Mr Proctor Tragic Hero Analysis

The Tragic Hero That Was Mr. Proctor Mr. Proctor, a main character in the play The Crucible, is very important in understanding and analyzing of the story. Throughout his time in the play, the audience came to know and love him. However, because of his disgraceful actions with another woman, among other things, he ended up in the hangman’s noose. This is the analysis of how Mr. Proctor became this well-known tragic hero. Among the things that will be discussed: his affair with Abigail Williams, his wife, his fatal flaw, and fate/external forces. First, his fornification with another woman which goes against Elizabeth Proctor, his beloved and truthful wife, helps lead to his demise. John Proctor, a very admirable man in the town, fell to the

Abigail, persistent as she was, tried to further separate Elizabeth and John, since her first measure didn’t work. Mary Warren, one of the girls who had been with Abigail the night of their sinful actions in the forest, had made a poppet during church. Abigail saw this poppet; she wanted Mary Warren to give it to Elizabeth. Mary Warren did and she tucked the needle she made it with in the stomach of the poppet, also known as a doll. Later, Abigail stabbed herself with a needle in the stomach. This action is shown when Hale comments, “Abigail were stabbed tonight; a needle were found stuck into her belly-“(Miller 80). This way when Abigail blamed Elizabeth for stabbing her, she would have the poppet with the needle in its belly as proof when the house was searched. As a result, the way this was set up made it look as if Elizabeth had stabbed Abigail in the stomach using the poppet as a voodoo doll; although, this was completely false. This next statement is the response to which Abigail replies to Hale’s quote, “And she charges me?” (Miller 80). The townspeople proclaimed she was a witch; this resulted in the officials taking Elizabeth to prison. To save his wife, John went to the court, saying that he had an affair with Abigail. That was the whole reason Abigail wanted Elizabeth dead and why she had framed her. Also this was why the Proctors had fired Abigail as their maid. When

Before the time he, Martha Corey, and Rebecca Nurse were sentenced to hang, John had the option to sign a confession stating he had sided with and seen the devil. It further stated he had repentance for his errors and sins. This confession had the power to reverse his destiny to hang on the scaffold; he decided to sign it because he wanted to live for his wife, children, and unborn baby. As a result, this validated the townspeople’s’ trust in the court system and in the previous accusations, condemnations, and executions that were hangings. Yet, he tore the confession up for redemption because the judges were going to hang it on the church door, for everyone to see. The tearing of the confession is told when Miller writes, “Proctor tears the paper and crumples it” (151). This would’ve tarnished his name had it happened; he would’ve also lost his dignity. He had lost everything else, and all he wanted was to keep his name. If it was hung on the door of the church, then his children would most likely see it every day. They would know he lied to save his life by admitting his guilt, while his other friends like Giles Corey, Rebecca Nurse, and Martha Corey had told the truth to protect their innocence and had died for