Look at the beginning of act two. How does Arthur Miller show the audience the strain in the relationship between John and Elizabeth Proctor?
English Coursework
Look at the beginning of act two. How does Arthur Miller show the audience the strain in the relationship between John and Elizabeth Proctor?
Arthur Miller shows the strain of the relationship between Elizabeth and John Proctor to the audience by what they see, hear, and feel by the things what the couple says, do, and act. They could also sense strain and tension by staging.
He emphasises the difficult relationship by the contrast of the scene. Ie, when the audience first see the stage, they are met with a very homely, domestic scene. "Elizabeth is heard softly singing to the children." They also see a pot cooking in the fireplace. This shouldn't show any tension or coldness in their relationship or home. However, they immediately sense something strange when John enters, since instead of calling to Elizabeth, e.g. "I'm home!" John stays silent.
They then meet other difficulties in the relationship when John Proctor tastes the food Elizabeth has prepared for him, and, as he is "not quite pleased"; he adjusts it until he is pleased. Arthur Miller might have put this in as a relating gesture of John and Elizabeth, ie that he has high expectations, of her and other things, and wants them to be perfect as he considers it.
Before she enters, he swings the pot back. This could signify to the audience that he keeps or has kept many secrets from her in the past, the biggest one probably being his relationship with Abigail Williams. The audience knows he has had an affair with Abigail by the way they talked and acted around each other in act one. " I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I'll ever reach for you again." From that declaration Arthur Miller has told the audience through the media of drama that he is determined to try to fix his marriage with Elizabeth.
The fact that he swung back the pot can also indicate that he doesn't want to hurt her feelings by letting her know that he didn't feel the food she had "taken great care" with was seasoned properly.
He also carries a gun, which to the audience who are seeing it for the first time might seem like he has innocently gone hunting. To audience who have already seen the play before though, it might seem like he might be using as an alibi, especially since he came home late which might seem suspicious to Elizabeth.
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The fact that he swung back the pot can also indicate that he doesn't want to hurt her feelings by letting her know that he didn't feel the food she had "taken great care" with was seasoned properly.
He also carries a gun, which to the audience who are seeing it for the first time might seem like he has innocently gone hunting. To audience who have already seen the play before though, it might seem like he might be using as an alibi, especially since he came home late which might seem suspicious to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth does seem suspicious, since she asks him "What keeps you so late?" immediately, without greeting him first. The actor playing Elizabeth should consider how she should say those lines, in a cold suspicious manner, which is what she honestly feels and thinks, or as a warm-hearted, worried wife, which would be pretending.
After he has justified his tardiness, they try very hard to have a normal conversation, although Elizabeth already seems hurt and cold since she answers in very short, crisp answers. "Aye", "I am", or " That's well".
They talk about their children, the weather and so on. However the subjects they talk about are very shallow, and their conversation seems rather forced, especially from Elizabeth's side. "Are you well today?" John asks, then she replies, "I am."
Neither of them asks or answer deep or detailed answers or questions, which is how two people who, have just recently met converse. Miller might have done this deliberately to show the audience that although John and Elizabeth live together, they never or rarely properly talk, and don't know much about each other.
She mentions a rabbit walked into the house, and he replies "Oh, that's a good sign walking in." This could be a "good sign" because rabbits are seen as soft, gentle creatures which only come in areas that they consider safe, warm and loving, which is what John Proctor wants his wife and his house to be. He also later says that she "ought to bring flowers into the house" because "Its winter (a cold and empty season) in here yet." Hence, he would be pleased of warmth and gentleness entering the house,
However, the most logical reason of why he is happy of the rabbit walking in is that he wouldn't have to hunt for rabbit meat for a while.
She sits and watches him taste it. and doesn't eat herself since she has presumably eaten with the children. In those times, (1692) wives were expected to stay at home, clean the house, cook the food, take care of the children, and obey their husbands. They were also expected to be good Christians, be calm, quiet etc. To express these qualities above, Elizabeth should probably dress in quite plain, conservative clothes, and " walk straight, eyes slightly lowered, arms at the sides, and talk quietly."
He then compliments her about the rabbit, "It's well seasoned", and she receives it, 'blushing with pleasure'. She then adds, that she "took great care." Again, both are trying hard to be friendly to each other, to try to avoid argument. It is however; ironic that Proctor complimented her on the seasoning on the rabbit, since he seasoned it himself.
After that, he talks about the farm and says with a grin "I mean to please you Elizabeth." And she answers, "I know it John." However, before she answers, she pauses, and "finds it hard to say." This means that she might not think he honestly wants to please her, or make their marriage work. Since this is quite a dramatic moment, I think the lighting should focus on her at this point, and if present the orchestra should be silent to emphasize her hesitation.
The author then repeats Elizabeth's lack of love and coldness when John proctor gets up and kisses her, and then returns disappointed. This is so that if the audience misses the pause, thus showing her disbelief and distrust in him, they will see her total lack in passion and love when John is rejected from Elizabeth,.
He then asks her for some cider, as gently as he can, since he feels she is hurt, and doesn't want to make her feel any worse. He then says, "Its winter in here yet," which might be a hint for her to warm her heart and become more loving.
Yet since her badly wants to be nice, he asks her on type of date, to walk across the farm. They both get up, and he walks to the door, and he seems quite happy. She however, isn't. He seems to notice this, and asks her if she is sad again.
As they say these last lines, I think that 'the sense of their separation' should be emphasised be lighting. Ie, the lights, which have been directed at both of them together so far, should split, a light on each character. This would subtly hint to the audience that although they are desperately striving to make their marriage work, it can't yet because there is a distance between them, and they're not on the same wavelength. The audience can also see this when John seems deep in his thoughts about spring, flowers, and Massachusetts, while Elizabeth seems to worry about something.
She answers to his question, "Are you sad again" and immediately justifies her answer when she says that she thought he had gone to Salem since he was back so late. This could show the audience that she thought he had gone to see Abigail, because they know Abigail lives in Salem from what they saw in act one.
He knows that she thought of him going to see Abigail, so he says he has no business in Salem. This shows the audience, that although he is eager to let go of the past, (which is also shown in act one "I will cut my hand off before I ever reach for you (Abigail) again.") Elizabeth has not yet forgiven him, which he accuses her of later. "You forgive nothing' and forget nothin'!"
She then admits to having let Mary go to Salem and this makes him quite angry. However, when she carries on he starts shouting at her 'holding back a full condemnation of her' and says that she should control her servants better. Perhaps he also thinks that she should have controlled Abigail, so he wouldn't have had an affair with her.
Basically, in this part of Act Two, the author shows that the strain in their relationship was caused by his affair with Abigail, which has resulted with her distrust. Miller also shows that Proctor quickly raises his temper, which could also strain a relationship. Proctor only seems to have raised his temper when Abigail and his affair with her are mentioned. This could be because he feels guilty.
Knowing what parts of the act give hints to their difficult relationship helps tremendously when the play is performed, since the director knows what parts of the act he must emphasise. He can do that by using different lighting, sound effects, dramatic music from an orchestra, acting, and pauses.
By Karina Wortelboer
