"You are pulling down Heaven an raising up a whore"

Monday, April 19, 2010

Act two and Three


In Act two the tension between Proctor and his wife is revealed. They say little to each other before an argument begins. In Act two we realize that Proctor doesn’t like people judging him and prefers to answer to no one but God. He is frustrated with everything that’s going on and lets his anger gets the best of him. He is a calm character until his temper problem emerges. In act two he threatened Mary Warren and his wife. Another aspect of Proctor that is revealed during Act two is his dislike for Paris and the work of the court. He thinks that Paris is materialistic and that the work of the court is nonsense. He feels that the court’s convicting innocent people on the words of silly children. When Cheever came to arrest Elizabeth, Proctor tore up the warrant. He soon after decided that something had to be done about Abigail.
In Act two once the trials have begun Proctor realizes that he could stop Abigail’s hysteria if he confessed his sin. Thought he wanted to save his wife his name was very important to him also. Proctor is the type of character who thinks reputations are significant. In order to stop Abigail he knew he would have to ruin his good name. At first he is hesitant and convinces Mary Warren to speak against Abigail and the girls.



In act three. Proctor gets involved with the action of the play. He is angered by the arrest of his wife and decides to stop the witch trials. At first he tries to show Abigail as the pretender she is without blackening his name. He went to court hoping to use Mary Warren’s testimony, Abigail’s admission to there being no witchcraft involved, and he and Abigail’s affair to bring down Abigail. Desperate and frustrated he confessed, hoping that the court would see Abigail as no longer a saint but a whore. He soon realizes that’s its too late and the truth can’t help the situation. He ends up getting himself arrested and accused of being a witch. Even though he didn’t convince the court, he was closer to regaining his self respect. He feels that by admitting his lechery he is no longer a hypocrite.

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