Lechery In The Crucible

The noblest and most selfless action one can do for others is to sacrifice their life in attempting to save someone else. In a time when witchcraft spread by a tumultuous escalation of accusations and deflections, the truth was an incredibly valuable resource. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, John Proctor battles the mass hysteria that has dominated the town. When his wife eventually gets accused and is sent to jail, John takes on the responsibility of combatting the accusations within the town. He ends up being sentenced to hang regardless of how virtuous his efforts are. John Proctor’s journey from being a repenting lecher to a loving and dedicated man, and his integrity in the face of death demonstrates his role as a tragic hero. The Crucible is an allegorical look at some core aspects of human nature, and John Proctor’s lechery is an important dynamic in the play. John’s relationship with his wife is cold and strenuous for both spouses at the beginning of The Crucible. He struggles internally with his former affair with Abigail and he lashes out at his wife when he says, “{You} are not God,

I say God is dead!” (Miller 63). At this point, John is aware that he will face repercussions for his defiance; this is also when a reader might feel sympathetic for him. He is tried and convicted of witchcraft but his internal goodness continues to shine through. When we reach Proctor’s date at the gallows his character arc is completed and he is a redeemed man. Even Elizabeth herself recognizes and acknowledges his redemption at the end of the story when she says, “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him” (Miller 73). John makes an altruistic choice and refuses to lie about witchcraft to avoid execution. This is the epitome of what a tragic hero is: a human person who tries to do what is right but still is tragically punished in the end. Using this logic, John Proctor’s integrity during The Crucible cements his role as a tragic