermine Salem's court. Elizabeth's motivation changes over the course of the play. When he first enters the play, he is known to have “a sharp and biting way with hypocrites” and in his “presence a fool felt his foolishness instantly”. PROCTOR: ‘it is as though I come into a court when I come into this house’ (Proctor thought that everytime he came into the house he has judged Elizabeth as if it was court. ) The motivation of jealousy is portrayed by Abigail in The Crucible numerous times. I disagree with the above post. She is clearly hoping to impress him with her cooking in Act II, as she says that she "took great care" with the rabbit stew; she also tells him that the "magistrate sits in [his] heart that judges [him]," and that she does not. Elizabeth Proctor (née Bassett) was the wife of wealthy farmer John Proctor (of Salem Village), and was accused of witchcraft in the ‘Salem Witch Trials’ in 1692. The name part of that really shows ... which causes all the problems because Abigail believes that if she can accuse Elizabeth Proctor, Proctor’s wife, of being a witch, than John Proctor will love her. Answers: 1 Show answers. As the play progresses, Elizabeth is motivated to expose Abigail as a liar, prove her innocence, and protect John's reputation, which is why she denies being involved in witchcraft and lies about her husband's infidelity. When Mary Warren suggests that the girls tell the truth and accept the punishments waiting for them, Abigail rejects it and threatens all of them, all to save her own skin. Elizabeth Proctor has a complex role in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” the 1953 play that uses the Salem Witch Trials of the 1600s to criticize the witch-hunt for communists during the “Red Scare” of the 1950s. witchcraft the crucible. 4. After John is arrested, he is motivated to save his life but also desires to protect his friends by refusing to sign a false confession. At this point, John is motivated to free his wife. All the accusers were young females who claimed they were attacked by demonic specters. PROCTOR: I'll not have it! Elizabeth agrees to speak with Proctor. Arthur writes that “his goal is light, goodness and its preservation”. Proctor: Elizabeth, you bewilder him! ELIZABETH: Then let you not earn it. John Proctor is one of the most forward and blunt characters ever written. This motivation is shown when Abigail accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft, and is resolved with John refuses to be with Abigail and admits to his adultery. As a girl, she says she “saw Indians smash my dear parents head on the pillow next to mine”. B. The wife of John Proctor. Furthermore, he used the truth of the Putnam's situation to prove why they may have encouraged the girls to pretend. Although at first, he believed that the witchcraft hysteria would end quickly and with no casualties, the situation changed drastically when Abigail accused Elizabeth of witchery. As a result, he was seduced by Abigail which Abigail saw as a sign of love. It is in this way that John Proctor regards himself as a fraud. We are looking for previous essays and assignments that you aced! O A. Artwork and/or literature (aside from The Crucible) inspired by the events named in The Crucible. Top subjects are Literature, Social Sciences, and History. And we know that she cannot lie. Abigail naively believes that John Proctor likes her instead and that Elizabeth is the only obstacle between Abigail’s dreams, or rather her delusions. (The man who was “pressed” to death with stones) 16. A. He becomes angry when Elizabeth continues to insist that he should go to town and tell the court what Abigail told him. It is natural choice to go from worth nothing to extreme importance. Elizabeth Proctor is a moral, Christian woman who is one of the main characters of the play.