The Crucible Act 4 Analysis

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Act III and IV are the climatic moment in the play, Mrs. Cheveley has face-to-face meetings with Lord Goring may times during the play. “Continuing with the theme of marriage, we will first examine Mrs. Cheveley's attitudes toward courtship and conjugal life.” In this scene, we could know that she and Lord Goring with a false courtship when they were young. However, at the same time, whether Cheveley truly still loves Goring is unclear: her uncharacteristic pauses after Goring's insults remain ambiguous. The beginning of Act IV focuses on the separation between public and private information, and again, information is all-powerful. Sir Robert escapes his past because the public has no information about his corruption. Political corruption is only a problem to Sir Robert if it might possibly become known to the world. When he discovers Lord Goring has destroyed the corrupt letter, he rejoices. His own knowledge of his mistake does not haunt him, only the public disgrace it might cause. Even Lady Chiltern softens her…show more content…
In addition to the confusion surrounding the note Lady Chiltern originally sent to Lord Goring, that Mrs. Cheveley then forwarded in malice to Sir Robert, and that finally unites Sir Robert and Gertrude, there are a variety of stolen conversations and entrances and exits that allow every aspect of the character's lives to find resolution. Clearly, the letter is a very important tool. It represents Lady Chiltern's love for her husband. Originally, she wrote that she needed and wanted Lord Goring, but only so she could speak with him about her troubled marriage, to which she held so dear. Re-sent to Sir Robert, the letter takes on new meaning, and with Lady Chiltern's revelation that she has in fact held her husband on too high of a pedestal, the statements inscribed in it apply directly to him. Thus, the letter seals their renewed love, and represents their bright future
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