6. Proctor is determined to purge himself of sin. Despite thinking "softly of her from time to time." Proctor sets "her firmly out.
of his path," and makes it clear to Abigail to put their affair "out of mind.".
7. Proctor is known to have a "sharp and biting way with hypocrites," and as a result of his own hypocrisy, Proctor has.
"come to regard himself as a kind of fraud" and "a sinner" against his own vision of decent conduct. Even though .
no sign had yet appeared on the surface, internally, Proctor is represented as a deeply conflicted man. .
He is "angered" at himself for his lechery and in a lesser sense, the corruption of Abigail - which is somewhat negated.
by the way he presses Abigail's body from him firmly but "with great sympathy.".
8 As the play approaches its midpoint, Proctor's immense pride is placed in the foreground of the story.
9. Although his wife, Elizabeth, makes it clear that "[the court] must be told" of his affair with Abigail, Proctor is reluctant.
to listen to her.
10: Elizabeth suggests he "go to Salem now," so that he may expose the truth and the girls as nothing more than fraud. .
While Proctor knows that he "cannot keep it," he is aware that exposing Abigail would mean exposing himself and.
sacrificing his own reputation. .
11: Proctor thinks that he has "good reason to think before" he charges" fraud on Abigail, which further exemplifies his.
hesitation in confronting his torment. While he loves his wife and respects her opinion, Miller represents Proctor.
in Act Two, as a proud and vain man. Proctor fears being judged for his sins by anyone, even his wife. .
Perhaps if he had confessed earlier, he could have prevented the mass hysteria that engulfed the town. .
Proctor's pride and vanity interfere with his moral judgment and this further emphasizes how a character like .
Proctor will always be doomed for trouble, no matter the circumstance, due to indecision.
