The relationship between the characters John Proctor and Abigail was clearly once very passionate. The text shows that once John had much lust for Abigail “I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near! ”. Abigail talks about her belief that he loves her: “I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved me then and you do now! ” which was possibly regret that he had been caught and shame, however she interprets it as grief that they will no longer be together.
The extract suggests that their relationship was passionate, it seems that to John the affair was only about passion, lust and need, but for Abigail it was loving as well as passionate. The extract suggests that the characters feel differently about their affair now that it is over. John Proctor makes it clear that he regrets the affair and wishes to forget it, however Abigail wishes to carry on with it. John’s feelings are shown to have changed from what he felt during the affair, “I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. . Whereas Abigail makes it clear she wishes to rekindle their passion “I cannot dream but I wake and walk about the house as though I’d find you comin’ through some door. ”. Whilst John makes clear he either does not feel that way, or does not want to admit that he feels that way, when he says “Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby. ” The characters are both reacting differently to the end of their relationship, John is angry with himself and wishes to forget it, whilst Abigail yearns for his return.
