The Role Of John Proctor In The Crucible

During the spring of 1692 the Puritans living in Salem, Massachusetts experienced the most tumultuous time of their lives when the Salem Witch Trials began. The trials brought out the best and the worst of all people living in the town. Those of power chose to exercise it, and those with none had to stand up for themselves. In the play The Crucible, this town is brought to life and examined on a very close level. Many of the townspeople are pulled into the trials and a few of them are brave enough to stand up to the court and even die for their beliefs. According to ___________, “The Devil is alive in Salem!”(Miller 71). One man, in particular, John Proctor, takes the role of a tragic hero in this play because he eventually learns to accept

his flaws and makes the right decision, even though it still leads to his demise. While John Proctor begins the play as a timid, stubborn, unforgiving, man, his Wife Elizabeth helps him to become more confident by pushing him to forgive himself for his past mistakes, embrace his obligations to others, and bravely stand up for his beliefs to protect his family, friends, and community.
At the beginning of the play, John Proctor is full of mixed emotions and uncertainty. His recent affair with Abigail leaves him confused and uncertain. John can neither confront his true feelings nor overcome his paralysis because he does not forgive himself for his sin. Not only is John Confused, but he is unable to face and overcome these emotions, as he lacks the confidence. There was at one point a clear attraction between John and Abigail as he “clutched [her] back behind [his] house and sweated like a stallion,” (Miller 22) but Abigail fails to realize that it was not a loving attraction, rather, an added spice to John’s life just like the salt John adds to Elizabeth’s stew. At this point in the play, there is a lot of confusion between John, Abigail, and Elizabeth, as a result of John’s lack of confidence and failure to stand up for himself and for his emotions.
At the beginning of the play, John is too timid to take necessary steps to improve his situation, but Elizabeth tries to teach him his mistakes, and how to have confidence. John fails to recognize that, “there is a promise made in any bed.” (Miller 61) This misunderstanding by John is what sets the ball rolling for the start of the Salem Witch trials and eventual persecution of tens of innocent people. Since he unable forgive himself and fully understand the promise he made, John can neither dismiss Abigail nor expose her as a fraud. At this point, Elizabeth is still hypercritical of his actions and tries to point out his mistakes, so John may accept them and forgive himself. However, John remains defensive and only sees Elizabeth's words as moral judgment so cold it “would freeze beer” (Miller 55) Because John is so stubborn and timid, he does not let her words force him into doing, what he would later learn is, the right thing.
Despite his many flaws at the beginning of the play, John learns from his mistakes and improves as a person thanks to the help of Elizabeth. At the end of Act III, John Proctor forgives himself as he is able to openly admit to much of the town that he committed lechery. This shows his confidence in his actions as well as his ability to forgive himself despite it going against Puritan belief. To save his family, he confesses to the court and, admits that “there is a promise in such sweat” (Miller 110). He uses Elizabeth’s word “promise” because he now realizes the significance and weight of his actions, but he uses Abigail’s word “sweat” because he still regards their relationship as merely sexual. Not only has John gained confidence and learned to accept his flaws, but at the end of the play, he is able to do what is right to help those he is obliged to help.
Towards the end of the play, John Proctor understands the many ways that he has been wrong, and thanks to the help of his wife Elizabeth, he is able to overlook the sins he has committed. At the end of Act III, it is clear that John forgives himself as he is able to openly admit to much of the town that he committed lechery. This shows his confidence in his actions as well as his ability to forgive himself despite it going against Puritan belief.
When John is asked to write his name on the paper, he refuses to do so as he knows it will be used as leverage to boost the credibility of the court and force his compatriots to admit or be punished.

In defiance of the request of Judge Danforth, Proctor says, “I am John Proctor! You will not use me!” (Miller 143) This shows that John has changed significantly. By saying this, he has been able to forgive himself and accept his sin. By saying this John is no longer being timid, rather, he is able to stand up to authority and stand up for those who deserve to be stood up for. By saying this, John Proctor shows that he is no longer a stubborn man, scared to taint his reputation, but an improved man who will stand up for his beliefs and what is right even if it is the death of him. However, John’s new way of thinking conflicts greatly with that of Danforth. While John learns to be tolerant, Judge Danforth completely lacks this ability. When Judge Danforth says, “And if she tell me, child, it were for harlotry, may God spread His mercy on you!” (Miller 111), he is telling Abigail that would be appalled with these actions. By saying “God spread His mercy” he shows that this is something he will not tolerate, and that God will be the final judge of her actions. The conflict between the ideas of John Proctor and Judge Danforth is important because it shows how different ways of thinking can lead to different lives with different outcomes. A lack of tolerance, as in the case of

Danforth, may lead to maintaining power, it may also lead to unjust situations and chaos, just like the Salem Witch trials. The ability to tolerate others and their actions, as in the case of John Proctor, can lead to a better understanding, and even happier life. Despite the fact that John Proctor dies at the end of the play, he dies knowing he improved and made the right decision, whereas Judge Danforth will die with no such feelings. John Proctor learns that one’s beliefs and values may live longer than any person, and for that reason, they should be valued over life. This is why John chooses to die rather than sign his name, and this is why John is a tragic hero. Judge Danforth could never be considered a hero do to his unjust actions and intolerance.
In The Crucible John Proctor learns the significance of forgiveness and gains the ability to stand up for his beliefs. These beliefs are what guide him to make the right decision at the end of the play, even if they lead him to his own demise. Reverend Hale, similar to John, goes through a change, but rather than becoming more confident and able to help others, he becomes meek and values life more than any belief. At the beginning of the play, Reverend Hale is extremely confident in his abilities, he says, referring to the devil, “I mean to crush him utterly if he has shown his face!” (Miller 39) This shows that Hale is sure of his actions, he believes that with his years of study and books that are “weighted with authority” he will help to save the town (Miller 36). This is the opposite of John at the beginning of the play, who is very timid and lacks the necessary confidence to stand up for himself as well as his wife. As the play progresses, these two almost switch roles. John becomes more courageous and able to help others, whereas Hale loses all confidence in his years of training and learning. By the end of the play, Hale wants no more than for those in the town to do whatever it takes to save their lives. Hale is no longer sure of anything he has learned or that is written in his books, he even tells Elizabeth, “LIfe, woman, life is God’s most precious gift; no principle, however glorious may justify the taking of it.” (Miller 132) John and Hale have two conflicting ideas at the end of the play, and they lead to different outcomes. Under Hale’s ideas there is no tolerance of difference, much like Danforth, but people would be forced to share beliefs to save their lives. Under John Proctor’s newly formed ideas, there would be tolerance of others and their actions. This would lead to a happier population as people would not have to fear for their lives. Furthermore, they would not have to live their entire life with the guilt of an action that went against the only belief they were allowed to have.
John goes from being selfish to being selfless.

At the beginning, he is concerned with his reputation, but at the end, he risks his life to save others. While this is true, changes occur on a much deeper level for John Proctor. Although he is just an ordinary sinner, his changes are important because he improves himself in an effort to overcome the internal and external dilemmas he is faced with. Externally, John is faced with a town and a legal system that is intolerant and unforgiving. Through his process of making a mistake, he not only has to try to face the unjust legal system, but he faces an internal conflict. John is out of line with the accepted belief of the town, and he is unable to forgive himself or to repair his relationship with his wife. These are problems that he does not know how to face at the beginning of the play, but as the play goes on, he adapts and learns. Elizabeth helps him understand the importance of forgiving oneself and is then able to do this. Furthermore, by forgiving himself, and having the confidence to admit it, he learns that there are more important things than life. This conflicts with Hale, who learned that life is more important than anything else, even one's beliefs. These conflicting ideas are important because they show that there is contention in the world. Ultimately, John and others can learn that conflicting ideas and contention should exist in the world, but would fail to do so without tolerance, and the ability to

improve oneself as John did.