Characteristics Of John Proctor In The Crucible

In “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, one character tends to stray away from the strict Puritan ways of Salem. That character is John Proctor. Throughout the novel the reader learns the ways in which he is not a devout Puritan and his objections to Reverend Parris as a minister. This is not to say Mr.Proctor is not a good man, who wants to protect those he loves; however he is not a devout Puritan. For example, he does not know all of his ten commandments when asked, he had an affair with Abigail, and he does not go to church on Sunday and chooses to work instead. It is suspected that this is because of his dislike of Parris. He has expressed that he does not like Parris’ church sermons mostly on the topic of hell. He also suspects that

John Proctor may be a righteous man, but he despises Parris and cannot be called a “devout” Puritan. There are many instances where John Proctor admits his dislike for Parris. One example of his dislike is when John confronts Parris about what he says at church. “I have trouble enough without I come five mile to hear him preach only hellfire and bloody damnation. Take it to heart, Mr. Parris. There are many others who stay away from church these days because you hardly ever mention god anymore.” (Proctor 1.4) Proctor hates the way Parris preaches, which is why he stays home on Sundays and works. He believes that at church they should speak about God and not to do good in fear of going to hell. Another example is John Proctor’s thoughts on Parris’ position in the church. John believes that Parris is

When asked to recite his ten commandments to prove his love of the church and God, he cannot. John forgets the commandment against committing adultery. After Reverend Hale tells him he forgot one, Elizabeth speaks up and says “Adultery, John.” (Mrs.Proctor Act 3) to which John responds “Aye, you see, Sir, between the two of us, we do know them all” (Proctor Act 3). Any “devout” Puritan in that time would know all ten commandments. The fact that John does not, shows that not only does he miss mass and its teachings, but also does not practice his faith at home. Following this, John Proctor does not go to Puritan church every Sunday but works instead. An article on Religious Aspects points out that according to Discovery Education, “Church was the cornerstone of the mainly Puritan society of the 17th century”. This shows that church was an extremely important aspect of Puritan life in Salem. The fact that John Proctor does not go to church weekly is proof enough to show that he is not a “devout” Puritan . Lastly and most importantly, John Proctor had an affair with Abigail. He committed the act of adultery, the same commandment he could not remember to say when asked by Reverend Hale. “I have known her Sir. I have known her.” (Proctor Act 3) John Proctor admits his adultery in