How Is Armitage Presented In The Crucible

Interviewer: Welcome Mr. Armitage and thank you for being here

Richard Armitage: Well i thank you sir for having me

Interviewer: So without losing further time i would like to go straight to the interview if that's fine for you as well

Richard Armitage: Sure we can start

(Start of Interview)

Interviewer: Many of the audience who watched the Crucible play were questioning what kind of a man proctor resembles. What can you tell us about him?

Richard Armitage: Well John Proctor is a strange character who distinguishes himself from the other actors in the play. He is a deeply religious figure who has made mistakes in his life such as having an affair with abigail which makes him a tormented individual as he lacks the capability to forgive

himself for his sins.

Interviewer: By saying that he is a ‘’strange character’’ , are you implying that he is an evil figure.

Richard Armitage: Evil? No not at all. What makes you think that?

Interviewer: Well he is a man who commit adultery on his wife therefore seen as a bad person considering his christian habits.

Richard Armitage: That may be true but you have to realize that Proctor is a Hero in the crucible. A tragic hero in fact, meaning that he ended up sacrificing his own life due to a situation that was caused by his mistake. Proctor went into an affair with Abigail who later on framed Elizabeth of witchcraft. Proctor intervened with the case and managed to save her life although he ended up replacing her in the predicament. In addition he sacrificed his life in order to keep his integrity and to protect his honor. Making him a classic tragic hero.

Interviewer: Well now i see. I am apologetic for my misconception

Richard Armitage: It's all good. Please continue with the Interview

Interviewer: Do you think that he truly loved his wife even though he committed

adultery?

Richard Armitage: Even if the relationship between John and his Wife may seem to be strained throughout the majority of the play i truly believe that he deeply loved his wife.
His love for his wife can be seen on the day he came back from Salem where he was honest enough to tell the truth towards Elizabeth that he was alone with Abigail. Or the scene where Proctor did everything in his power to protect Elizabeth where Cheever and Herrick came to detain her due to the suspicion of witchcraft. Another great example where Proctors love towards Elizabeth can be seen is in the scene where John sacrifices his good name in order to protect his own wife, which i mentioned previously.

Interviewer: You mentioned that he sacrificed his good name. Do you think that proctor valued his name and towards the end,why was he willing to die instead of blackening his name

Richard Armitage: Proctor obviously placed a great value on his name.

Towards the end of the play as he was asked to sign a document confession to witchcraft. He showed willingness to admit to the crime verbally as a way to end the insanity within the village of salem, however he knew that if he signed the document his name will ruin not only him but his family for generations to come. Proctor was aware that signing the confession would justify the actions taken by the government during the ‘’witch hunt’’ therefore to put an end to the vicious cycle he refuses to sign the confession, and therefore protect his name, while being aware that he will hang because of his refusal. His sacrifice is one of truth and

justice

Interviewer: While Proctor was defending himself in court in act three said a phrase which struck the viewers which was ‘’God is dead’’. Why did he say that and what was the meaning behind it.

Richard Armitage: Well, during the court hearing, Proctor tried to convince others his innocence concerning witchcraft. But because the court of salem is corrupt and ruled by a power hungry judge he soon came to the realization that there was no way out. The people salem fear the devil but they are acting in his shead by accusing and killing innocent people. Therefore proctor says that god is dead to show that there is no justice left in salem and that god cannot exist in a place such as Salem.

Interviewer: As a final question. Did proctor believe that there were witches in salem?

Richard Armitage: The answer is no. Proctor did not believe that witchcraft was real in salem. This can be seen in the conversation between proctor and hale in Act II before elizabeth was taken away. Proctor says that he doubts that the accusations of witchcraft are actually real as he doubts the presence of any witches amongst the inhabitants of salem. He of course knows that, as Mary Warren says, it was just a ‘’sporting’’, rather than any truthful reflection on the level of witchcraft in salem. As hale mentions that he has heard a rumor that John Proctor does not believe in the existence of witches, proctor replies with ‘’I have wondered if there be witches in the world-- although I cannot believe they come among us now.’’ He said this sentence to implicitly attack Abigail and the girls and argues that their many accusations are not truthful at all. The only True witch is Abigail as she runs away after the innocent paid for her false accusations.

Interviewer : Well that was the last question Mr Armitage. I thank you for your time.

Richard Armitage: And you are sincerely welcome