John Proctor Tragic Hero Essay

Analysis of John Proctor’s Role as a Tragic Hero

By definition, a tragic hero is a character who makes an error of judgment which ultimately leads to the hero’s demise or untimely end. In the times of the ancient Greeks, most tragic heroes were people of high rank or class, however Arthur Miller counters this normality with his own ideas. In Miller's essay, written in February of 1949, Tragedy and the Common Man, he states “the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were¨ in which enables the common man, to be as eligible of a tragic hero as kings once were. John Proctor, one of the several main characters in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, is described as being a tragic

hero with a hamartia. John Proctor, in accordance with Arthur Miller’s definition, indeed follows the guidelines to fit the role of a modern tragic hero due to the fact that he had fair intentions at the start, however, with his efforts challenged he was not willing to give up his dignity or good name as a regular ranked individual within the realms of the infamous witch city, Salem, MA.
Throughout The Crucible, the underlying characteristic of John Proctor can be easily identified and that is Proctor, a man complete of his own dignity, takes constant pride to have his name as his own. His respectable reputation in town illustrates him as an honorable character, to which he would not do anything to change. In expressing his true pride, he orates that, “A man will not cast away his good name. You surely know that,” (Miller, The Crucible, 110) The reader understands his tone as righteous and obvious, as if the reader should know his thoughts already. This line also foreshadows that he knows that those who have trustworthy characters will go to great lengths to keep his good name, showing that he would rather die, like the decision he makes in Act IV, instead of falsely confessing and being able to spend a long life with his wife and future child. However, as a tragic hero, he could not look past losing his prestige in his community, only to live on and feel tremendous self hatred for the rest of his life.
In the beginning of the storyline, Hawthorne introduces the audience to Proctor as an overall decent, Christian person that works hard in the fields during the day, as well as with his dear wife, Elizabeth Proctor.

However, the reader learns later on that he had an affair with a younger woman and lied about it to his wife (until he confesses later on in the play), proving that he will go to the farthest limits in order to maintain his good name. In an argument between John and Elizabeth over how they have been treating each other recently, they say, “John: I have forgot Abigail and - / Elizabeth: And I. / John: … I have gone tiptoe in this house all seven month since she is gone… I think to please you…” (Miller, The Crucible, 54) Despite John’s best efforts to maintain a good relationship with his wife and his name, he still ends up hurting others. This makes him click in the role of a tragic hero due to his effort in doing what he thought was the right thing, but his actions backfire and fail to follow through the way he

planned.
The reader can clearly observe the fact that John thinks very highly of himself, which leads he or she to believe that Proctor needed to gather an abundance of energy, dignity, and ethics in order to make his confession. In Act IV of the play with the court trial, John and Elizabeth catch themselves up in a lie in which John confesses to being involved with somebody other than his wife, and Elizabeth, who apparently cannot lie, contradicts him in saying that he never cheated on their marriage. Therefore, the judges ruling the case end up convicting John of perjury, or lying under oath. This then leads them to force John into confessing, which John and Elizabeth know as false. Judge Danforth adamantly pressures John into signing a document with his confession, which the public will eventually know of. Once again, in order to save his name from being permanently and publicly destroyed, he 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!” (Miller, The Crucible, 142) Proctor knows that God would know his true intentions of doing the right thing by preventing Elizabeth and their future family from being disbanded, but he would not go to the extent in publicizing his confession, making his position looked down upon in society. Even further, Miller defines a tragic hero as “a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing-his sense of personal dignity,” (Miller, Tragedy, 1) proving that John Proctor, a true tragic hero, respects himself too much to diminish his good name.
Not only does Proctor refuse to ruin his self views, but he protests the actions of making the town fully aware of his mistakes. Further on in Act IV, Judge Danforth continues to adamantly urge John to sign the piece of paper with his confession, which the public will see posted on the church doors. Proctor, once again, uses the same points of persuasion, hoping that reiterating his thoughts will eventually make the officials finally understand that he refuses to humiliate himself when he sees it unnecessary to do so. He says, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust of the feet of them that hand! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (Miller, The Crucible, 143) In shouting this, Proctor conveys to the people in the courtroom that he only has one chance at this life and his name, that he needs to uphold throughout this single lifetime, means so much to him - he has made himself seem desperate in front of Danforth, lying in court and then pathetically begging for a second chance, but he will not confess publicly - he refuses to willingly destroy his status, no matter the circumstances or the consequences. In John Proctor’s opinion, he would rather die with dignity, rather than live with guilt, being judged by neighbors, friends, family, and even simple acquaintances, making it clear that he will die a tragic hero. For example, Miller says that “the tragic hero is intent upon claiming his whole due as a personality, and if this struggle must be total and without reservation, then it automatically demonstrates the indestructible will of man to achieve his humanity.” (Miller, Tragedy, 3) In other words, a tragic hero has full intentions on making his name known and his time worthwhile for a certain goal, and even if he struggles to achieve this goal, he will do nothing to jeopardize his reputation. He also goes on to explain how tragic heroes are not secluded to one group of people, but they can emerge from any social class or “complexes.” (Miller, Tragedy, 1) Overall, the reader can learn that John Proctor will do absolutely everything in his power to protect his positive notoriety.
Without a doubt, John Proctor fits the qualities of a tragic hero because he had honorable intentions to start, his efforts failed in the end, and he made the choice to have his body hanged and save his reputation instead of live and have his name ruined.

Overall, his main goal was to protect his wife from her conviction, to show that Abigail was lying about witchcraft, and to spend the rest of his life with his future family. He was even morally contempt with lying in court, as long as he could get away with his false confession. Unfortunately, his plan failed and he became caught up in a mixture of lies and wrong impressions. In the end, he could only choose from two negative solutions - he could either falsely confess, live with his guilt, and have a destroyed reputation, or he could refuse to confess, continue to possess his righteous status, and die. In the end, he chose the second option, showing that he will go to any length in order to save his dignity, despite any collateral damage seen as an obstacle. As Miller wrote, “Tragedy… is the consequence of a man's total compulsion to evaluate himself justly.” (Miller, Tragedy, 1) John Proctor, a stand-up, Christian man, clearly fits in as the hero that tries to better the tragic situation. However, despite all of his efforts, his self-evaluation of having the need to maintain his decent name seemed more important than his “compulsions” to stay with his dear wife and soon-to-be

child.