What Role Does John Proctor Play In The Crucible

When determining the most essential character the result should be very interesting. Abigail plays a very important role in the play , but John Proctor has to be the most memorable character. I say this because he is one of the very few characters who is actually facing numerous of challenged, causing him to be faced with hard decisions which deeply affects the entire scene. As the play continues we learn more and more about Proctor his decision reveals whom he actually is as a person. Each character played his/her own important role in the story but John is the character that leaves you still thinking after the story is done.

In the story John is a normal well known citizen in the town of Salem. He is a very respectful religious person

in the eyes of other which makes it so hard for his fellow citizens to believe that he’s done these terrible deed such as having dealings with the devil. In many ways John was casted to be the hero of the story. Overall John was a good man , a flawed man but with a good heart. Practor sacrificed his entire image by admitting to his affair with Abigail Williams which was committing adultery. Once again John was seen to be a very religious man and for John to commit adultery he felt that damaged him in not only the eyes of his fellow citizens but in the eyes of god. He admitted to this because he felt that he could save his wife Elizabeth showing that even after his affair he still does love and care about his wife.

“John Proctor was not simply a farmer but a man of significant wealth derived from diverse sources:inheritance, farming, rents, tavern keeping, and commercial ventures”.

Proctor was faced with so many life changing decisions even after knowing the possible consequences of what his faith could hold he still did what he felt like he needed to do to save his wife. He even considered lien after being offered a option of signing saying that he actually had dealings with the work of the devil in order to save his wife . Nevertheless, signing his name on the paper was simply too much for John . He felt that if he signed his name it would be like signing his soul away. John then comes to some form of peace within himself. He states "I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs."We learn more and more about who exactly Mr. Proctor is, and as the play continues our opinion changes about him. In actuality John Proctor is the center of the

play.

Unlike most he cherishes his faith and his religion ,since he has broken it and “betrayed” his vows he can’t seem to forgive himself for it even if his wife has.

It was a very dark battle for John but he manage to pull through and get his name. As the audience witnesses the fall of this character they would feel helpless understanding that the fall of this hero was caused by chance, fate or a critical flaw in his character. This essay will outline how John Proctor is initially portrayed by Arthur Miller, what the chinks in his armour are, how his character strengthens, and how John Proctor’s inner strength prevails towards the end of the

play.

The audience first see John Proctor as a man of great stature and impeccable wit that has committed a degrading act, which now makes him weaker in personality and filled with guilt. A sense of suspicion also lingers about him, since his wife does not completely trust him after he confessed his sin to her. Miller is describes Proctor as the kind of man – ‘powerful of body’, ‘respected’ and even ‘feared’ in Salem. Ironically after praising John Proctor, Miller reveals to the audience that he is a ‘sinner’ that has now come to think of himself as a ‘fraud’ because he cannot confront his own wrongdoing. Within the same act the audience see Proctor in the light of a stern irritable man trying his utmost to erase his sin of committing adultery. His actions are not that of a popular character and with every action he takes he seems to lose liking of the audience. When he is confronted with Abigail, he is forced to hold back whatever is left of his desire toward her and he seems to struggle to make the right choose