John Proctor Flaws In The Crucible

John Proctor The Crucible, a play by Arthur Miller, is about real life events during the Salem Witchcraft Trials in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Though most of the events in the play are real, some things are fictional. For example, John Proctor was a real person, but his character was exaggerated to make the play more interesting. In the play John Proctor and Abigail Williams had an affair, sometime after the affair ended Abigail began accusing people of witchcraft. John Proctor’s wife is eventually accused by Abigail, because Abigail was jealous of her relationship with John. In John 's effort to save his wife, he is accused and by the end of the play he is hanged because he won’t falsely admit to being a witch. Some readers feel that John Proctor is flawed because of all the bad things he has done, he is actually honorable because he is honest.

This mistake does not make him a flawed man because he was honest about it. In the play, after Elizabeth and his friends are arrested, in an effort to save his wife, John comes clean about his affair to the judges. Miller states, “I have known her, sir. I have known her” (Miller 1145). This quotation shows that John admits to his affair, which will ruin his reputation, but will hopefully save Elizabeth and his friends wives. Not only is John honest with the court, but he is also honest with Elizabeth, before the trials. In the article “Why Be Honest”, the author talks about why it is important to be honest with your spouse even they don’t want to hear it. Lickerman states, “Or is better to make a habit of being tactfully honest so she can trust you…” (Lickerman par. 7). This statement shows that it is good that John is honest with Elizabeth because he can start regaining her trust. This is only one way the John Proctor shows that he is an honorable