John Proctor Character Analysis

Throughout history there has been a number of martyrs celebrated for their heroism and integrity in defending their truths and beliefs to the very end. Nathan Hale, for example, is an American soldier and spy during the American Revolution who was captured by British soldiers. Instead of giving any information and compromising his strong beliefs in defending the United States, Hale was hung. Now, Hale is considered an American hero, and was officially declared the state hero of Connecticut. Similarly, John Proctor, and other characters, from Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, are placed in a situation where they must decide if dying with integrity is more important than falsely confessing and living a life of compromised principals that may

John Proctor is a witch who participates in adultery. John Proctor was the very sole reason for the hysteria in Salem. If it were not for him, the witch trials would have never happened. He could have ended the mass hysteria in Salem by coming out about everything sooner, ending things with Abigail who was, in fact, a minor, and being a man and putting a stop to it all since he had the power to do so. Proctor was initially a well-respected member of the community.

Lie or Die: The Life of John Proctor “Decisions are the hardest thing to make, especially when it is a choice between where you should be and where you want to be.” (Rana Magdy) This quotes describes John Proctor battling to choose between dying and confessing to being a falsely accused witch. In the play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, confessing would lead John Proctor to a happy life with his family; if he tells the truth he will be hung , but he will keep honor to his name. Since John Proctor is motivated by his will to uphold his name, his decision to refuse to confess to witchcraft causes John to find strength to stand up for what is right, and accept the consequences that follow by the end of the play.

“A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall,”Aristotle. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, John Proctor, the main protagonist of the play faces several situations in which he struggles both internally and externally; all of the struggles that Proctor encounters throughout the story heavily affect those around him, but most importantly they impact the way that he perceives Salem and his own life. Truthfully, the troubles that Proctor experiences in life are the most impactful occurrences in The Crucible because they reflect the righteousness that is within him, even in times of corruption; it is ultimately Proctor’s ability to discover righteousness that allows him to be seen as an tragic hero. It can also be said

There are many tragic heroes portrayed in the world around us. Cinderella, Wall-E, and Simba, whom all overcame obstacles, vindicated themselves and aided their world to eventually be a finer place. Naturally, all their difficulties in the end led to their success, But, one man who presented those exact qualities, was not as fortuitous. This man presented himself to the court and fought for what was moral acceptable, subjected himself to prison for his mistakes and justified himself and the good people of Salem. John Proctor shows the admirable qualities and weaknesses of a tragic hero in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller.

John Proctor’s deep loyalty to the town was unquestionable. He knew that if the village watched him die the witch trials would end because he was undoubtedly innocent; Proctor risked his life just like “a soldier risked his life in battle on behalf of a good end, the preservation of a community” (J.J. 352). In this sense, he could be compared to a brave soldier who fights for the preservation of their community even after they pass

In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, John Proctor was accused of witchcraft. John Proctor was a man of great integrity and knew he did nothing wrong. He was given the choice to confess and lie or be hung. Being the honest and stubborn man that he was, he decided his name was more important than his life. John struggled both internally and with others while trying to fight for what he thought was right.

Proctor is a well respected upperclassman and him sacrificing his life led to his family living a greater life. To the court with great emotion proctor states “ 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!” (143).

Because I cannot have another one in my life!... Proctor tears the paper and crumples it. ”(143 & 144) This quote proves that John Proctor preserved his dignity and soul, and followed his moral compass in doing the right thing. Contributing to the previous detail, “I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor...

The end of the Crucible is very suspenseful when the protagonist, John Proctor, is faced with choosing between confessing to a lie or dying for the truth. At first, Proctor is hesitant and signs the papers, confessing himself to evil, but before the signed paper is collected by the court, he tears it apart and is sentenced to death. This was his best option, for it stopped him from living a remorseful life. His decision to tear apart the signed confession was the most correct not only for himself but for his family and the community as well.

At the end of the scene Proctor doesn’t confess and is executed because he doesn’t want to lie, he wants to die an honest, free

I have given you my soul; leave me my name!”(1272). These words by John Proctor exemplify his character by making, in my opinion, not a very wise decision. In the play The Crucible, John Proctor’s unwillingness can be seen as selfish because others hung before he confessed his affair with Abigail but he redeemed himself by undoing his confession and refusing to sell the court other names, which Arthur Miller used to convey a message about a crucible being put through a fire/trial and coming out in its purest form, through the character of John

In The Crucible, a drama by Arthur Miller, John Proctor demonstrates courage by speaking out for what he believes in while knowing his consequences, admitting his wrong doings with Abigail to save Elizabeth’s life, and choosing to be hanged over having his name posted on the church door because the second his signed confession is posted, his and his loved ones reputations will be ruined. In the beginning of the play all John Proctor cared about was his reputation. However, ultimately he sacrificed his reputation by telling the court he committed adultery. John telling the court he was guilty ruined his reputation, which made all hell break loose.

In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, John Proctor is accused of performing witchcraft and contracting with the Devil. He is faced with the decision to either confess to or deny the accusations. Ultimately, Proctor chooses to deny the accusations and dies a martyr. Proctor’s decision to sacrifice himself is justified because he protected the reputation of those who died and risked being arrested to save his wife, Elizabeth Proctor. John Proctor’s death is justified because he was willing to sacrifice his life to protect the reputation of others.

In Arthur Miller’s dramatic play The Crucible, John Proctor, the protagonist, symbolized truth and justice by displaying honor and pride in his name. The change in balance between those two attributes acted as a catalyst in defining moments of the play. In the beginning, Proctor equally reflected both pride and honor in separate events. However, when forced to make a decision, he chose honor over pride. Ultimately, both his honor and pride pushed him to commit the ultimate sacrifice.