CrucibleHow does Miller show the development of the relationship between John and Elizabeth Procter in the
The Crucible How does Miller show the development of the relationship between John and Elizabeth Procter in the course of the play? Arthur Miller creates a unique atmosphere during the course of the play. ... The relationship between John Procter and his wife Elizabeth reflects the mood and feelings of these times. ... The initial impression received from watching the opening act of the play is that John Procter’s marriage is unsettled and unstable. ... Intimacy is clearly visible between the two of them and Abigail makes it clear that she loves and desperately wants John. She tells him, “ John I am waiting for you every night” but we do not see John encourage her or return her affection. Miller conveys that they were once intimate, but we see John now leap to his wife’s defence when Abigail calls her a “cold, snivelling woman.” John shakes her and replies, “You’ll speak nothing of Elizabeth.” We see that John regrets being with Abigail and does not seem to want to continue in any type of relationship with her. Miller has introduced the first development in John and Elizabeth Procter’s relationship. ... In act 2 most of the stage directions hint at the difficulties in the couples relationship. For example we watch as a ‘a sense of their separation arises’ The language Miller uses when we see the couple being hostile to one another reflects this stage direction as we hear them using short clipped rather cold sounding sentences.