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Character development ion the crucible
John proctor character essay
Character development essay on the crucible
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John Proctor faces many different forms of conflict, whether it be self to self or self to society. Facing the court, Proctor gives his words and mind to try and free the ones accused. His personality and internal conflicts are arguably more intense. To be damned or forgiven by his society. The only way out of persecution is to smear his name.
Proctor's decision to confess to being a witch, despite knowing it was a lie, also played a role in his death. He hoped that by confessing,
Proctor is a well respected upperclassman and him sacrificing his life led to his family living a greater life. To the court with great emotion proctor states “ Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (143).
The Tragic Flaw of John Proctor The Crucible by Arthur Miller based on the Salem Witch Trials. Story based on how the Trials of Salem occurred, and who was to take part in these trials. The story represents a tragic hero who is known as John Proctor, a farmer in Salem; His tragic flaw is his adultery with Abigail Williams, former house servant of John Proctor. The tragic flaw of adultery leads him to the ruining of his marriage, exposing of his affair with Abigail Williams, and to his tragic death.
The court wishes to nail the confession the church door. But the strength of Mr. Proctor’s pride overwhelms them. Proctor doesn’t allow the court nail the confession to the public for the sake of his name. “Because it is my name! Because I can not have another in my life.”
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.
His act of defiance resulted in death, but caused the people of Salem to question the court, which prevents any future deaths for suspected witchery. By refusing to lie, John Proctor preserved his name and held up his personal convictions. However, some may say that this was self-serving, because he left his family destitute, and his wife husbandless and his children fatherless. Nevertheless, “How can I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!...Because It is my name!
I confess to God, and God has seen my name on this! It is enough!” To Proctor, his name meant more to him than the beat of his own heart. He did not confess past that, and lost his life for it, preserving his history
The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is categorized as a dramatic tragedy, and all tragedies, by definition, have a tragic hero. So who is that hero? In this story, it would be John Proctor. According to Aristotle there are five characteristics of a tragic hero, he must have a flaw or error of judgement, he must cause his own downfall, he must recognize that he caused his own downfall, he must have pride, and his fate must be greater than he deserved. In this play, John Proctor has all of these characteristics.
However, throughout the play, he is able to prove the audience wrong. Firstly, when Proctor is arrested, he decides to confess to practicing witchcraft. He does this because he believes it could end the trials in Salem, which could save many innocent lives of others who have been accused. Proctor tells this to his wife, saying, “I have been thinking I will confess to them, Elizabeth.” (Miller, 135).
Proctor believes life is not worth living if you are seen as a witch. Instead of being seen as a witch, proctor elects to die with his name intact. John Proctor shows throughout the play that he feels his reputation is of highest
I have given you my soul; leave me my name!’” (Miller 145). Although Proctor wants to live, he refuses to let his reputation be ruined by having his confession put up for the whole community to see. He knows that if he wants to live he is going to have to sacrifice his name, but even so, he is hesitant to give up his name. By putting his name up there and confessing to witchcraft, he conforms to
He cared greatly about his family and wife even though Elizabeth was often distant towards him. In the end of the play, Proctor chooses to die rather than sign his confession, ratting out his friends and ruining his good name in the town. He did this to protect the reputation of his children so they won’t have to grow up with a lying father. Lying went against Protctors’ views and that ideal is prevalent throughout the entire play. It is revealed that as soon as he had an affair with Abigail, he confessed to Elizabeth the next day because of the guilt he was carrying around.
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.
I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (Miller 153). This quote truly demonstrates Proctors character as a whole, as he is willing to be hung for the sake of proving his worth to the court. Specifically, Proctor knows he is truly innocent, and wants to make the courts aware of his innocence. His unwillingness to confess to witchcraft, is because of his personal beliefs regarding reputation.
