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Character analysis essay the crucible
Characters and characterisation in the crucible
Character analysis in the crucible
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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.
She wants revenge, and her revenge results in John's tragic downfall. John's affair is not the only flaw that he possesses. John's attempt at saving his reputation is what eventually leads to his demise. He wants to save his reputation and knows the only way to end the turmoil in his community, is to admit to his affair with Abigail. He knows the confession would ruin his good name and end the hysteria in his community.
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.
John, finally procures the forgiveness of Elizabeth when they meet in prison before John rips up his last chance at
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.
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.
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.
Watching his wife face possible death and Abigail continuing her accusations, John finds himself in a disastrous situation that spares no one from being harmed. John Proctor wants the best for his marriage and family, but still has a profound romantic connection to Abigail that he refuses to acknowledge, showing a deep emotional rift within
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.
In modern times, witches are fantasy characters seen in media, but in the town of Salem, they are a real fear. A fear that drives people to insanity and leaves some questioning if reputation is more important than integrity. Arthur Miller enlightens these questioning people in his play The Crucible by describing the witch hunts in Salem. The play follows the people of Salem as the town falls into a witch hunt when a group of girls accuse an innocent slave of witchcraft to save themselves from getting in trouble. It describes the corruption of the authority figures as they force innocent people to confess and accuse others of witchcraft, and it shows how fear can cause a whole town to go against their better judgment.
“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.
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.
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.
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 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.
