John Proctor As A Tragic Hero In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

A tragic hero is defined as a literary character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy. Aristotle defines a tragic hero as “a person who must evoke a sense of pity and fear in the audience. He is considered a man of misfortune that comes to him through error of judgment.” For a tragedy such as The Crucible, a tragic hero is necessary to [introduce] pity and [evoke] the audience. The qualities of a tragic hero in The Crucible can be seen in John Proctor through his noble traits, tragic flaw, and the cause of his ultimate downfall. The noble traits of a tragic hero can easily be seen in the character of John Proctor. Proctor is a loving man, which is evident in his current relationship with Elizabeth. All he wants is to make her happy and earn her forgiveness. Based on the statement by Proctor, he shows that he tries to be a better man after what he has done with Abigail, and that he regrets breaking his marriage vows, when he says “No, no, Abby. That’s done with”

Proctor seals his fate as he yells, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies... How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (Miller, 143). When faced with a life or death situation he chooses to die, as he would rather die to protect his name than sin by lying. Proctor has [overcome] his fatal flaw; he has confessed to the court and realized his sins, and he’s ready to pay for them. Though others try to convince him otherwise, Proctor ultimately chooses his pride over anything else. Proctor decided to die for Salem, and in doing so he had finally purged his guilt. Elizabeth accepts his choice, ending the play with a [lament??] on Proctor’s newfound goodness (Miller, 145). His courage to stand strong in his beliefs leads him to death at the gallows.