Crucible - Literary Analysis

            How does a one repent in a society where there is only sin? John Proctor was a well respected man in Salem, Massachusetts. Despite his outstanding reputation, Proctor had committed the sin of adultery and, when the Salem Witch Trials began, it had been almost eight months since he saw his mistress, Abigail Williams. Throughout the play, Proctor struggles to redeem himself while also trying to save his wife from being hanged and fix his marriage. In The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, John Proctor has damned his soul as a lecher and seems to be trying to find forgiveness within his self.
             In the first scene with Proctor and Abigail, John makes it clear that their relationship was a mistake and will never happen again by clearly stating, "Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I'll ever reach for you again" (146). John obviously feels remorseful for what he's done and tries to make it clear to Abigail that their affair is over. He also shows how much he loves his wife within the same scene. When Abby mentions Elizabeth, John immediately becomes defensive and tells her to never speak Elizabeth's name again. In each conversation they have, he reiterates the fact that they are both sinners damned to hell. He also shows how much he regrets sleeping with Abigail in the movie when he says, "It's not on a ship we'll meet again, Abigail, but in hell." By this point, he's already been arrested so he knows he's going to die and, since their was no repentance, he believed that his soul was destined for hell and Abigail was to meet him there, not only for having sex out of wedlock, but for the lies she told and the blood that's on her head.
             However, when the topic comes up with Elizabeth, John again asserts his position on Abigail and their affair and seems to be frustrated that that's even a relevant factor in their relationship anymore.