The Crucible John Proctor Tragic Hero Essay

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In the novel “The Crucible” I consider the character John Proctor the tragic hero of the story. A tragic hero according to the philosopher, Aristotle is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction. Proctor portrays the character of a tragic hero because he very loving, holds a lot of pride, is loyal, and authoritative but his tragic flaw is his biggest temper, his character captures pity and sympathy from the readers. Although John is set to be an honest farmer that lives a respectable life with a wife and children, he holds a lot of flaws.
When the play opens the readers discover John’s affair with Abigail Williams, Elizabeth knowing this doesn’t have much trust towards John, who has been …show more content…

Johns such an honorable man that has a good name in the village of Salem which is what held him back from committing to his adultery. Even when Elizabeth asked him to go to court to fraud Abagail, he refuse and responded with “"I know I cannot keep it. I say I will think on it!" {p.51} When Elizabeth then is arrested, John tried to compromise between telling the truth and saving his wife or keeping his pride, but he failed because Mary Warren had turned on him by accusing him of his adultery. Once John was arrested for witchcraft instead as well because Elizabeth wanted to save his good name, proves that he is trying to do good but bad luck keeps coming his way which makes the readers feel sorry for him, and that turns us back to why he is considered to be the tragic hero.
At the end of the play, the jury has given John the opportunity to choose between admitting that he is guilty and he will keep his life, or lose his life by getting hanged for not confessing. John had spoken to Elizabeth before signing the death warrant about how he’d rather die and not have to live his life as a lie. Elizabeth hearing these words looks at Hale which was trying to convince her to stop him and save his life, and says nothing but "He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!” John saved his pride and dignity and dies as a man with many flaws, but still a good man for declaring the

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