Elizabeth is the long-suffering wife of a man who betrayed her. She is a good wife and mother, with a strong sense of morality and virtue. She punishes her husband continuously after his transgression by withholding her warmth, love, and trust. Abigail plays the vindictive, jilted lover. She is determined to exact revenge on Proctor's wife and have the man for herself. She has no scruples, and is willing to do whatever necessary to rid herself of her rival..... even to emit the false accusations that will lead to her demise. Like Elizabeth, she is determined to punish Proctor.
I argue with this, I just feel like Proctor is getting too much crap for what he did. I mean, he confessed.
ReplyDeleteMaria,
DeleteI think you and Ali are on the same page.
I don't blame Elizabeth at first for acting the way she was, she felt betrayed and was hurt. At the end I feel like she should've tried to save and get him to confess. I get that what he did to her wasn't right, but that doesn't give her the right to act that way. She should've at least tried to get him to confess and talk to him. I mean she is pregnant and now the baby is going to be fatherless and maybe even motherless.
ReplyDeleteAndrea, perhaps she did not try to change John's mind because she knew that this was all he had left to hold on to in order to feel like he had some integrity. After what he did with Abigail, he needed to feel like he was finally doing something right. I am sure his not saving his own life hurt her as well. Even if she begged him to lie, would he listen to her?
ReplyDeleteContrary to what most believe. I think John and Elizabeth's love grew stronger throughout the play, and climaxed in the end. Even neither of them give a profound monologue on why they love each other, to me it seemed obvious. In the beginning John was trying to gain Elizabeth's favor back but found everything he did unsuccessful. However throughout the play, John's confession to the courts, and his determination to do what he knew was right, made Elizabeth love him again. And I think the only reason Elizabeth even attempted to change John's mind in the end was because she, herself, did not want to lose him.They both knew that John was right in his actions, and could not bare the guilt of lying to save his own life. They both knew there was no other way, and that is why I believe Elizabeth did not fight for him more, did not beg him to confess. But I believe it was beautiful that for a moment Elizabeth was willing to throw away everything she believed in, and was willing to give up everything else just to have John to herself again. To me, that moment was telling of just how much they loved each other.
ReplyDelete*Even though neither
DeleteWell I don't necessarily think Elizabeth wanted to punish proctor but I think it was just difficult for her to trust him again after what he did.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth wasn't purposely trying to punish Proctor, it was her instincts to act cold and distant after a betrayal. I would be exactly the same, except I would leave the marriage. On the other hand, divorce is frowned upon in a Puritanic society so she has to stay by his side no matter what. I believe Elizabeth did truly love Proctor, but could not help but to question him since he lost all of her trust the moment Proctor was an adulterer.
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