Arthur Miller, the author of The Crucible, once said, “Guilt is un-freedom. Freedom without any guilt is the ultimate freedom.” Miller introduces the concept of a tragic hero played by the central figure in the play, John Proctor. Proctor is a tormented individual; he presumes that his affair with Abigail perpetually damaged his reputation in the eyes of God, Elizabeth, his wife, and himself. Even though Proctor recognizes his faults and sins by committing to adultery, he lacks the capacity to forgive himself. From this, he struggles to maintain his relationship with Elizabeth, all the while suffering from the weight of his own sin. In addition, Proctor must also reveal his infringement to the public which means risking the purity of his name. Proctor’s struggle with guilt consumes his freedom and his survival …show more content…
Proctor believes that his affair with Abigail has soiled his reputation and soul to his wife, to his children, and to himself. He is caged by guilt by perpetrating a relationship with Abigail and is ashamed with himself by giving into the temptation of Abigail’s subversive character. During the play, Proctor struggles with the durity of the sin and the emotional weight of the crime harms his overall self-image. Proctor values his exterior appearance, specifically his name and his self-respect. Proctor also struggles to conform and to admit his sin to the public, by doing so, he slanders himself and his reputation by allowing the court to display his false confession. Proctor’s ultimate possession is his good name, the only source of himself that remains. Once he acknowledges his affair with Abigail (signs confession sheet), it commences a vestige of shame and guilt which resides on his shoulders for the entirety of his lifetime. Proctor’s inability to break from his guilt-ridden un-freedom, can be seen through his ultimate downfall, or hubris, which lacks the