The Crucible was a tragic story. Each character must learn that coming to their action involved huge consequences that might involve people they care about and the outcome of it. Also, each character will learn to speak up before their consequences get out of control. In “the crucible”, John Proctor was a character who commits was an adulterer, and everyone `suffers the consequences. Do you think John Proctor is a tragic hero? Or, do you think he is not a tragic hero? Finally, what do you think at the end of the story John Proctor will end up keeping before he died?
In “the crucible” by Arthur Miller, John Proctor is an adulterer and a tragic hero, but in the end, all he had left was his name. Before this story begins, John proctor had
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an affair with Abigail who was only 18 year of age, while he was married. Throughout the book, there is a clear contrast of John Proctor being a loving husband and adultery. John Proctor realized that he could not keep both women that he loved so much, so he tried to end the relationship with Abigail who used to be their servant and stay with his wife Elizabeth. So he said to Abby, “I never give you hope to wait for me. You’ll put it out of mind. I’ll not be coming for you more (page 922, 4 lines down). John Proctor cut off the relationship with Abigail because he is fighting to be a good husband, but Abigail won’t let him. Now he had to do all he can, to stop Abigail for loving him. Though, he tried to cut off the relationship with Abigail, he make a mistake by calling her … “Child” (page 922). Now, Abigail will never let him go because she will try so hard to proof that she is a grown adult and that she is the perfect women for him. Proctor made his break up much harder than before. He knew that this wasn’t going to end up well and that Abigail will do anything to spoil his wife good name. When they were talking, Abigail says, “Oh, I marvel how such a strong man may let such a sickly wife be.” In return, John Proctor got made and says, “You’ll speak nothing of Elizabeth! (Page 922, line 19 and 20)” When, he hears what Abigail just says about his wife name, he was furious. He knew that this will end up in an ugly way. Due to John Proctor committing adultery and trying to cut off the relationship with Abigail; lead him to be a tragic hero because his wife has to die because of his mistake with Abigail. Even though, John Proctor commits adultery and tried to set everything right in the end. He was a tragic hero who lost himself and everything. Above that, his wife stick by him knowing very well because of him, she is putting to death after giving breath. All though, John Proctor causes all this trouble; people still believe in him and encourage him to pray and one of those person was Rebecca. Rebecca says to John Proctor, “pray, John, be calm… (Page 924) You can tell that Proctor is loved by everyone even though he had an affair with Abigail. Also, you can tell that they stick by him through the end. Elizabeth new the things her husband did, but she never ever judges him. It shows how much she loved her husband John Proctor. John proctor was confused of why his wife wasn’t judging him. So she said to him, “I am not your judge, I cannot be. Do as you will, do as you will” (page 990). Those words that where coming from Elizabeth mouth make John Proctor hearts filled with gratitude. He knew his wife still loved him, even though he causes her so manly pain. Since, John Proctor won’t forgive himself for causing so manly pain. His wife told him, “John, it comes to naught that I should forgive you, if you’ll not forgive yourself…”(page 989) John Proctor knew his wife forgive him but he knew it won’t save him from the rope. However, her sweet voice and kindness melt away some of the worrying he feels. Though, he was a tragic hero, and an adulterer; at the end of the book, he got to keep his name and self-respect. If John Proctor had agreed to put the paper above the church door, he could have safe himself from the rope and his wife.
However, if he did, his name will forever be shamed, but he did not. So, that left him to keep his name and dignity. At the end of the book, John Proctor started thinking about his children and friends before deciding anything. So he says, “I have three children- how may I teach them to walk like men in the world, and I sold my friends? “(Page 993) Through this quote, John Proctor was telling Danforth and the other judges, “How could I sign myself to lied? How could I teach my children to walk like men with the name Proctor on them, if the name proctor had been shame? John Proctor knew that he couldn’t deny everything he had did wrong. So, he says to Danforth and the judges, “I mean to deny nothing” (page 993). He knew that no matter what he says, it will not make any different. He will still be sending to death with the people who believe in him. So, he stops denying everything. In the end, all he had left was his name, and he will do anything in order for his name not to be written in lies. That is why, when the judges ask him why he won’t sign the paper? In return he says, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies!”… (Page 993) In the end of this tragic story, all that matter to John Proctor was his name. He cannot sign a paper that says all the things he did with Abigail, and others things. The reason why is because he did not want his children to walk upon the earth, with the name Proctor that had been shamed. Also, he did not want people to look down upon his children and he doesn’t want his children to look at him with shame. That is the name his children had to carry for their whole
life. At last, through the tragic story of “The Crucible”, John proctor learn the true meaning of tragic hero, adulterer, and how important his name is to him and who ever had it upon them. Proctor learn that coming to making a decision, it take sacrifice especially if you the one that is part of the trouble or the cause of it. Proctor knew if he does not speak up, his wife will died. So at the last meaning, Proctor speaks about having an affair with Abigail in front of the court. He knew that it will ruin his name, but he have to safe his pregnant wife from the rope. So, he stops denying everything. Even though, he commits adultery with a girl name Abigail who was only 18. His wife forgives him through everything. People stick by him through the end. John Proctor was a man who was loved by everyone; even though innocent people died because of his crime. In order for his kids to walk like man in this world, he refuses to put the name Proctor on the paper in order for it to hang above the front door of the church. When he did that, he ends up keeping his name. However, remember that doing the right thing and being honest can get you out of trouble. Don’t be like John proctor who was a tragic hero, and who commit adultery. Above all, don’t die with just your name. Died for something you loved and care for.
Miller presents the character of John Proctor in an important way to show two sides to his character. These qualities make him have the most important role in ‘The Crucible.’ The key events that show him in this way is when the audience find out about the affair, how he tries to defend his wife, his confession in court and his hanging for the sake of others. Through the events in The Crucible, Miller then portrays John Proctor’s character with tension and suspense. This then makes the audience question whether or not he is a good man.
...fess to them Elizabeth” (238). He’s thinking about giving in to the corrupt church to save his own life like everyone else. But when the Judge Danforth asks him to sign his name on a document confessing of witch craft he won’t do it because he explains, “It is my name I cannot have another in my life because I lie and sign myself to lies. Proctor finally stands up for what’s right and he shows that he won’t taint his name in order to save his own life. So they send him to be hung but he dies with his honor and his integrity.
John Proctor plays the leading role in The Crucible by Arthur Miller. He was persistent, honest, and full of integrity. He was simply, a man with pride. A wise woman once said, "Do what you feel in your heart to be right--for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't." (Eleanor Roosevelt). Proctor was the protagonist of the dramatic piece of literature.
John Proctor is a good man. He is a puritan, a husband, a citizen, and an all around valuable member of the community. All of this is represented by his name. The name of John Proctor could be considered his most prized possession. It is his most priceless asset. Proctor is very strong-willed and caring. He does not set out with any intentions of hurting anyone. He is a farmer and village commoner who is faced with incredible inner turmoil. He has committed adultery and had absolutely no intentions of joining in the witch trials. After his wife got involved and eventually was set free due to the fact that she was pregnant, he feels that he can't sit back and accept what is happening to the town. John Proctor is a good and noble man and because of this he believes that he can't be hanged and die a martyr when he has this sin blooming over him every waking moment.
After Elizabeth, his wife, finds out about his affair with Abigail he tries his hardest to prevent anyone from finding out because he doesn’t want to go to prison and doesn’t want his good name ruined. Again, that isn’t the best thing to do but it proves that Proctor has immense pride in himself and what he has accomplished in his lifetime that he doesn’t want to be looked down on after years of being a role model to all the civilians of Salem. At the end of the play, the only way to save himself from hanging is by confessing to the act of witchcraft. He almost does it, but he says, “I am John Proctor! You will not use me! It is no part of salvation that you should use me!”(pg.538, lines 879-82) He doesn’t confess because can’t handle ruining his name anymore than it has been and because he is a man of truth.
Proctor’s prideful personality does not let him baptize his third son because he dislikes Reverend Parris (168, l. 516-520). Proctor withholds his affair with Abigail because of his pride, he was unable to confess it until his wife was accused. Before he confessed he stated that “a man will not cast away his good name,” this statement suggest that a man has a lot of pride in his name and therefore his confession must be true (189, l. 845-847). In addition, after confessing to witchcraft Proctor takes pride in his name and refuses to have his name nailed in the door of the church showing everyone that he confessed to witchcraft (207, l. 894-897). “You will not use me! I am no Sarah Good or Tituba, I am John Proctor! You will not use me!,” Proctor beliefs he is better than Sarah good and Tituba hence he would not sign his name (207, l. 899-701). Towards the end, Proctor thinks better of his action and rips the signed paper after declaring, “Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (207, l. 725-730). Proctor compares himself with the brave people that are about to hang and takes pride in his name by refusing to keep on lying and ripping the paper with his signature; he bravely accepted death with the thought that his name is not tainted by
To give this false confession and to sign away his name, John Proctor would be further exacerbating his sins. He wants to live, but he also knows his life would not be worth living if based on a lie. While saving his life would only require him to give a false confession, Proctor would be eternally plagued with a guilt-ridden conscience. He would’ve damned himself for a second time if he were to profess that he had been consorting with the Devil just to evade death
“ I say- I say- God is dead!” Yells John Proctor as Danforth asks him if he will confess himself to hell. John Proctor lives in Salem, his wife has been accused of witchcraft by Abigail Williams who John Proctor had an affair with. A short while after Elizabeth is accused, John Proctor also gets accused by Mary Warren.
John Proctor: “God in heaven, what is John Proctor, what is John Proctor”. John is a man of strong moral beliefs, concerned only for the safety of his family and personal welfare. He cares of nothing for the beliefs of any of the other people in the town and what his supervisor which is the Reverend, thinks either. After trying to avoid involvement in the witch trials he is later prosecuted for witchery and sentenced to hang. John trys to avoid any involvement in the Salem witch trials. His reason for doing so is to protect his image because he is afraid he will be committed of adultery with Abigail Williams. Following these events he trys to save everyone’s lives by admitting to this horrible offense adultery and ends up losing the trial along with his life. He did have a chance to live but instead of signing away his name and his soul to keep his life, he wanted to die honorably with his friends not without a name, a soul, and with guilt. “John Proctors decision to die is reasonable and believable”. Reverend Parris, the Salem minister and Proctors immediate supervisor, which says “ there is either obedience or the church will burn like hell is burning.” “The church in theocratic Salem is identical with the state and the community and will surely crumble if unquestioning obedience falters in the least.” Proctor, on the other hand, “has come to regard his self as a king of fraud,” as long as he remains obedient to an authority which he cannot respect.
Imagine a teacher giving a zero to a student on a test for cheating, but had no proof the student was guilty? This is exactly how John Proctor felt when Mary Warren accused him of witchcraft, with no proof. Even under these circumstances, he keeps his composure for the most part, and accepts his fate. Many of Mr. Proctor´s personality traits can be associated with my own in that he and I, sometimes stretch the truth, is not easily fooled, and fight for what we believe in.
Mcgill, Jr. William J. "The Crucible of History: Arthur Miller's John Proctor." The New England
The first struggle that John Proctor faces in The Crucible is his guilt over committing the sin of adultery. This moral problem continues throughout the play, and it is the primary moral predicament that Proctor faces in the play. He has broken his own moral code as was as the moral law in the Puritanical Salem in his affair with Abigail.
Out of all the characters in the crucible was great, but in my opinion, Elizabeth is the best character in the cast in the Crucible. She was a faithful wife, a good mother, and strong in her faith/religion. Even though her husband cheated on her she still remained faithful to him. Elizabeth demonstrates a very truthful woman. She’s the wife of John Proctor. Nicknamed Goody Proctor, because she was a good christen woman. Everyone liked her, because she was a woman who never lied. Until, she lied in court one day to save her husband’s life. She acts very frigidly to others. The only person that didn’t like her was Abigail Williams. Abigail wants Elizabeth to die because Abigail wants John Proctor all to her self.
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.
In The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, the madness of the Salem witch trials is explored in great detail. Arthur Miller was an American playwright, who was born in 1915. He grew up in a Jewish family in New York City. While attending the University of Michigan in the mid 1930’s, he began to characterize himself as a distinguished writer. His first plays were Honors at Dawn and No Villain. The Death of a Salesman, which he wrote in 1949, won him the Pulitzer Prize for literature.