Examples Of Sacrifice In The Crucible

Sacrifice is giving up something valuable of yours for someone else. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller witchcraft accusations were on the rise and Abigail Williams was the main accuser. As more and more women were accused, people started to get suspicious. Accusing people started to become a way to get back at someone that you have a grudge against. John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor were suspicious of the accusations and knew some things that the court was not aware of. Giles Corey was also suspicious of the trials, he believed that people were using these trials to kill off other families because of a feud they had had over land. To try and prove that these trials were unfair and Abigail was faking, all three characters sacrificed something …show more content…
In court when Danforth asks Elizabeth, “Look at me! To your knowledge, has John Proctor ever committed the crime of lechery? Answer my question! Is your husband a lecher?” Elizabeth faintly replies, “No, sir.” Danforth forcefully says, “Remove her, Marshal.” John desperately responds, “Elizabeth, tell the truth.” Danforth yells, “She has spoken. Remove her!” John cries out, “Elizabeth, I have confessed!” To which Elizabeth replies, “Oh God!” John exclaims, “She only thought to save my name!” (Miller 949). Elizabeth sacrificed being jailed and possibly getting sentenced to hang, to save her husband's name. Danforth was aggressively questioning her if John was a lecher. Elizabeth held her ground and calmly said no, without knowing John had already confessed. She knew how much John's name meant to him and knew that if the affair got out it would be ruined. Immediately after she said no John tells Elizabeth to tell the truth knowing what would happen to her. As the marshal starts to remove her John cry out saying that he confessed. Knowing her fate she exclaims, “Oh God!”. John knows that she never lies and the only reason she lied was to save him and his name. Elizabeth sacrificed herself by saying the affair never happened. She knew that if the court found out about John and Abigail he could be jailed and his name would be ruined. Another sacrifice Elizabeth made was her life. Like John Elizabeth had very strong integrity. When John and Elizabeth talking before John was about to confess, John says, “Would you give them such a lie? Say it. Would you ever give them this?” Elizabeth cannot answer. “You would not; if tongs of fire were singeing you you would not! It is evil. Good, then-it is evil, and I do it!” (Miller 967). John asks Elizabeth straight up if she would lie and confess, and she could not answer. Elizabeth not answering means she would not