Examples Of Heroism In The Crucible

John Proctor; A Tragic Hero Most people see a hero as a perfect, courageous person who does not stand down at the sight of danger. What most people do not think of is a person who goes against society to fight for morality. This is the case for John Proctor in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller. John lives in Salem, Massachusetts, where the scare of witchcraft is about. John’s friends and loved ones are being falsely accused of witchcraft, and he decides to fight for the justice of the wrongfully accused. John Proctor is a hero, even though he has flaws; he shows his heroism by rejecting Abigail, putting his reputation in jeopardy for Elizabeth, and dies an honest man. By rejecting Abigail, John shows great heroism. John is not

After all of the trouble they had gone through, John still proves to Elizabeth that he is loyal and determined to do anything for her. Before John and Elizabeth are put to death, they are given a chance to talk. Hale has come back to town to try and convince everyone to confess to witchcraft. He tells Elizabeth to try and convince John to do this when they are allowed to talk. While talking with his wife, John says: “I have been thinking I would confess to them, Elizabeth. What you say? If I give them that?” (Miller 1328). Elizabeth states that she cannot judge him, but does want to see him alive. She does not ultimately want him to confess though, because she knows that this is not what he wants to do. Following the requests of Elizabeth, John nobly decides to confess to this lie. By confessing, he is going against his morals of honesty, for the desire to be alive for his wife and children. After discussing with his wife, John is asked what he is going to plead. He then pronounces, “ I will have my life” (Miller 1329). Hathorne, one of the judges in this trial, praises the lord that John decided to confess. John, hearing this praise, starts to question if he is really doing what is just. Elizabeth then lets him know that he can do as he will, metaphorically releasing him from this lie. This took great strength for John to accept the release Elizabeth

John was tempted with chances to give in to the same escape of punishment that everyone else at the time had done, confess to the false accusation, but he never did and continues to show great bravery until the end. After crying out how he does not want his name to be blackened in the town, Danforth asks him if the document he signed as a confession was a lie. Danforth also says that if it were to be a lie, he would be hung automatically. Not caring about his fate, John says, “You have made your magic now, for now I do think I see shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but while enough to keep from such dogs” (Miller 1333). John now feels freed from the dishonesty and torture that had surrounded him in the past. He knows that his fate is to be hanged, and he is finally at peace with this. His principle of honesty prevails and by him showing fearlessness in regard to what the community thinks, exhibits his bravery. A public hanging, even though he receives no trial, is sentencing John, to death. Watching everything unfold, Hale and Paris anxiously question Goody Proctor why she was not trying to stop them. Her response to them is, “He has goodness now. God forbid I take it from him” (Miller 1334). By saying this, Elizabeth expresses that she is not going to stop John. Elizabeth is at peace with her decision to let him choose what to do