Giles Corey The Crucible

I have read many tragedies, and each tragedy I read, seemed different such as the way each play got to the climax and ended. In the classic play of Antigone by Sophocles, the tragic hero is Antigone who is a noble character and has several tragic flaws that makes the play very dramatic. Another well-known tragedy was Hamlet by Shakespeare, and the play exaggerates the revenge Prince Hamlet is told to unleash on his uncle, Claudius. On the other hand, the play The Crucible demonstrates Arthur Miller’s definition of a tragedy. Arthur Miller defines tragedy as, “I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, if need be, to secure one thing – his sense of personal dignity.” However, the tragedy The Crucible, has several characters whose dignity is so high, that they are willing to die for it.

John Proctor was a farmer in his mid-thirties who was well

known in the town. He was not interested in any faction in Salem, and he was even feared in the town. From the time when John Proctor was introduced, to the time when he was killed for witch craft, he always demonstrated his pride to the reader. For example, on page 31, Proctor says, “I mean it solemnly, Rebecca; I like not the smell of this authority.” Proctor shows that he was too prideful and uninterested to follow Parris’s rules because he does not like it when someone tries to tell him what he should do. Later in Act four of the play, Proctor refuses to sign the confession and says, "I have confessed myself! is there no good penitence but it be public? God does not need my name nailed upon the church! God sees my name; God knows how black my sins are! it is enough!” (pg. 142). In this quote, Proctor boldly admits to his flaws, which took a toll on him. Another time when Proctor shows how much his dignity means to him when he said, “You will not use me! I am no Sarah Good or Tituba; I am John Proctor! You will not use me! It is part of salvation that you should use me!” (pgs. 142-143). Proctor shows how much his reputation means to him and that he was not willing to be used by someone. Lastly John Proctor’s pride shows tremendously when he said, “"Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! . . . leave me my name!" (pg. 143). In this quote, Proctor displays how much pride he holds to his name.
Another character in The Crucible that demonstrates pride was Giles Corey.

Giles was an 83-year-old strong-minded man and in the play, he was accused of witchcraft. In Act three, Giles stands with John Proctor in challenging the girls’ accusations. He also believes that Putnam is accusing him with witchcraft to take away his land. On page 85, Giles said, “They be tellin’ lies about my wife, sir, I – “. Giles Corey shows his pride by standing up for his wife, Martha Corey, and he is willing to do anything to get his wife out of the situation she is in. Then later in Act three, Giles says to Putnam, “I’ll cut your throat, Putnam, I’ll kill you yet!” (pg. 98). During this part of the play, Giles is furious at Putnam for trying to take his land, and he shows how much pride he has with his land. In Giles Corey’s final words, he says, “More weight”, because he wanted his sons to inherit his property instead of Putnam. This quote demonstrates Arthur Miller’s definition of a tragedy because Giles is willing to die for his family’s

future.
The last character in The Crucible who I thought demonstrated dignity through his/her words and actions, was Elizabeth Proctor. In the play, Elizabeth’s pride makes forgiving her husband a tough task to do. Elizabeth Proctor is a bitter wife who has been hurt by her husband and her pride adds more tension to the already rocky relationship. For example, on page 61, she says “There be a certain danger in calling such a name-I am no Goody Good . . . She thinks to take my place, John”. Elizabeth cannot see the fact Proctor needs her forgiveness before he is able to forgive himself. In the end, she was able to forgive her husband for what he did. But she let it get to the point where Proctor allowed himself to be killed because he wanted her to see the good in his heart. At the end of Act four, Elizabeth said to Hale, “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him.” (pg. 145). She says this because she finally realizes the good in John Proctor’s heart.
Overall, even though the play didn’t end how I wanted it to, Arthur Miller did a great job on making the play a true tragedy. But the reader saw that the characters with pride, suffered the most even with some putting their lives on the line. However, those characters who died because of pride showed that they would honor themselves or their close ones before they would let someone take advantage of them.