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John Proctor-The Penitent In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

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John Proctor - The Penitent In Arthur Miller's historic play, The Crucible, the character of John Proctor is thrust into a maelstrom of interconnected conflicts that test his personal integrity and moral courage amid the chaos of the Salem witch trials. Set against the backdrop of fear, deception, and persecution in 1692 Salem, Proctor's struggles shed light on enduring themes of guilt, redemption, and the quest for truth. By facing a multitude of conflicts, including the preservation of his reputation, pressures from the Puritan community, and internal struggles within his marriage, John Proctor's journey weaves a narrative that delves into the complexities of human nature, the consequences of moral ambiguity, and the importance of personal integrity in times of crisis. John Proctor's …show more content…

Throughout the play, Proctor grapples with the weight of his past actions, particularly his affair with Abigail Williams. When pressed to confess his sins amid the witch trials, Proctor finds himself torn between revealing the truth and protecting his reputation. His confession, "I know her, sir. I have known her," showcases his internal struggle as he navigates between the truth and the desire to safeguard his standing in the community (Miller 3). 842). The. Furthermore, Proctor's refusal to falsely confess to witchcraft, despite the impending threat of death, underscores his unwavering commitment to personal integrity. His poignant declaration, "Because it is my name!" Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of those that hang!" encapsulates his realization of the consequences of compromising his values (Miller 4.725-726). This declaration could also be seen as a way that Proctor decides to resolve the conflict between preserving his reputation and upholding the

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Arthur Miller’s The Crucible (1953), portrays the Salem witch trials and conveys how the actions of a single person can hold a high impact on its surrounding community when faced with troublesome times. When accusations of witchcraft start spreading throughout the town, mass hysteria breaks out and infects the mindset of a large quantity of Salem’s inhabitants. The problems are further accentuated by poorly run trials led on by the corrupt leaders of the community. Throughout the play, drastic decisions are made by many that further the development of the plot. John Proctor is a highly respected citizen of Salem, though he does not view himself in that same light, and is one who is faced with an array of arduous decisions time and time again.

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John Proctor is an integral character in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible; he serves as the play’s common man tragic hero, often adding bursts of clarity and reasonable thought to the incoherent chaos of constant accusations and cynical attacks in Salem. In Act II of Miller’s play, Proctor’s obstacles and flaws become more apparent than ever as his relationship with his wife, Elizabeth Proctor, is strained even further in the wake of Abigail’s controversial actions. In response to these events, among others, Proctor’s reputation, relationships, and overall character are completely altered as he adapts to his environment. Before describing the change that occurred during the second act, it is important to characterize Proctor before these events

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The Manifested Substance of John Proctor in The Crucible Arthur Miller's The Crucible describes a society consumed by agitation and emotional disorder during the Salem witch trials. At the center of this chaos is John Proctor, a faulty yet ultimately brave protagonist who manifests extraordinary strength in facing bias, accepting his own sins, and maintaining his integrity. During the play, Proctor's behavior, especially bringing Mary Warren to court, confessing his infidelity, and cutting up his deceitful confession, highlights his consistent moral courage and perseverance. Facing Injustice, John Proctor exhibits exceptional power when he leads Mary Warren to court to depose against the falsehoods perpetrated by Abigail Williams and the additional

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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).

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In court, he dreads disclosing his sin because the guilt he places on himself has already overwhelmed him. As seen when he shreds the paper he signed, Proctor believes a public display of his wrongdoing only intensifies the extent of his sin, thereby multiplying his guilt, as well as damaging his reputation. His family’s reputable status would be ruined due to the shame placed upon them; Proctor realizes the predicament is no longer solely about himself but about his family, too. Despite being pressured to make one choice over the other, Proctor objectively weighs both sides of the conflict and concludes that he cannot live with another lie, having seen the consequences of lying about the choices he made in the past. Therefore, he sentences himself to be hanged, sacrificing his own life to avoid living as someone he is

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Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of those that hang! How can I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name! "” (143) Proctor emphasizing that “it is [his] name”, indicates that his name means a lot to him, and represents his honor and standing in the community. By confessing that “he lies and signs [him]self to lies”, he recognizes dishonesty as inherently wrong and something he does not want to do for the rest of his life.

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The author wrote that Proctor refused to give up the confession that he signed saying “I like not to spoil their names.” (Miller 61)..” He was tormented by this decision because he did not want to die but also he did not want to ruin the good names of his friends and himself.

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Proctor was driven to do the right thing and speak the truth no matter how much it tarnished his reputation. While in court, he confessed to lechery knowing that it would ruin his good name. Nevertheless, he admitted to it because he knew that the girls were frauds and wanted to put their rule to an end. In Act Three, Proctor declares to Danforth, “A man will not cast away his good name. You surely know that” (Miller 947).

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In the beginning Proctor had a chance to stop the accusations of witchcraft, but decides against it in order to preserve his image. He does not want to testify against Abigail because doing this would cause his secret affair with her to become a public topic, therefore tarnishing his reputation. However, Proctor sacrifices his reputation by admitting to his affair in Act III by saying, “God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat.” Although Proctor broke the rules of theocratic Salem, he proved his integrity by being honest which in some ways only adds respect to his reputation. At the end of the play, Proctor is given a choice to either lie, and damage the reputations of others in order to protect his own, or to tell the truth, and be killed.

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Proctor refused to let the paper he signed be hung on the wall, shouting, “I have confessed myself!... God does not need my name nailed upon the church!... God knows how black my sins are! It is enough!" He implied that by falsely confessing to witchcraft he would be dishonorable to his friends and family, and it would encumber him for the rest of his life.

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When Proctor was asked to expose his name to admit to the lies of the declaration, he refused because he can't "lie and sign [himself] to lies" which shows his integrity for himself (Miller 211). In this way he cannot keep the lies, he must face the consequences to keep his sincerity. He ignored what the accusers had to say and he made his own decision to be an honest man at that time. Such as when people lie their consequences can be much more severe and their virtue is

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However, when Proctor writes his confession he is told to sign it so that the town of Salem could see it. Proctor's flaw of excessive self-pride starts to become evident when he has an outburst about honor. “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies!

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It Proctor values his reputation, albeit in a positive way (unlike characters such as Abigail) when he says"Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name?

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