By referring to the scenes when they are alone at the beginning of Act two and Act four show how Miller creates a sense of tension and conflict, between Elizabeth and John in the former and the sense of the power of their love in the latter.

         Proctor answers ‘I were planting far out to the forest edge’ Elizabeth’s next lines make her sound relieved and so she continues asking about his day. She may still not believe him totally and so continues to ask questions. During this period Elizabeth is plating up the couples dinner. In the stage directions the audience are told that as John enters the house he walks over to the pot tastes the dinner. He isn’t best pleased and so adds a pinch of salt. He does this so he can compliment his wife ‘its well seasoned’ Elizabeth receives the compliment and blushes. During the meal John gets up to kiss Elizabeth ‘ he gets up goes to her and kisses her. she received it with a certain disappointment, he returns to the table” when john attempts to kiss her, she receives it but does not return it. Maybe she can’t face it that Abigail has once kissed her man. John talks for a while and Elizabeth doesn’t answer, she is very quiet and timid. She could be tense and awaiting witchcraft trials. Proctor asks ‘I think you’re sad again, are you?.’ They haven’t fallen out or argued but this is almost like the run up.  She answers ‘ you come so late I thought you’d gone to Salem this afternoon.’ She has let it slip, she proved she didn’t trust him she feared that he had been with Abigail. Miller is deliberately trying to show jealousy.  The readers feel a lack of trust. John gets angry and cross with Elizabeth for she let Mary Warren go to Salem after he had forbidden it. However Elizabeth pushes John and insists he must go to Salem to tell them that it is a fraud. Proctor tells his wife he can not prove what Abigail said to him he tells her that he was alone with her. She is angry the tension builds the conflict arises and she accuses him of lying. He says ‘ woman I’ll have your suspicion anymore I’ll not have it.’

Chris Haworth

Post – 1914 Drama

The Crucible

You get the impression that John is getting to the end of his tether. The stage directions make it clear to the audience that their marriage is suffering. John is so angry with Elizabeth and the atmosphere continues. He is permanently tense. They are shouting and bawling at each other ‘ you forget nothing. You forgive nothing.’ Elizabeth immediately answers ‘I don’t judge you.’ She is trying desperately hard to hold the family together. Miller makes it obvious the strain the relationship is under in all stage directions.

        Act four takes place in the dark cell of Salem jail. Deliberately by miller to symbolise the dark narrow minds of the Salem people. The prosecutors need confessions otherwise the likelihood of a rebellion could occur. The prosecutors want to convince to persuade Proctor to confess so he can save his life. In this act it is the first contact that the couple have had for three months in a very dramatic form. Even before the couples are left alone Miller puts stage directions ‘ he halts in the door way to try and show emotion between them.’ Everybody leaves. Miller uses stage directions as if in a spinning world. Sense of their separation in acts two but their closeness suggested in little gestures that conversations is in short sentences no uneasiness but general concern for each other and children. A dash is used for dramatic pause. All this is too much for Elizabeth ‘catches a weakness.’ This isn’t the behaviour of cold women. They talked about different people. Here there is nothing shown but love and care for each other totally different from Act 2. When Proctor decides to confess to his adultery he cannot look at her. There is a lot of pauses in their convocation John asks for her forgiveness ‘I would have your forgiveness’ she could hardly speak but here answers are sweet and genuine. She says ‘ what ever you will do a good man will do it’ they both try to make amends. Proctor decides to confess he has Elizabeth’s love and approval.  Miller keeps the drama going illustrates the extent of the couples love.  Elizabeth weeping is lifted and taken out. He lifts her up and kisses her with great passion. Elizabeth is desperately sad. Stage directions show faithfulness and love for each other. When they talk in Act 4 they use each others names but in Act 2 they don’t. Miller is an excellent play writer and shows the relationship between two people superbly well. His favourite technique is stage directions these make great differences to the play.