Dynamic Characters In The Crucible

Adam Jarrell

Mrs. Quisenberry

February 23, 2023

English III Honors

The Crucible Literary Analysis Having dynamic characters in a play greatly increases your chances of attracting listeners. Characters can either be dynamic or static characters: based on how they change throughout the piece. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, the main protagonist of the play, John Proctor, changes a lot throughout the play. John, at first, was not very strong and was trying to hide the affair between him and Abigail. Then, as things went down with Elizabeth, he became more strong-tempered and violent. Nearing the end of the play, Proctor tries to do everything he can for Elizabeth when she gets arrested, making him more heroic and noble. The way that John Proctor’s downfall from a weaker person to a violent, ill-tempered person played a significant role in changing him into more of a hero throughout the play, is a beneficial change for his character.

In Act One of the play, Abigail says to Proctor “I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near!”(Page 470). Then, Abigail mentions “Abigail (with a bitter anger). Oh, I marvel how such a strong man may let such a sickly wife be-”, referring to Elizabeth, Proctor’s wife and the playwright writes “Proctor (angered-at himself as well). You’ll speak nothin’ of Elizabeth!”(Page 471). Proctor responds the way he did because the reader knows that Abigail is telling the truth referring to the affair, and he is denying everything she says to keep his reputation and not let the secret get out. The way that John Proctor starts weak and unfaithful, gives lots of room for him to make a change in the right direction, a positive