Proctor tries to hide his affair with Abigail so he can uphold his reputation in the community. Although Proctor tries to hide the affair, he ends up having to confess about the affair to the judges. Proctor confesses about the affair and why Abigail is doing this, but it is too late. Proctor gets accused of witchcraft and jailed. Proctor’s affair with Abigail leads to many bad things happening.
Reputation Crumbles on the Structure of Lies William Shakespeare, a distinguished English playwright, poet and actor once said, “No legacy is as rich as honesty.” Reputation cannot be built upon lies. When the inevitable uprising of the truth appears, all status will crumble. John Proctor from The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a prime example of a tragic hero facing the consequences of telling the truth of a dark lie to save others in his town. Proctor is a farmer in his mid-thirties and married to Elizabeth Proctor with whom he has three children.
A crucible can either be defined as a vessel of heat resisting material used for high temperature chemical reactions, or a test or trial of the most severe and decisive kind. In the Crucible, a play written by Arthur Miller, takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, during the Salem Witch Trials. Witchery is thought of as evil by the puritans living there. Witchery was believed to be linked with the devil, and bad luck. In the film version of the crucible, when someone was accused of witchery, by a group of girls who claimed to be able to see the devil with them, they were brought to court.
“The Crucible” is a timeless play whose ideas can be applied to nearly every time period in history. Arthur Miller’s writing contained insights into human nature and displayed the dangers of hearsay and abuses of power. Those dangers were very present in Arthur Miller’s depiction of the Salem Witch Trials and even in more modern times. Through his fictionalized depiction of the events of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials Miller painted a vivid picture that’s allegories can be compared to even modern events. The events of “The Crucible” are comparable to both the Red Scare and the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Shannon L. Alder once stated, “Sometimes painfully lost people can teach us lessons that we didn't think we needed to know, or be reminded of---the more history changes; the more it stays the same.” Arthur Miller, the author of The Crucible, realized the truth in Alder’s words when Senator Joseph McCarthy created frenzy much like the Salem witch trials did. In Miller’s play we see a serious of strenuous struggles develop a very interesting plot line. We find out that Abigail William and John Procter had an affair but John realized his wrongs and denied his love for Abigail. Abigail, feeling rejected, looked to avenge herself and got the perfect opportunity to when she accused John’s wife of witchcraft.
John rejecting the opportunity to call Abigail out on her lies shows the affection he still has for his affair, as he cares about what happens to Abigail if she is exposed. Elizabeth recognizes that John prioritizes Abigail’s well-being over the innocent people of Salem and more specifically their family, causing her to continue confronting John about his affair. Consequently, John naturally wants the best for his family but is constantly reminded of the inappropriate relationship he had, causing an emotional
“I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (Miller 1357). This quote is said by John Proctor, a character in “The Crucible,” who is pleading to keep his name reputable when accused of witchcraft. Arthur Miller writes “The Crucible” to portray the Salem witch trials of 1692. The people of Salem have grievances in which they need a scapegoat.
Compromising one’s integrity is untenable for many, who believe in an ethical and just society. Consequently, death in certain situations is a more favorable path than an immoral life. Reputation is the way others perceive you, while integrity is the way one perceives ones self. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, John Proctor faces a stark choice whether to protect his reputation by falsely accusing others of witchcraft or to preserve his personal integrity by choosing death and in so doing, helping to rid society of the plague of hysteria. Set in 17th century Salem, Massachusetts, this staunchly Puritan community, with a strict set of social and political laws, is embroiled in witchcraft frenzy.
Guilt is emotional torture that transforms one's psychological operation. In the play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, before the Salem witch trials emerge, John Proctor cheats on his wife Elizabeth Proctor, with young Abigail. Causing him to live with an eternal shame that generates dispute. Proctor’s endeavour is to elude from his wrongdoing, but he cannot because of the disgrace he feels himself to be when around Elizabeth. Miller shows that John Proctor's emotional and behavioral conflict rises from his guilt.
The Crucible - Conflict Analysis John Proctor Internal: John Proctor’s most eminent internal conflict is over the sin he has committed, adultery. Proctor cheated on his wife with Abigail Williams, and this makes Proctor feel incredibly guilty because in the town, he is “respected and even feared” (19). He tried very hard, and succeeded, with keeping this moral crime to himself. He still walked about Salem as if he was “an untroubled soul,” (21) however, avoiding the sin again would be a difficult task. Abigail flirts with him, in attempt to have him for one last night, and it’s obvious Proctor has an arduous time pushing her away.
Since Abigail and John Proctor had their affair, Abigail wants John Proctor’s wife dead so she can marry John. He accuses Abigail of being a whore when Danforth asks for proof, he says: “I have known her, sir. I have known her” (Miller, 85). His confession shows how much he truly loves his
The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle once said, "Definition of a tragedy: a hero destroyed by the excess of his virtues". The reader finds this statement to resonate with the character, John Proctor, in Arthur Miller’s play, "The Crucible". Arthur Miller, a talented American playwright, wrote "The Crucible" in 1953. The play is used as an allegory to criticize Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-communist investigations during the McCarthyism era. Set in Salem, Massachusetts, during the Salem witch trials of the 17th century, this play delves into many themes and characteristics, including mass hysteria, greed, and hysteria.
The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a novel that describes events that happened in Salem, Massachusetts 1962, these events were called the Salem witch trials. Two important people in the story were John Proctor and his wife Elizabeth Proctor, they were farmers that lived on the outskirts of the town, and they lived with their three sons and their servant Mary Warren. John and Elizabeth are important to the story because they are both accused of witchcraft but they are the only ones who know that the girls that are accusing people are just doing it for attention. John is a caring stubborn man who loves his wife even though she does not fully see it while Elizabeth loves her husband but doesn’t trust his word as much as she used to because of things that happened in the past.
John Proctor is a good man despite anything others may say about him. He displays three very noble qualities throughout the witch trials which are bravery, honesty, and an overall goal to save lives even to the point where he sacrificed his. While many argue John is a bad man because he committed adultery they are entirely mistaken. Just because he had one bad sin gives no right to anybody to call him a bad person when clearly the good side of him is shown more than the bad. John Proctor is a good man who displays the characteristics of a hero and could be seen as one for giving his life for his friends.
John Proctor and Abigail Williams’ affair led to many things. One of the main consequences of their affair was the arrest of Elizabeth, John Proctor’s wife. Abigail has hated Elizabeth for as long as she’s known her, because she wants John all to herself. She loves John and feels as if Elizabeth is the reason as to why she’s not with John. Of course Elizabeth is not the only reason, because John realizes that the affair with Abigail was wrong of him to do.
