Examine Miller’s presentation of John Proctor :: English Literature

Examine moth millers presentation of John admonisher and the Circumstances which suggestion to his choosing to be executed.Although the events of the play are based on events that took place inSalem, Massachusetts in 1692, miller was liberal in hisfictionalisation.For instance, the affair between farmer, husband, and father JohnProctor, and the Ministers puerile niece, Abigail Williams, drivemany of the accusations of witchcraft in the play in situation at thetime of the Witch Trials, Williams would only have been around football teamand Proctor would have been in his sixties. The play, written in 1953,was in solution to Senator McCarthy and the House Un-Ameri mountainActivities Committees crusade against supposed communistsympathisers, in which Miller became embroiled. When he testified infront of a congressional committee in 1956 he refused to reveal anynames and so was held in contempt. The end was overturned twoyears later.One of Millers most powerful devices in the pla y is his use of sarcasmdramatic, verbal, and situational sarcasm.Verbal irony is a build of speech in which the speaker intends to beunderstood as inwardness something that contrasts with the literal orusual meaning of what he says. One example of this is when JohnProctor says Good. Then her saintliness is done with, mentioningAbigail. However, Proctor does not really believe that Abigail is asaint. The affair makes her a sinner, because he is married toElizabeth. However, he says this line because the rest of the town,and most importantly, the courts believe that she is believable andtruthful. In effect, he tries to convince the court and the people ofher unsaintliness, by bringing to their attention her sins, nevertheless tono avail this is one of the most important circumstances which leadto his choosing to be executed. Another example has Proctor guaranteeinghis married woman Its winter in here yet. However, it is actually spring, asin the comparable dialogue he asks her to go walking in the field with himso that they may pick flowers and bring them into their home. Proctorreally means to tell his wife that their home is cold, that there isno sign of love. He believes that when his wife fills the home withwarmth and love, he is forgiven for his sin of lechery, and only thencan he continue normally with his life. By using this type of irony,Millers characters indirectly bring something to our attention, whichcould not otherwise be done.Situational irony is a discrepancy between what we expect and whatoccurs. This is the second type of irony used in the play.