John Proctor; A Tragic Hero Most people see a hero as a perfect, courageous person who does not stand down at the sight of danger. What most people do not think of is a person who goes against society to fight for morality. This is the case for John Proctor in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller. John lives in Salem, Massachusetts, where the scare of witchcraft is about. John’s friends and loved ones are being falsely accused of witchcraft, and he decides to fight for the justice of the wrongfully accused. John Proctor is a hero, even though he has flaws; he shows his heroism by rejecting Abigail, putting his reputation in jeopardy for Elizabeth, and dies an honest man. By rejecting Abigail, John shows great heroism. John is not …show more content…
After all of the trouble they had gone through, John still proves to Elizabeth that he is loyal and determined to do anything for her. Before John and Elizabeth are put to death, they are given a chance to talk. Hale has come back to town to try and convince everyone to confess to witchcraft. He tells Elizabeth to try and convince John to do this when they are allowed to talk. While talking with his wife, John says: “I have been thinking I would confess to them, Elizabeth. What you say? If I give them that?” (Miller 1328). Elizabeth states that she cannot judge him, but does want to see him alive. She does not ultimately want him to confess though, because she knows that this is not what he wants to do. Following the requests of Elizabeth, John nobly decides to confess to this lie. By confessing, he is going against his morals of honesty, for the desire to be alive for his wife and children. After discussing with his wife, John is asked what he is going to plead. He then pronounces, “ I will have my life” (Miller 1329). Hathorne, one of the judges in this trial, praises the lord that John decided to confess. John, hearing this praise, starts to question if he is really doing what is just. Elizabeth then lets him know that he can do as he will, metaphorically releasing him from this lie. This took great strength for John to accept the release Elizabeth …show more content…
John was tempted with chances to give in to the same escape of punishment that everyone else at the time had done, confess to the false accusation, but he never did and continues to show great bravery until the end. After crying out how he does not want his name to be blackened in the town, Danforth asks him if the document he signed as a confession was a lie. Danforth also says that if it were to be a lie, he would be hung automatically. Not caring about his fate, John says, “You have made your magic now, for now I do think I see shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but while enough to keep from such dogs” (Miller 1333). John now feels freed from the dishonesty and torture that had surrounded him in the past. He knows that his fate is to be hanged, and he is finally at peace with this. His principle of honesty prevails and by him showing fearlessness in regard to what the community thinks, exhibits his bravery. A public hanging, even though he receives no trial, is sentencing John, to death. Watching everything unfold, Hale and Paris anxiously question Goody Proctor why she was not trying to stop them. Her response to them is, “He has goodness now. God forbid I take it from him” (Miller 1334). By saying this, Elizabeth expresses that she is not going to stop John. Elizabeth is at peace with her decision to let him choose what to do
Crucible Romantic Hero In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, a landowner by the name of John Proctor can be described as an American Romantic Hero. Even though John does not “save” anyone inside of the play, he does try to protect the men and women who were accused of witchcraft by Abigail Williams. When someone thinks of a hero one thinks of pure and innocent, which John Proctor is not. There are more sides to a hero, none of them are perfect and innocent. Even though John does lie and commit adultery, he tries to save the men and women who were accused of doing witchcraft, including his wife Elizabeth Proctor.
His guilt is what is driving him to prove himself good. This leads her to decide she is not in a place to judge his actions or control his future, so she says to John, “Do what you will. But let none be your judge. There be no higher judge under Heaven than Proctor is!” (137).
There is a big controversy if John Proctor was either good or bad. The definition of a tragic hero is a protagonist, who has flaws and weaknesses, but discovers a grand scheme in society, which in return leads to self acknowledgment and acceptance. There are many reasons of why John is considered a tragic hero. “He doesn’t let others
However, throughout the play, he is able to prove the audience wrong. Firstly, when Proctor is arrested, he decides to confess to practicing witchcraft. He does this because he believes it could end the trials in Salem, which could save many innocent lives of others who have been accused. Proctor tells this to his wife, saying, “I have been thinking I will confess to them, Elizabeth.” (Miller, 135).
Every character in the play exhibit flaws which lead to their devastating endings. A man name John Proctor is a key character in the play because he is the man who takes on the role of a tragic hero, he is a righteous and courageous man, whose life ends in pride and honor even though he was disgraced in front of the whole town. John Proctor does not hold a position of loyalty in the community of Salem, he is a man who demonstrates that he has an overflow of positive traits which are in account for the characteristics for a tragic hero. John has a sophisticated idea and is able to discern the evil nature of those who persecute others and abuse their authority. He begins to develop a resentment towards Reverend Parris.
Along with Abigail trying to take the goodness from him, John still realizes he is a honorable man despite his sin; “You have made your magic now, for now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor” (133). John coming to this conclusion is able to go out of the world in peace and with his good name; emphasizing the theme of
This shows that John is a merciful being and desires forgiveness from his wife and God, therefore demonstrating traits of a good man. Furthermore, John has a heated argument with his wife, due to his encounter with Abigail, alone. Although, he thinks his wife will doubt him, she states on the contrary, “I do not judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you. I never thought you but a good man, John - only somewhat bewildered” (55).
Proctor said to her, “ I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is a fraud. I am not that man. My honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am not a good man. Nothing’s spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before (535).
John Proctor was a man of honor and had a well respected name in the town of Salem. Sadly he died tragically but as a hero. He was hanged because he was accused of doing the devil’s work. He was given the chance to save his life if he admitted on a piece of paper that he was working with the devil but he refused to tell that lie. He wanted his sons to be able to walk the streets without being shunned from the world because they deserved better.
He felt guilt and remorse, a sure sign that he was an honest man, and honest men do not deserve to die. In conclusion, Arthur Miller’s John Proctor is a hero. Proctor trying to explain to that the witch hunts are led by a lovesick girl to an unforgiving crowd exuberates his characteristics as a hero. Not only does he do that, but he also has feelings that every tragic hero has, such as guilt, and the want to fix his
John, being one of those who were accused, admitted to his adultery once called out by Abigail Williams. Knowing that Elizabeth would not lie, they bring her in to ask the question. Not knowing that he admitted
In Arthur Miller’s story about the horrific result of the Red Scare and hints of communist connections for the certain events that occur, The Crucible, one of the major themes that Miller shows throughout the novel is that not everyone will believe what society thinks is true. In the Novel, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the sparking of witchcraft and sorcery starts of with Betty not being able to Awaken from what seems as an endless sleep: “ … Betty. Child. Dear child. Will you wake, will you open up your eyes!
The decision results in an inevitable death sentence from the court. When Elizabeth has the chance to go after John, she refuses. This is when she utters her most memorable quote in the play: “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!” (p. 145).
Hero: A person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities; however, heroism is not synonymous with perfection. Man can be a hero in spite of having some flaws. This is apparent in The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, a story about the Salem Witch Trials in which Abigail Williams accuses dozens of innocent people of witchcraft. Despite being flawed, John Proctor, Reverend Hale, and Elizabeth Proctor can demonstrate their heroism in The Crucible. John Proctor is shown to be both a hero and a flawed man in regards to his lechery.
The Crucible “The Crucible” is a play, by Arthur Miller, about the Salem Witch Trials. After reading “The Crucible”, you will be asking yourself, is it necessary for a person to suffer? The answer to the question is shown through the characters, Giles Corey, John and Elizabeth Proctor, and Abigail Williams. John Proctor is a respected puritan man in the community. John had made the mistake of sleeping with, a teenage girl, Abigail Williams.