John Proctor is a complex character. In The Crucible by Authur Miller it shows how people in a community that believed in witchcraft and have personal grudges against each other can end badly. John Proctor is not a perfect protagonist but shows that he is willing to do what is right to stop all the bewitching in Salem. John Proctor's character flaw is that he cannot forgive himself. The only thing John Proctor had left was his name. John Proctor was a tragic hero.
John Proctor's character flaw is that he cannot forgive himself. John is on trial in act four and the only thing he has to do is sign his name. John knows that what he has done is sinful and knows that “God knows how black his sins are” ( Miller 211). Committing adultery is a horrible
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John Proctor realizes that he can sign his name to witchcraft and have public shame for the rest of his life. Palmer knows that “public shame cannot be avoided if he is to act in defense of the wife he loves” (Palmer 34). John knows that he has nothing left, he can’t agree to witchcraft and keep his land. John also cannot sign his name to the paper and have his life, so either way John Proctor will lose everything with his decision. But, the only he will have if he rips the sheet up is his name posted on the church and have his reputation destroyed. John Proctor is a courageous man to not take Judge Danforth's deal of signing the witchcraft paper and having it posted on the church. John stands up to Judge Danforth and doesn’t let him persuade him to not rip the paper up. The only thing John wants is his name not in vain and has already “given you my soul; leave me my name” ( Miller 211). John Proctor has lied about witchcraft and tells them that they have his soul and doesn’t want anything else besides his name not dragged through the dirt. Salem is built on reputation in society and social class. John Proctor doesn’t want his reputation to be in society because then he wouldn’t have any respect in the town if he decides to Judge Danforth’s deal. John Proctor only has one thing left and it is his
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.
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.
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible takes place in a puritanical 17th century Salem town, where a distinct line separates right from wrong. Puritan ideals define the individuals living in Salem, and John Proctor, the protagonist, finds himself struggling to act on these ideals. Miller portrays Proctor in different lights throughout the course of the play, as Proctor often finds himself engrossed in the heat of the hysteria driven town. His character starts out lacking clear heroic or admirable features, as his disloyalty to his wife becomes apparent early on. Nevertheless, Proctor means to mend his marriage as he diverts his sinful relationship with Abigail Williams, and slowly his goodwill is depicted.
John Proctor realizes if he signed a letter of confession, he would be writing off the wrongful of deaths of those before and those to come. He even states, “I have three children - how may I teach them to walk like men in the world, and I sold my friends?” John sees from the beginning of the story that this witch hunt is all a massive ruse, comprised of false accusations and mass hysteria. As the hunt advances and the punishments worsen, innocent people start to die with no chance of fighting their case. If John doesn’t take a stand and refuses to lie, more will continue to die and no one will stop to take a second thought.
John Proctor is allowing his name to be muddied while still preserving his name as a husband. The town is seeing him as impure; but all he cares about is saving his wife. John Proctor saving his wife, is allowing him to look at himself in the mirror and say “I may not be the best man, but I am trying to better myself as a husband.” The concept of looking at yourself in the mirror, being able to sleep at night, or meeting St. Peter at heaven’s gate, all are the reason he destroyed his fake confession.
John Proctor is a “good man” who has made mistakes in life, but he uses his sense of moral goodness being a truthful christian. He had a flaw as a well-respected member of the community, but he changed throughout the course of ACT I to ACT IV. He had a huge shift. Not just asking for forgiveness, but acting on it.
He had already told Danforth his confession, but then Danforth asked him to sign his name to the confession. John Proctor knew that if he did, his name would be ruined. He knows that this confession takes away his name, and that he would have to live with that lie the rest of his life. In order to show personal integrity, one mustn’t tell a lie just to be able to live as it would make people feel guilty about something they didn’t do. At the very end of the play, John Proctor was to be hanged for witchcraft, as he did not sign to something he did not do.
It is brought up often towards the end of the play, and you can see the struggle these people face to maintain their’s. During the course of Act 1, Parris is scared, because he thought people would think he’s allowing witchcraft to occur in town . During Act III, Danforth goes on to say, “ do you know that near to four hundred are in the jails from Marblehead to Lynn, and upon my signature?” Judge Danforth & Francis Nurse are talking about reputation, which Proctor values dearly. John Proctor attempts to maintain what little bit of his reputation he still has by saying “Because it is my name!
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.
JOHN PROCTOR: TRAGIC HERO Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a greatly revered work, and it reflected the times of America in the days of McCarthyism. Perhaps the character that connected to the audience most was John Proctor, the protagonist of the play. He reflects the mistakes that we have made in our lives, and the struggle that some of have while trying to take the blindfold off of other people. He should be considered a hero because he feels guilt, and therefore tries to make up for the fact that he once had an affair.
John Proctor here is reinstating that he wants to continue if he has his name and if Danforth and the court cannot provide that to him he does not know how he could possibly go on. Based on the quote John’s quality of life would eventually prove to be dreary if he did confess as he would feel like he no longer had a soul. Although John knew it would be a risk for him to confess his wife helped convince him that life was worth living, but it’s his own choice. Elizabeth sorrowfully states to John “Do what you will. But let none be your judge.
John Proctor is not a good person because he committed adultery. John confesses to adultery with Abigail (Act 3 pg. 102). John is not a good man because cheating on his wife was not moral of him. To be moral it means you do what is right and committing adultery was not right of him. Elizabeth said that when she was sick John began to turn from her with Abigail (Act 3 pg. 105).
Proctor talks good about the people who decided not to confess. He Doesn't want to say anything that will harm them. Proctor doesn't think he’s doing the right thing by confessing and wants to change his mind to do the right thing. John proctor is successful in helping his friends be
John Proctor’s character is one based on reputation, and guilt. The guilt comes from his affair with Abigail Williams. The reputation aspect comes from when he is accused by Mary Warren of trying to turn her to the Devil. I believe that John Proctor grows tired of the accusations, as to why he speaks of his false involvement with Satan in front of the town. Specifically, Deputy Danforth uses John Proctor as an example for conviction as he is certain he will be able to turn others
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.