What has their marriage got to do with the other themes and issues of the play?
There is an atmosphere of guilt within the Proctor household that mirrors the similar conditions within the larger Puritan society. The Proctors need an outlet to be able to redeem Proctor's sins and without this means for redemption they will always argue and judge each other, without actually resolving the problems or Proctor’s infidelity. This applies to the whole of the Puritan society, that there will not be peace, but always arguments and blame, unless there is some way for people to redeem their sins.
The scene moves from the intimate conversation between husband and wife to more public matters, showing the weakening of the boundaries between private matters and public matters. The court officials use private information for their public evidence, and to back up accusations. The fact that Proctor is questioned about his religion, and that he stumbles upon adultery when reciting the 10 commandments to defend himself, shows that the Proctors’ marriage show the overlap between private and public.
The ambiguity of the evidence that is used to accuse people of witchcraft is illustrated in the Proctors’ marriage; even beginning when Elizabeth thinks of Proctor's late arrival at home as possible evidence that he may be guilty of seeing Abigail Williams. This continues when the presence of a poppet in the Proctors’ house, and the slip-up on the 10 commandments is used to accuse Elizabeth. Any small slip-up from the Christian religion is reason for suspicion. Proctor, in forgetting to name adultery apparently shows that his entire household has been involved with the devil, according to the accusers.
One of the big issues in the play is Proctor’s affair with Abigail Williams, and Proctor’s dilemma over whether he should expose his sin, but end Abigail’s power, or keep it bottled up and let the accusations reign on. This dilemma becomes even more intense when his wife becomes involved in the accusations, and gets put at risk at Proctor’s mercy.
Why do you think Miller chose to place a relationship like this at the centre of his play?
- It is not a standard, trouble free marriage, but in fact a stiff bonding full of doubts, judgments and accusations. This makes it more interesting, and more suitable for the play.
- The husband in the marriage has had an affair with one of the main leaders in the accusations and hysteria in witchcraft, making the Proctors’ marriage central to the play, and having a key role in it.
- The marriage encaptures the type of marriage possible in the Puritan society; that even if you are completely unhappy in the marriage you are in, you have to stay in it, without deviating from the standard Christian doctrine, otherwise you get accused of witchcraft.
