In The Crucible Act, When Proctor tells Elizabeth that he “cannot mount the gibbet like a saint,” what does he mean?

Question

e- Both B & C

b- He means he has not had enough to eat; therefore, he is shaky and will have trouble walking up the stairs to the gibbet.

a- He means it is too late to die an honest man because he has already sinned, and one more lie will not make a difference.

d- Both A & B

Answer 1

In "The Crucible," when Proctor tells Elizabeth that he “cannot mount the gibbet like a saint,” he means that he feels he cannot face death with the integrity and honor of a saint because he has sinned and feels guilt over his past actions. This aligns with option A: he believes it is too late to die an honest man because he has already sinned, and one more lie will not make a difference.

While option B talks about being shaky and having trouble walking up the stairs due to lack of food, it does not capture the deeper emotional and moral conflict Proctor is facing regarding his integrity and the idea of going to execution.

Therefore, the best answer would be A, but since the question asks if multiple choices apply, the correct choice would align more with A alone rather than D. If required to choose from the provided options, D (Both A & B) may reflect the complexity of Proctor's situation, but primarily it is A that captures his sentiment.