Francesca Sear-Mayes 08/18/2001
The Crucible
What do you learn about the characters involved in this interchange? How does Miller make the scene dramatic?
At the beginning of this extract John, Mary, Abigail and Mercy are in the room. Betty is lying on the bed supposedly unconscious. John enters and interrupts a conversation between the girls about what happened in the woods, at the beginning of this extract the atmosphere changes. This extract reveals a lot about two of the main characters in the play, Abigail and John Proctor; this is revealed through their language and the stage directions given by Miller.
When John enters the room Abigail’s first reaction is to stand on tiptoes, this shows that she is trying to bring herself up to John’s level and be noticed by him. Abigail absorbs John’s presence we are told this through Miller’s stage directions, “[absorbing his presence, wide-eyed]” this suggests that Abigail loves John as she savours every moment in his presence. The first thing that Abigail says to John shows her admiration for him, “I’d almost forgotten how strong you are.” When John asks what has happened to Betty Abigail does not tell him the truth, “she’s only gone silly” this shows that Abigail does not even trust the person she loves; suggests that she may not truly love John. John mentions to Abigail that people are talking of witchcraft, her way of dealing with this is to move closer as if trying to seduce him. This shows another one of her methods of persuading people to her way of thinking. Miller shows that what is going on between John and Abby is a sin in his stage directions, “[she dares come closer]” and “[feverishly looking into his eyes]” I think that these quotes also show Abigail is afraid of what John’s reactions will be to her advances. Abigail is desperate for John, when he takes a step to go she, “[springs into his path]” as if she is trapping her prey. Abigail begs John for a soft word, I think that this shows just how desperate Abby is to be loved, “Give me a word, John. A soft word.” Abigail then seems to change her tactics, she teases John by telling him she does not believe he has come to see Betty, “I know you better.” This shows that Abigail has a lot of self-confidence to make such an assumption; Miller also shows this when John makes another rejection, “[she can’t believe it.]”. We can see that Abigail is used to having her own way, she really does not believe that she is being rejected, “You’re surely sportin’ with me”. Abigail cannot believe that John does not love her, but from the example she gives of his ‘love’ shows that she appears to have lust confused with love, “you sweated like a stallion whenever I came near!” Abigail tells John that he is, “ no wintry man” she thinks this because of the passion they have shared, associating their passion with warmth and the sun. Abigail loses control and begins weeping she grabs John as if it is her last chance of securing his love, “[clutches him desperately].” I think that Abigail’s weakness comes from being emotionally involved; she regains herself with angry remarks. John calls Abby a child she gets angry and shows that she will not stand for people patronizing her. The argument between Abby and John then moves on and becomes bitter. Abigail is manipulative she knows how to hurt John and does, by mentioning his wife, “she is a cold snivelling woman.” At the end of the extract Abby shows that she believes John did love her, “you loved me,” and that he still does, “you love me yet.” This may not be true but this is what Abby wants to believe, this shows a lot about Abby’s character and her role in the play, as the accuser, further on in the play it is not only Abby who believe her wild accusations.
