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John Proctor: A Modern Day Tragic Hero

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Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible described the events of the Salem, Massachusetts which took place in 1692. The witch trials started after Abigail Williams and her group of girls were found dancing in the woods. Not wanting to be punished, the girls claimed that the Parris household's servant Tituba was summoning spirits. From there, many other women were accused of being witches and chaos filled the town. Heroes arose, one of them being John Proctor. John Proctor fits the standards for a modern-day tragic hero set in Arthur Miller's essay, "Tragedy and the Common Man" because he was ready to lay down his life for his "sense of personal dignity" (Tragedy and the Common Man, 1), he is unwilling "to remain passive in the face of what he conceives …show more content…

John Proctor shows that very clearly in Act Four when he is signing his confession. He was going to confess until Danforth wanted him to sign his name on a confession that they would post up on the church doors. Proctor cries that he does not want his name to be ruined (The Crucible, 143) and proceeds to rip up his confession saying "I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor" (The Crucible, 144), meaning that he was keeping his "rightful status" by refusing to sign lies. This also makes John Proctor a modern day tragic hero described by Arthur Miller in "Tragedy and the Common Man". John Proctor's affair with Abigail, the "fateful wound" that led to the Salem witch trials in 1692 and his tragic downfall is the first characteristic which makes Proctor a tragic hero. His "unwillingness to remain passive in the face on what he conceives to be a challenge to his dignity" (Tragedy and the Common Man, 1) and his decision to lay down his life to keep his name and dignity (Tragedy and the Common Man, 1) inarguably make John Proctor a perfect example of a modern day tragic

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The next quality that makes John Proctor a tragic hero is having a tragic flaw. John Proctor went through many tragic flaws during the story. For example, on page 894 John Proctor decides not to be interested in Abigail no more and he says, “I will cut of my hand before I will ever touch you again.” This ends to John’s tragic flaw because eventually this will lead him to go to court to save his wife. Another Example, On page 916 John and Elizabeth has gotten into an argument about the situation that was going on between him and Abby.

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What Makes Someone a Tragic Hero? What would you do if you were involved in hysteria? How would you try to stop it from hurting the people who are most important to you? Would you let your own secrets stop you from doing the right thing?

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This secret was his affair with Abigail Williams. Abigail Williams was trying to get rid of Elizabeth, because she wanted to take over her spot as John Proctors wife. Due to Abigail's jealousy and revenge for Elizabeth she mentions Elizabeth's name during the Salem witch trials which causes nothing but chaos. During this chaos, John Proctor displayed traits of being short tempered and aggressive. The characteristics of anger, aggression, innocence and compassion where portrayed by John and Elizabeth Proctor in the story The Crucible by Arthur Miller.

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494 Words | 2 Pages

John Proctor was the best example of a tragic hero in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller. John Proctor had many qualities of being a tragic hero. He was a intelligent and well respected guy in the community of Salem, Massachusetts. Another quality was how he had many flaws but he redeems himself. At the end, John Proctor had a major downfall and a tragedy that led to his death.

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“A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall,”Aristotle. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, John Proctor, the main protagonist of the play faces several situations in which he struggles both internally and externally; all of the struggles that Proctor encounters throughout the story heavily affect those around him, but most importantly they impact the way that he perceives Salem and his own life. Truthfully, the troubles that Proctor experiences in life are the most impactful occurrences in The Crucible because they reflect the righteousness that is within him, even in times of corruption; it is ultimately Proctor’s ability to discover righteousness that allows him to be seen as an tragic hero. It can also be said

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There is a big controversy if John Proctor was either good or bad. The definition of a tragic hero is a protagonist, who has flaws and weaknesses, but discovers a grand scheme in society, which in return leads to self acknowledgment and acceptance. There are many reasons of why John is considered a tragic hero. “He doesn’t let others

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With John Proctor as our main character it is only suited that we claim him to be our one true tragic hero. He is introduced as a strong character that has secrets that few know. The reputation he has set forth for himself means a great deal to him. But, the higher you are the more the fall hurts. His fall from the graces was extremely tragic, as he proclaimed his act of adultery in front of God and everyone.

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912 Words | 4 Pages

“He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!” (1273) Metaphorically speaking, Proctor was put into a crucible, melted down, and came out in the purest form possible. John Proctor perfectly fits the role of a tragic hero because he has all the qualities of a tragic hero.

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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.

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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.

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John Proctor would not confess to witchcraft simply to get out of death. He felt as though holding his dignity and integrity exceeded living in deceit. Despite the consequences he had to face, Proctor stood by his worth and beliefs. Tragedy lies in the inability for one to accomplish his or her desires due to unethical ways of others. A tragic hero is demonstrated when one no one longer cares about the consequences that will result and would rather lay down his life than lie to himself and

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1218 Words | 5 Pages

Goodness and nobility is determined by an individual’s morality and their willingness to follow a virtuous path in their life. It is also determined by the ability of an individual to acknowledge their shortcomings and become more self-aware. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, John Proctor is a good man as he showcases righteous morals and principles. This is shown, as he ends his affair with Abigail, protects his wife and his friends’ wives, and dies to preserve his integrity and honour. First, John Proctor shows his goodness, by refusing the physical advances of Abigail, who wishes to continue their love affair.

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747 Words | 3 Pages

In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the town of Salem is afflicted with hysteria, intolerance, and accusations that lead to death. According to philosopher Aristotle, a tragic hero possesses a tragic flaw, excessive pride, and an inevitable downfall. Protagonist John Proctor illustrates a tragic hero because he is presented as happy, powerful, and privileged, which later leads him to suffer because of his own actions. First of all, John Proctor possesses a fatal flaw, pride, which is a characteristic of a tragic hero. Proctor’s fatal flaws includes honesty and pride.

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594 Words | 3 Pages

John Proctor, the protagonist of The Crucible, qualifies as a tragic hero because he has a tragic flaw, is ethically superior to the other characters in the play, and struggles to find peace with himself in midst of the lies and chaos during this play. John Proctor possesses a tragic flaw that forces him to hide his prideful mistake, which eventually brings about his downfall. I guess the old saying is true, “Pride comes before the fall”. John Proctor’s tragic flaw is his excessive pride, and he expresses it abundantly throughout the play. In Act I, it states, “ Proctor: Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time.

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835 Words | 4 Pages

The last instance of his heroic bravery is when he decides to be hanged instead of going along with the lies of witchcraft. He stood up for what he believed in and ultimately had to pay the price for it. That, is true bravery from John Proctor. Another notable aspect of John Proctor is his honesty. When confronting the court about

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