This idea of Elizabeth’s small dry, lifeless manner of speech does not just relate to the quotation, above but to the whole pattern of her speech in the extract. This of course being the opposite to John’s efforts, and subtle hints of his humour. Clear evidence of this is shown when John tries the first time to impress or as he puts it ‘please’ his wife, ‘If the crop is good I’ll buy George Jacob’s heifer. How would that please you?’ but again she chooses with a very simple response, that just about covers the very basics of an answer in order to interact with another human, not what John wants to be receiving. John’s speech is, as first recognised, the effort behind there basic but intriguing interaction. His manner of speech can only be described as light hearted, comical, very humble and with some degree of affection, which would lead to one believing that he doesn’t want to do any wrong to disturb his wife. This being despite the fact that he seems to be a disturbance to her through out the piece. Notice this at the begging of the extract when John first arrives, and she immediately begins interrogating him, ‘What keeps you so late, it’s almost dark.’ His humbleness can be picked up on when he requests for the cider, and he asks, ‘as gently as he can,’ almost as he would if walking across eggshells.
John’s actions also depict the way he feels about his wife as he is said to ‘kiss her.’ The kiss is however taken by Elizabeth, as opposed to have joint in kiss. Which John picks up on as he returns to the table, ‘with a certain Disappointment.’
One can’t help to get the feeling that Elizabeth, really does want to relax in the presence of her husband but her self-respect is restricting her, due to previous issues in the play. Evidence for this is the way in which John manages to make her blush, when complimenting on the stew, her responding, ‘I took great care, she’s tender?’ this small interaction is the only real human relaxed interaction between the two, the rest being very rigid, especially on Elizabeth’s behalf. One can detect this as she lets her guard down when forgetting Johns cider, the stage directions depict that she punishes herself, ‘With a sense of reprimanding herself having forgot.’ John also lets this machine like front down when he confesses with a rye smile, ‘I mean to please you Elizabeth.’ Almost saying to her ‘what else can I do’ in his intolerant smile. Her answer to his remark is not an honest one, as she outwardly says, she knows, but inside she is only revisiting the time when John had his affair with Abigail and why he wasn’t so interested in pleasing her then. This can be notice by the stage directions, ‘-It is hard to say.’ and this idea is clearly playing on her mind as on page 44 she lets out her thoughts, ‘(quietly-she has a sudden loss of faith in him): Do as you wish, then. (She starts to turn)’ The way in which they both are keeping rigid, appears to be there way of protecting themselves, not being seen to do anything wrong, this again more prevalent in Elizabeth’s part as she has a, ‘one up,’ on John, due to his fall, and she like any human, appears to want to keep herself there.
The concept that Elizabeth really does want to show love and affection to her husband is in the final stage direction, following the idea painted by John of, ‘Walking the farm together,’ and how he speaks of, ‘Massachusetts being a beauty in the spring.’ The direction at the end depicts her as being trapped, really wanting to respond to his thoughts more fully but unable;
‘She is watching him from the table as he stands there absorbing the night. It is as though she would speak but cannot.’
The feeling that is put across, that lingers in their household, is a monotonous one, an existence as opposed to a complete and content life. The way they seemingly just tolerate each other. Their existence can appear dull, from John’s comment where he says, ‘you ought to bring flowers in the house…Its winter in here yet.’ The way this is put across, shows Elizabeth making little exertion again in their lives. Complimented with her quick defence offered, ‘Oh! I forgot! I will tomorrow.’ The fact that John, a man, picks up on the lack of flowers is really quite significant. In this scene flowers are simply a symbol, for excitement, or even just a glimmer of it. John as all men in a relationship need a form of excitement, and John in actual fact at this point in time would settle, for what can be one of the smallest forms, flowers. As seen in the dialog, even flowers are not on the table. So where has John received this excitement, that is a burning desire in all men? In Abigail, he may wish he could delete this, but his passion was always there. John’s appetite for stimulation can be found in Act 1 page 17. Where John and Abigail are speaking of the controversy that occurred in the woods; Abigail goes on to say, ‘Oh posh, we were dancin’ in the woods,’ as she says this, she is said to be confidently, closing in on John. John’s smile widens, as he replies, ‘Ah, you’re wicked yet aren’t y’!’ So it is clear that he is enjoying this little witty exchange, something that he doesn’t seem to be attaining from Elizabeth.
This links in with the preliminary thought of the one sided effort to the current relationship, that John is only showing. However from what has been shown previously, is that Elizabeth would show a keener interest, but is ensnared in her dissatisfaction and lack of trust in John.