The Crucible John Proctor Reputation

The definition of reputation is a belief or judgment for another person or object.

In this day and age, no one is satisfied with what they have and who they really are. We worry more about what people think about us than doing the right action and achieving what we enjoy.

In Arthur Miller’s play titled The Crucible, reputation is a prevalent theme that reocurrs many times to more than one characters. The characters of Judge Danforth, John Proctor, and Reverend Parris, are the epitome of individuals who are overly concerned with their reputation.

Parris is the Reverend of Salem and is highly trusted by the people of the town. However, all he cares about is what people think of him. In act I, it opens with him standing next to his

bedridden sick daughter Betty. We learn quickly, however, that instead of being worried about his daughter that he is actually worried about what the townspeople might say if they think that there is witchcraft in his house. “I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and now, just now when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my very character.” (Act I, p. 1239) This is a perfect example about what kind of man Reverend Parris is. He is more perturbed about what will happen to his good name and his job than what is actually happening to his sick daughter.
John Proctor is the main protagonist in The Crucible.

He was a well respected and prideful man who would call out on the townspeople hypocrisy and was happily married to Goody Proctor. Abigail, the plays antagonist, is a manipulative liar who enters into John's life and he ends up having an affair with her, despite his beliefs. This single action is all it took to ruin John Proctors most prized possession: His pride. After the accusations that Abigail spreads into the town about many innocent villagers are guilty of witchcraft, (one of them being Goody Proctor) John’s life begins to spiral into monstrous turmoil. He eventually comes clean with his act of adultery, loses his composure in front of all the towns people, and is thrown in jail. He does have a chance to avoid being hung but he has to sign his name on his confession. Proctor, being the prideful man he is, denise to sign because he doesn’t want to come off as a liar. “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life. 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!”( Act 4, Pg, 1280?) This is an example of him wanting to keep his good name even after all of the events that had already transpired

beforehand.
Judge Danforth is the deputy governor of Massachusetts and the main judge for the Witch Trials.

Forthright and meticulous, at least in his own mind, Danforth is convinced he is doing right in his helping of the witch trials. In reality, he realizes in the middle of the play that the accusations are fake but he has already had people die from hanging and does nothing to stop the rest that are scheduled to hang. “ Now hear me, and beguile yourselves no more. I will not receive a single plea for pardon or postponement. Them that will not confess will hang. Twelve are already executed; the names of these seven are given out, and the village expects to see them die at dawn. Postponement, now, speaks a… a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now.” ( Act. 4, pg 1275?) He will not even consider postponing the hangings for he is afraid of what the townspeople will say when they hear that it was all fake and Danforth had no order in place to stop

it.
A good name is titled “good” for a reason. This person holding that title is someone who is trustworthy, hard working, and well respected. Danforth, Proctor, and Parris are amazing examples of what is not a good name. These men would (and did) do anything to keep that title placed above their heads, rather it be right or wrong.