Act II, Scene 1 provides the audience with the first glimpse of Elizabeth and John Proctor together. Up until this point, the audience has only heard about Elizabeth through Abigail and Proctor. Abigail has described Elizabeth as a cold "sniveling" woman who cannot possibly satisfy Proctor or make him happy. Proctor has vehemently defended Elizabeth.
From outward appearances, the Proctor household seems to be the typical Puritan home. As Proctor and Elizabeth eat dinner they discuss the farm, crops, and domestic issues; however, tension exists in the house. Elizabeth knows about Proctor's affair. She tells Proctor that she forgives him, but a lingering distrust plagues her. Even though Proctor has remained faithful for the past seven months and is truly sorry for his affair, Elizabeth faces difficulty moving beyond the past. As a result, Proctor feels that Elizabeth continually scrutinizes his actions, which frustrates and angers him.
Tension and mutual frustration define their relationship. Elizabeth is frustrated with Proctor because of his initial infidelity and because she believes he still has feelings for Abigail. She is also frustrated with herself. She wants to forgive Proctor and begin reestablishing their relationship, but she cannot forget what he has done. Elizabeth tries to demonstrate her faith in Proctor when she asks him to go to Salem even though she does not want him anywhere near Abigail. However, the fact that he spent time alone with Abigail shatters Elizabeth's confidence in him. Elizabeth automatically suspects Proctor of wrongdoing.
