The Crucible

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The Crucible

Miller shows the strain in John and Elizabeth’s relationship in a number of ways. He does this by giving them each one line; he does this to show that the couple are greatly uncomfortable with talking to each other. “What keeps you so late? It’s almost dark” “I were planting far out to the forest edge”. this shows that this couple is very scared to talk to each other and say more than one short sentence to each other. The tension builds up when they are having a conversation.

In addition, Miller shows the strain in this relationship through stage directions like: “Elizabeth received the kiss with a certain disappointment” this shows the strain as she does not kiss him back, she only receives it. The fact that she only “received the kiss with a certain disappointment” shows that she does not really want a kiss and is very sad about something about something, most possibly concerning their relationship. Also Elizabeth has found out about John and Abigail which also has a huge effect on the relationship because Elizabeth thinks that they are having an affair. The dialogue between the two shows the strain on the relationship as it mostly short things said to each other and at the start of the scene the couple don’t greet each other, Elizabeth goes straight into questioning John which shows that she might be somehow suspicious of him.

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Miller shows that life in Massachusetts was very hard for women and they had no recognition in the community. The women in Massachusetts lived in fear of the devil possessing them. Men where very powerful over women, they where in charge of everything around their own household and could resort to violence if the women did not do what they requested. People in 1962 has only the bible to read, so they had to followed everything the Bible said. The fear of devil was very common not only to women but also for men too.

Miller shows that ...

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