revised proctor analysis Flashcards
(7 cards)
“I’ve known her sir, i have known her”
This quote marks the first moment where proctor openly admits to his sin- an affair with ex housekeeper Abigail Williams. This line from proctor comes in the court as Elizabeth, his wife, is currently being accused of witchery by Abigail. Proctor’s confessions comes as he is desperately trying to undermine and expose the lies and manipulation that Abigail and her girls are spreading about his wife. Abigails accusations are driven out of spite, as Elizabeth split her and proctor up by firing her after she found out about the affair, effectively ruining her chances with him ever again. By confessing, Proctor chooses to do the right thing, sacrificing his good name — something he values deeply — to save his wife. this emphasises the nobility of proctor and shows his longingness to redeem himself to his wife. His willingness to tarnish his good name for the sake of truth and love emphasises the depth of his remorse.
“you have made your magic now, for now i do not believe i will be leaving”
This quote occurs in act four in the final sequence of the play as proctor has the decision to either falsely confess to witchcraft or refuse and be executed. Here we see proctor speak out about the corruption now within Salem, spearheaded by Abigail and her band of girls. The magic that proctor refers too in the first part of this sentence is not supernatural, but the lies and manipulation created by Abigail to gain power and accuse people within Salem of witchery. The latter part from proctor can almost be interpreted as a resignation, he is realising that the depth of corruption within Salem is now too deep and there is no escape for him. This moment completes Proctors’ journey of redemption, showing his moral strength and refusal to be part of the corrupt Salem system.
“Because it is my name!”
This powerful outburst from proctor comes as he is faced with the impossible choice of either dying with honour and keeping his “good” name within the village or falsely signing the confession and living a lie. Ultimately proctor chooses the noble and honest option with him refusing to sign- recognising that his name is the one good thing he has left. This outburst really conveys his frustration with the fact that neither option is good. Proctor believes the only thing he had left was his good name and he couldn’t bring himself to tarnish and ruin it, even if this decision would cost his life. This moment powerfully conveys his transformation from guilt riddled and broken to principled and heroic, making this decision seem tragic but noble.
“With a cry of his whole soul”
This emotional moment from proctor also comes in act 4 as he is finally realising there is no escape from the corruption now within Salem. This emotional moment from proctor is not just a casual tear up but a cry from deep within himself. This cry is a culmination of his moral journey throughout the play. This creates sympathy from the viewer, to see this once strong man now reduced to this emotional state really shows the tragic nature of this whole situation.
“He is a sinner”
This quote comes in the overture and is the first we ever hear of proctor. This firstly creates a negative impression of proctor in our minds, just as a sin is a significant moral failing that goes against religious belief so too does it show that in his past, he has made some significant mistakes. We later learn that this sin that is being referred to is adultery, as proctor had an affair behind his wife’s back with his housekeeper Abigail Williams. This quote sets the stage for proctors’ internal conflict for the rest of the play as he himself never lets him live this mistake down.
Conflict
Internal conflict is used at the beginning of the play to depict Proctor as a man burdened with guilt over his affair. this problem, which haunts him every day, has created a rift between him and his wife, Elizabeth. Proctor’s admission of guilt to the court, coupled with the fact that he never lets himself live down the affair, makes him more relatable. While he is far from perfect, his self-awareness of his short comings and moral failing creates sympathy for him as we begin to see that he genuinely is a good man who’s just made one mistake. His internal conflict can also be shown between his desire to do what’s right and the preservation of his good name within the village. As the witch trials begin to spiral out of control he must choose between the preservation of his name through silence or exposing the truth and facing death. Ultimately, he refuses to sign the confession and chooses honesty, in doing so he redeems himself and find moral clarity and integrity, although it is at the cost of his life. Overall proctors internal conflict links back to the hypocrisy now within Salem, a society the punishes the honest, and rewards the deceitful.
