How Is John Proctor Corrupt In The Crucible

Arthur Miller’s The Crucible (1953), portrays the Salem witch trials and conveys how the actions of a single person can hold a high impact on its surrounding community when faced with troublesome times. When accusations of witchcraft start spreading throughout the town, mass hysteria breaks out and infects the mindset of a large quantity of Salem’s inhabitants. The problems are further accentuated by poorly run trials led on by the corrupt leaders of the community. Throughout the play, drastic decisions are made by many that further the development of the plot. John Proctor is a highly respected citizen of Salem, though he does not view himself in that same light, and is one who is faced with an array of arduous decisions time and time again.

The court wanted John Proctor to confess to witchcraft; this was vital for the court, as it would help their case in many ways. For example, it would bring an end to the plots against the court. As a result of giving his name, The court will spare Proctor’s life, but it came with a cost: he must sign a document as written proof of his confession of witchcraft and hang it in the church for everyone to see. He cannot follow through with the greedy desires of Danforth and the others because he “cannot have another name in [his] life” (Miller 207). Proctor does not want people to remember him for what he is not; by giving his name, he tarnishes the truth about himself as a respectable and upstanding citizen, as well as the everlasting effect it will have on his prosperity. Proctor’s past sins of adultery are another reason it is so hard for him to give up his name; since he already views himself as a fraud, he does not deserve the glory he will get by signing away his name. Not only does Proctor care about his name, but he also cares about the other respectable citizens, such as Rebecca Nurse, who are willing to die for what they believe is right. If he signed his name for a false confession, it would have caused him to “blacken all of them… the very day they hang for silence” (Miler 207). The people who were accused and did not confess to false witchery were hanged in public as a result of their choices. By Proctor following through with giving the church his name, the impact made by the people who gave their lives would have been diminished and forgotten. Instead, Proctor does what any hero would do by sacrificing his own life for justice. Would any coward be able to disregard the easy way out and face death in the face for doing nothing