Elizabeth Proctor Character Analysis

“I counted myself so plain, so poorly made, that no honest love could come to me” (Miller 4: 515-519). When Elizabeth Proctor says this, she’s telling John Proctor that it was her fault she felt she could not be loved by him. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Goody Proctor’s crucible begins when John Proctor builds a relationship with Abigail Williams. This hardship is sustained throughout the witch trials when Abigail Williams accuses Goody Proctor of witchcraft and is put to rest with John Proctor’s execution. This series of events slowly eats away at Elizabeth Proctor’s confidence. In the beginning, Goody Proctor is portrayed as a strong independant woman. Towards the end, Elizabeth shows her weakened side. The relationship between John …show more content…
Elizabeth remains calm about this while John Proctor loses his temper. When Elizabeth first discovers John and Abigail’s affair, she dismisses Abigail from being her servant. This infuriates Abigail so she begins to plan revenge on Elizabeth to get her out of the picture. “She is blackening my name in the village! She is a cold, sniveling woman, and you bend to her” (Miller 1: 203-204)! When Abigail says this to John she’s explaining how Elizabeth is spreading the rumor about her supposedly dancing in the woods naked. She speaks nothing but bad words about Elizabeth.
John Proctor refuses to let his good name be taken from him. He rips up the confession paper, committing a selfish act. He knows he will be hung without the proof of his confession yet he continues to do it, disregarding Elizabeth’s feelings. If John would have not ripped the confession paper, Elizabeth and him could have gone home and all charges would be dropped.
From being in a cold and bitter marriage to being accused of witchcraft, Elizabeth Proctor has held her ground and remains strong. In the beginning she is unforgiving of John, but this crucible she faces pulls them closer together. By act 4, Elizabeth confesses her love to John and supports his disicion to rip the confession paper. All of these events have helped Elizabeth Proctor realize what is really important, and has made her

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