When Elizabeth Proctor says “Oh, Elizabeth, your justice would freeze beer!” in The Crucible, she is making a sarcastic comment about her husband’s infidelity. The line is spoken after John Proctor confesses to having an affair with their servant, Abigail Williams.
Elizabeth is angry and hurt, and she doesn’t want to forgive her husband. However, she eventually does forgive him and they remain together. The Crucible is a play by Arthur Miller that examines the Salem witch trials of 1692. Elizabeth Proctor is a central character in the play, and her journey from anger to forgiveness is an important part of the story.
For decades, The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, has been studied and discussed. This play encourages readers to question humanity’s nature. Miller creates characters with significant flaws that must be overcome in order for them to have a successful relationship.
John is a dynamic character who goes through a major transformation during the play. Elizabeth, on the other hand, is more static. Despite her growth throughout The Crucible, she remains much the same person at the end as she was at the beginning. One could argue that her primary flaw is her stubbornness.
While Elizabeth’s flaws might not be as immediately apparent as John’s, they are nonetheless significant. In particular, Elizabeth has difficulty forgiving others. This is most evident in her relationship with John. Even after John confesses his affair with Abigail Williams and begs for Elizabeth’s forgiveness, she finds it hard to let go of what he did. In fact, she says to him, “Oh, Elizabeth, your justice would freeze beer!”
While Elizabeth’s unforgiving nature might seem like a minor character flaw, it actually has major implications for her relationship with John. Her inability to forgive him ultimately leads to their estrangement and Elizabeth’s decision to not tell John about the girls’ accusations against him. If she had been able to forgive him, they might have been able to work through their problems and avoid the tragedy that ultimately unfolded.
Elizabeth’s stubbornness is also a significant character flaw. This is most evident in the way she handles Mary Warren’s confession. Even though Mary begs Elizabeth to intercede on her behalf with John, Elizabeth refuses. She says, “I will not open myself again to argue and be argued.” Elizabeth’s refusal to listen to Mary ultimately leads to Mary’s decision to turn against John and testify against him at the trial.
Miller’s gives his characters extremely distinct personalities, which are always evolving throughout the play. Elizabeth Proctor’s personality evolves over the course of the drama from a highly judgmental and prejudiced spouse to an understanding and loving wife. Elizabeth Proctor appears to be very harsh and cold in her first appearance as a reader. She has a foul mouth and lacks kindness.
Elizabeth is very judgmental, particularly of her husband John. She constantly nags him and criticizes him. However, as the play progresses and Elizabeth goes through her own struggles, her character begins to change. She becomes more forgiving and understanding, particularly of her husband. By the end of the play, Elizabeth has transformed into a loving and compassionate wife. This evolution in Elizabeth’s character is due to the trials and tribulations she faces throughout the course of The Crucible.
Elizabeth Proctor is first introduced in Act I when her husband John is being interrogated by Judge Danforth about his affair with Abigail Williams. Elizabeth is angry with John for his infidelity and makes it clear that she does not trust him. This lack of trust is evident in her interactions with John throughout the play. Elizabeth is constantly nagging him and criticizing him.
However, as the play progresses and Elizabeth goes through her own struggles, her character begins to change. She becomes more forgiving and understanding, particularly of her husband. By the end of the play, Elizabeth has transformed into a loving and compassionate wife. This evolution in Elizabeth’s character is due to the trials and tribulations she faces throughout the course of The Crucible.
Elizabeth is put on trial for witchcraft in Act III. During her trial, Elizabeth refuses to give in to pressure from the court to confess to something she did not do. She remains loyal to her husband and protects him from being incriminated. Elizabeth’s loyalty to her husband despite the pressure she is under shows her growth as a character. Elizabeth has forgiven John for his affair and is now willing to stand by him no matter what.
The final act of The Crucible sees Elizabeth’s character undergo a complete transformation. After learning that her husband has been hanged for witchcraft, Elizabeth is filled with grief and remorse. She breaks down and begs forgiveness from John. Elizabeth’s grief shows how much she has changed as a person. She is no longer the judgmental and rigid woman she was at the beginning of the play. Instead, she is a loving and compassionate wife who is willing to forgive her husband for his mistakes.
Elizabeth Proctor’s character evolves during the course of The Crucible from a very rigid and judgmental partner to a forgiving and loving wife. This evolution is due to the trials and tribulations she faces throughout the course of the play. Elizabeth’s transformation is an example of how Arthur Miller’s characters change and grow over the course of the play.
“Spare me,” Elizabeth says to Proctor. “Learn charity, woman. I have tiptoed in this house for the past seven months since she died. Despite my best efforts to please you, an everlasting funeral marches around your heart every second. I am not allowed to speak because people think I’m speaking when I come into this house!” These remarks from Proctor highlight how Elizabeth treats John; it’s as if she’s been judging him every day of their marriage.
Elizabeth is a woman who is unable to forget or forgive. The fact that she can not let go of the past constantly weighs on her relationship with John, which in turn makes it difficult for him to be honest with her about his affair. Elizabeth is also very quick to judge others, as we see when she accuses Mary Warren of being a liar. While Elizabeth may have good intentions, her lack of forgiveness and understanding often works against her.
