John Proctor's Motivation In The Crucible

An individual’s motivation has a significant impact on one’s actions. In Arthur Miller’s, The Crucible, many Salem villagers are seized by hysteria regarding witches, which leads to the destructive witch trials of 1692. In the novel, John Proctor is a young, married man attempting to put a passionate affair with Abigail Williams, an obsessive, lovestruck teenager, behind him. Once Abigail accuses John’s wife, Elizabeth, of witchcraft, Proctor feels terribly guilty. Through Proctor's motivation to save his wife from a death sentence, Miller demonstrates that one will sacrifice their reputation due to guilt. At the beginning of the novel, Proctor attempts to deny the affair in order to save his reputation within the strict Puritan society. As a result,

However, he does not wish for Elizabeth to sacrifice for his mistake. He believes his guilt over having the affair will be relieved once he saves Elizabeth, as he would be mending his mistake. Therefore, he attempts every action in his power to ensure Elizabeth is rescued, including combatting authority. In the novel, Reverend Hale travels to the Proctor household in order to question their Christianity. After Hale asks about Proctor’s belief in witches, Proctor states, “...I cannot believe [witches] come among us...” (Miller 66). By stating he does not believe witches are present, Proctor contradicts the Puritan opinion on the cause of the outbreak of witchcraft. In the Puritan religion, individuals believe witches are the Devil’s apprentices. Therefore, when accusations are made against citizens of the community, the town becomes hysterical. In turn, the guilt Proctor experiences forces him to combat the religious belief because the individual who he loved most is at risk. By resisting the common Puritan opinion, Proctor becomes a target in the harsh society, damaging his respectable