Sexual Repression In The Crucible
The society in Salem in The Crucible is seen to be highly influenced by Puritans ideals. To the Puritans, sexual intercourse should be restricted to only your spouse, and those who violate this should be severely fined and punished. Sexual desires, according to the Puritans, are considered a sin and should be ignored. In The Crucible, sexual repression plays an important motivation that drives the main characters in their actions toward one another and the community of Salem. The actions of Abigail Williams, John Proctor, and Elizabeth Proctor are influenced by their sex and sexual repression toward each other.
The main antagonist of the play, Abigail, is guided by her sexual urges toward John Proctor. The witch trials that were started by …show more content…
“No more! I should have roared you down when first you told me your suspicion. But I wilted, and like a Christian, I confessed…Let you sometimes look for the goodness in me, and judge me not” (1064). When Elizabeth confronts Proctor about his fling with Abigail, he reveals the truth to her because of his Christian background. This reveal, however, leads to their relationship becoming more restrained and Elizabeth losing the trust she had in her husband. Proctor’s scandalous affair also impacted his decision to tell the truth about Abigail when he had the chance. “I may have looked up” (1045). Proctor kept the details about Abigail's lie because he didn’t want Abigail to confess about their affair and ruining his reputation. “How do you call Heaven? Whore! Whore” (1096)! He admitted the truth about Abigail and his past relationship with her when Elizabeth is imprisoned, but it was overlooked when Abigail tried to place the blame on Mary Warren. The court believed Abigail’s word because of her authority as crucial evidence to the witch trials. She kept denying her acts of fraud, even when Mary Warren confessed the truth and Proctor revealed his affair with her. If Proctor had told Hale about Abigail’s lie beforehand, she wouldn’t have any power to cast doubt on Elizabeth or Proctor. It was due to Proctor’s
The main antagonist of the play, Abigail, is guided by her sexual urges toward John Proctor. The witch trials that were started by …show more content…
“No more! I should have roared you down when first you told me your suspicion. But I wilted, and like a Christian, I confessed…Let you sometimes look for the goodness in me, and judge me not” (1064). When Elizabeth confronts Proctor about his fling with Abigail, he reveals the truth to her because of his Christian background. This reveal, however, leads to their relationship becoming more restrained and Elizabeth losing the trust she had in her husband. Proctor’s scandalous affair also impacted his decision to tell the truth about Abigail when he had the chance. “I may have looked up” (1045). Proctor kept the details about Abigail's lie because he didn’t want Abigail to confess about their affair and ruining his reputation. “How do you call Heaven? Whore! Whore” (1096)! He admitted the truth about Abigail and his past relationship with her when Elizabeth is imprisoned, but it was overlooked when Abigail tried to place the blame on Mary Warren. The court believed Abigail’s word because of her authority as crucial evidence to the witch trials. She kept denying her acts of fraud, even when Mary Warren confessed the truth and Proctor revealed his affair with her. If Proctor had told Hale about Abigail’s lie beforehand, she wouldn’t have any power to cast doubt on Elizabeth or Proctor. It was due to Proctor’s