John Proctor Internal Conflict

567 Words2 Pages

The Crucible, a play written by Arthur Miller, often depict characters that hold a high position of honor. These characters get swallowed by selfishness just to maintain their position of respect, but one stands out, during the Salem Witch Trials John Proctor goes against the flow of events. Having his own perspective on the trials, Proctor sees through the lies, he becomes a victim of them and ends up choosing death over life. Yet, before making that choice, Proctor is forced to fight through dilemmas. The theme of internal conflict reveals itself throughout the play as Proctor finds his place in the Salem Witch Trials. Firstly, one will see two contradicting viewpoints foreshadowing John Proctor’s futures. One of these depicts a man standing in a thunderstorm. This part of the graphic symbolizes the tragedy of telling lies and making the choice to live. The thunderstorm sets a gloomy mood and evokes a sorrow emotion. Proctor has the option of telling a lie, ending up living a life of misery and losing his name and honor. A characteristic conveyed of John Proctor is that he is prideful, which creates internal conflict for him. …show more content…

A perfectly sunny day, no clouds in the sky, and it seems as if everything is untroubled. Down at the bottom, on this cheerful day, there is a man, who symbolizes John Proctor, being hung. The reason for the delightfully warm colors is that in this scene the conflict contained within Proctor has been solved. Understanding his role in the witch trials, Proctor accepts a death of honor. The conflict which lies between the life of misery and death of honor creates a troubling chain of events. These events lead to the end of Salem Witch Trials all because Proctor made this choice. His internal conflicts with Abigail, with his wife, and his pride all come to a resolution as soon as he forgives himself and accepts things they

Show More
Related

  • Cultural Relativism In The Crucible

    870 Words  | 2 Pages

    Proctor exemplifies an ordinary second class Puritan of Miller’s adaptation of the bloodthirsty town of Salem, Massachusetts. Miller fabricates the character of Proctor to appear wholesome and scrupulous, however, acts of sacrilege in the form of adultery tarnish the character’s reputation, thus bringing to light the scepticism of an exclusively Puritan society. Proctor embodies the qualities revered by the Puritans; diligence, integrity, and frugality. Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth Proctor, is an advocate of John’s morality, describing her husband as “a good and righteous man. He is never as drunk as some are, nor wastin’ his time at the shovelboard but always at his work” pg. 100. Miller skilfully constructs a well-rounded character epitomising the ideal Puritanical figure, however, man’s tendency to be fallible resulted in a fatal flaw in the character of John Proctor. This flaw, also being a sin, is his lust and infidelity. Miller demonstrates the influence of cultural relativism through Proctor’s incapacity to absolve his own sins, despite his wife’s forgiveness, “I do not judge you. The magistrate that lives in your heart judges you.” pg. 55. This ‘magistrate’ is denoted by Miller to symbolise Proctor’s conscious, which was moulded and cultivated by the Puritans of Salem. The

    Read More

  • John Proctor Integrity Analysis

    777 Words  | 2 Pages

    To admit to adultery takes integrity. To tell the truth no matter what the consequences takes integrity. To stay true to one's morals and be able to accept any punishments to keep one’s integrity, is a genuine trait. During the Salem witch trials many were unable to keep their integrity, but there were some who did. The Crucible written by Arthur Miller takes place during the Salem witch trials, when many people were forced to lie in order to live. John Proctor is looked at in the play as an adulterer, and sinful man. Nevertheless, John Proctor's public and private selves differ dramatically, but overall Mr. Proctor is truly a honest and integrity filled man.

    Read More

  • Honor in the Crucible

    1778 Words  | 4 Pages

    Honor, dignity, and integrity are traits that are becoming more and more rare in our society. The Crucible, a play written in 1952 by Arthur Miller, is based on the Salem witch hunts of 1692 and parallels the Red Scare and McCarthyism in the 1950s. In the play, Miller attempts to focus his themes around traits such as honor, dignity, and integrity, and as a result, the theme "is it better to die honorably or live dishonorably" becomes vital to the story and well conveyed throughout it. The characters that exemplify this idea are John Proctor and Giles Corey, both of whom die by the end of the play, and Reverend John Hale and Abigail Williams, who live through the trials.

    Read More

  • John Proctor: A Character Analysis

    970 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, various characters, whether it is from physical trials or unseen personal struggles, experience some kind of major conflict. There are those who spend every day in fear, wondering whether or not they will be falsely accused of witchcraft. There are others who struggle with more internal trials, such as forgiving those who have hurt them. The protagonist, John Proctor, was a man of strong moral constitution, and held himself to a high standard for the sake of his good name and family. As a result of this, he struggled with a major internal conflict throughout the play.

    Read More

  • The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    564 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Crucible is a novel based on the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts, written by Arthur Miller. The Crucible demonstrates forbidden temptation between John Proctor and Abigail Williams, honor and dishonor in the town of Salem, ruthless revenge, and the strive for high social status. The narrative style of this play is standard 1950s everyday language. The Crucible is set in a theocratic society of Puritanism in 1692.

    Read More

  • John Proctor's Moral Struggle in The Crucible

    770 Words  | 2 Pages

    John Proctor is portrayed throughout the play to be a man who has high moral values that he must abide by. He can spot hypocrisy in others easily and judges himself no less harshly. Elizabeth Proctor says to him in the second act:

    Read More

  • Examples Of Close Mindedness In The Crucible

    579 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Crucible is a famous play written by Arthur Miller. This play centers around the witch trials that took place in Salem, Massachusetts. In Act II, Abigail and her friends accuse several innocent people of witchcraft. Once they leave the court, Reverend Hale goes to John Proctor’s house to inform Elizabeth Proctor that people in the court have mentioned her name. Then officials of the court, Herrick and Cheever, arrive at the Proctor’s house. They claim to have a warrant for Elizabeth’s arrest because the court declares she practices witchcraft. After, Herrick and Cheever take Elizabeth to jail. Injustice in Act II prevails because of the inability to see the truth. Reverend Hale and John Proctor illuminate the theme that closed-mindedness

    Read More

  • John Proctor’s Moral Dilemma in The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    713 Words  | 2 Pages

    John Proctor faces many decisions in response to his moral dilemma to try to save his life. One of the difficult decisions John makes is to reveal that he had an affair with Abigail Williams and thereby has committed adultery. If the local court convicts him of this crime, he faces being jailed. Also by admitting this crime, John reveals a weakness in his character. This flaw in his personality will make it harder for him to stand up in the community as an honorable and believable person. In trying to convince others that witchcraft does not exist John’s dishonesty with his wife will make him less convincing to the community.

    Read More

  • John Proctor's Ethos In The Crucible

    579 Words  | 2 Pages

    During a time when Salem was overrun with witchcraft hysteria, very few people were resilient enough to stay devoted to their religion/morals. Miller frames history by demonstrating how a few individuals were devoted enough to combat the communist trials regardless of the consequences. Since the confession required John to blame another person in Salem of committing witchcraft, he chose to hang instead of betraying his comrades, for he did not want to fuel the witchcraft hysteria/blacken his name. Ethos were of high importance to Proctor and he valued his character above all else. He used an ethos tool called screw up recovery to enhance his character through his own errors. By describing how he failed to meet his own high moral standards throughout the play, Proctor corrected the mistakes he made and he appeared to be a highly virtuous character to the audience. Miller depicts John Proctor as a hero because he was able to rise above the trials/actively defy them. Although John intended to make a false confession to spare his life, he refrained from blaming his innocent friends such as Rebecca Nurse; therefore, his confession did not count and he was sentenced to hang. Proctor uses a logos tool called reduction ad absurdum to prove to Hale and Danforth that making a false confession is absurd/illogical; therefore, he justifies his decision to hang. He

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast John Proctor And Hale

    1214 Words  | 3 Pages

    Written in the 1950s, Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible delineates the situation of the McCarthy conflicts in America while the plays’ events revolve around the Salem witchcraft trials of 1692. In the play, two major characters are Reverend Hale, an expert on witches sent to Salem for investigation, and John Proctor, a man known for his leadership and hard work. Proctor and Hale, in addition to both being Puritans, are alike in their actions and motives since they both see the depravity of the court and seek to protect people from it. However, they have major differences in their characters as they have contrasting dedication to Christianity and the values that they live by.

    Read More

  • John Proctor's Loss In The Crucible

    733 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and the duration of the Salem Witch Trials, John Proctor is a very well known community man who everyone sees as a kind, trustworthy, and loyal man. He may be seen this way, but in his possession he holds a secret that will then lead to his downfall. John Proctor starts to lose who he really is and then turns into someone who people don’t even recognize anymore. This change begins when there is a possibility that he may lose his life when confronted to the court. Proctor’s state plays a big part in leading up to his dreadful death. Such as his affair, the accusation of his wife, and the tensions taking place in his marriage.

    Read More

  • What Makes Power So Desirable In The Crucible

    1072 Words  | 3 Pages

    Proctor is a powerful leader in Salem and many of the townspeople follow what he does. Reverend Parris does not like this and condemns him and those who look up to him. “And you may tell that to your followers” (Miller 181). This shows that Proctor stays strong to his opinion no matter what the consequences. He knows he will get in trouble but still keeps on going strong in what he believes. Proctor tries to finally confess his lie to save the unjustly accused townsfolk. “I have known her, sir. I have known her” (Miller 220). This shows that he isn’t lying and finally tells the truth. He knows the consequences that he will have to face, like losing respect and power, but still tells the truth to prove Abigail is lying. When Proctor is confronted with death, he realizes that he can grab the power of self respect. “I can. And there’s our first marvel, that I can. You have made your magic now, for now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor” (Miller 240). This shows he has made mistakes before but he is trying to fix them. He realizes that he is a good man and that his power lies in his morality and by dying for his principles, he will have atoned for his

    Read More

  • Arthur Miller's The Crucible

    546 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Crucible is a 1953 play by Arthur Miller. Initially, it was known as The Chronicles of Sarah Good. The Crucible was set in the Puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts. It talks of McCarthyism that happened in the late 1600’s whereby the general public and people like Arthur Miller were tried and persecuted. The Crucible exemplifies persecutions during the Salem Witch Trials. The people were convicted and hung without any tangible proof of committing any crime. Persecutions were the order of the day. When a finger was pointed at any individual as a witch, the Deputy Governor Danforth never looked for evidence against them or evidence that incriminated them; he ordered them to be hanged. This can be seen through his words “Hang them high over the town! Who weeps for those, weeps for corruption!” (1273), the people were persecuted aimlessly. The four main characters in the play, John Proctor, Abigail Adams, Reverend Hale and Reverend Parris, are caught in the middle of the witchcraft panic in the religious Salem, Massachusetts in late 1690’s. Persecution is the most important theme in the Crucible, the leaders and citizens of Salem attacks and persecutes one of their own without any tangible evidence against them.

    Read More

  • The Foolish Death of John Proctor in The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    963 Words  | 2 Pages

    And so there goes a silly little man, bent by pride, forth to the gallows and whatever fate may await him beyond. Indeed, what legacy did John Proctor leave to his wife, left homeless, without a husband? What legacy did John Proctor leave his children, abandoned by their father in a fit of selfish vanity? What message was left for his children who would forever live in the knowledge that their father cared more for his good name than for his own sons and their welfare? What memory would he leave to the world which could not save him, what legacy to the world? There goes the silly little man, bent by pride, striding away from the family that needs him, towards his fate.

    Read More

  • crucible

    685 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller goes into detail about the historical event, the Salem witchcraft trials which took place in Massachusetts in 1692. The drama centers on John and Elizabeth Proctor and a young girl Abigail Williams, whom John Proctor has committed adultery with. In order to get rid of Elizabeth so that Abigail can have John to herself Abigail accuses John’s wife of witchcraft, a crime that was highly frowned upon. John proctor goes through a series of changes from being a horrible person who cheated on his wife to a tragic hero who will give up his life to say his wife. John proctor is viewed as many things in this play but at the end he come out an honest and noble man.

    Read More

More about John Proctor Internal Conflict

Open Document