Final answer:
Arthur Miller establishes tension in the Proctor household through dialogue and stage directions that imply distrust and silence regarding John's infidelity, further intensified by the impact of the town's hysteria.
Step-by-step explanation:
Arthur Miller expertly creates and communicates tension in the Proctor household in his play “The Crucible”. Miller's use of dialogue and stage directions paints a clear picture of strained relationships and underlying tensions. For instance, the interaction between John and Elizabeth Proctor is often cold and filled with subtext, suggesting an undercurrent of distrust and hurt stemming from John's infidelity. Miller amplifies the tension through the presence of figures like Abigail Williams and Reverend Hale, who bring the town's hysteria right into the heart of the Proctor home, exacerbating the already taut atmosphere. The Proctors' conversations are punctuated with pauses and hesitations, implying unsaid thoughts and unexpressed emotions that contribute to the uneasy feeling in the household.