ipl-logo

The Crucible By Arthur Miller: Character Analysis

546 Words3 Pages

Change is good. Many hear this statement being thrown around in speeches and slogans by people trying to promote that change is for the better. Arthur Miller’s, The Crucible, the reader is able to infer and analyze the situations that the characters undergo making them feel uncomfortable and their need for change. The definition of crucible is “a heat resistant container in which materials inside can be subjected to great heat.” (Merriam- Webster, 190) Knowing this allows the reader to understand that the outside being the witnesses, put pressure on the adults, who are on the inside, subjecting them to change. Like the definition of crucible John Proctor, Abigail William, and Elizabeth Proctor are subject to change by outside forces throughout the play. …show more content…

The reader see’s Proctor to be a selfish person but simple man, who would do whatever it takes to keep his name and hide his affair. Proctor states, “I have known her, sir. I have known her,” (Miller, 117), but this is too late. Once his wife, Elizabeth comes to testify, she claims that Proctor had not had an affair with Abigail, in which she hopes to keep her husband safe, not realizing that Proctor already confessed the affair to the court. After this occurred, Proctor is sentenced to death. The court presents John a pardon if he admits to what he has done. To protect himself, John must sign the document saying he has been practicing witchcraft. John decides to tear up the paper, and that living a life knowing he’s not guilty would be hard on him, his family, and those around him. He is faced with the “injustices of society… and at the end of the play [Proctor] affirms his moral honesty and integrity by refusing to reveal publicly his confession of guilt” (White, 148). Proctor decides to save his reputation, and name, over his

Show More
Related
524 Words | 3 Pages

Ashton Franquiz AP Lang Eairheart 4th 31st october 2016 Hots Questions What made Miller use irony a a lot in his writing, did it help his cause and purpose of writing it? Miller’s use of irony in his writing helped him get his points across and give a sense of comic relief to the readers, in his example of Proctor reciting the Ten Commandments and forgetting the one about adultery gives a laugh for the audience seeing how he was unfaithful to his wife and had an affair with Abigail. 2.

Read More
667 Words | 3 Pages

Characters are an important part of any play, and even in life. John Proctor and Abigail Williams are one the most important characters in both "The Crucible" and The Salem Witch trials. However, Arthur Miller slightly changes the characters to fit the parts in "The Crucible". In the play, Arthur Miller describes John in the stage directions saying “Procter was a farmer in his

Read More
446 Words | 2 Pages

Going on with the courtroom case at this point John Proctor didn’t want tell anyone about his adultery even to the point of him wanted to forget about it. Knowing that he and his friends are losing the result to his final hand. He confess to adultery with Abigail in order to discredit her to save his wife and his friends wife. Even with this act not working his willingness to confess of his adultery in front of the court, friends, and Judge Danforth took courage and shows his willing to sacrifice his name to save the people he cares about.

Read More
1007 Words | 5 Pages

With accusations of witchery and his guilt of lechery, Mr. Proctor feels he has a duty to save his name for his children. He can 't stand the idea of his family suffering for the mistakes he has made now and in the past. John 's initial reaction to his wife being accused based off the lust Abigail has, he says, "My wife will never die for me! I will bring your guts into your mouth but that goodness will not die for me!" (Miller 80) John knows he 's done wrong and will do anything to save Elizabeth 's reputation.

Read More
1121 Words | 5 Pages

The Crucible Act 1-4 Reading Response Journal 1.a. Speaker: The speaker is Arthur Miller, who was the author of the book, as well as a popular essayist and playwright during the 20th Century. 1.b. Audience: Miller is addressing the reader of the book 1.c. Context: At the time the quote was written, Salem had been established for forty years and was involved in trade amongst other nations.

Read More
749 Words | 3 Pages

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.

Read More
614 Words | 3 Pages

Proctor’s crime of adultery is a form of baggage that he must carry for the rest of his life. Therefore Proctor does everything to keep his secret safe however his partner in adultery, Abigail Williams, thinks otherwise. In the first interaction where the reader is introduced to their vulgar crime Proctor is speaking to Abigail outside Reverend Parris's’ home. During this interaction Proctor states “ Abby,I may think

Read More
967 Words | 4 Pages

Likewise, when Elizabeth is brought before Danforth to verify Proctor’s confession, she lies to protect her husband, whom she refers to as a “goodly man,” from suspicion (Miller, 113). The affair may have caused Elizabeth to doubt Proctor but both parties still care deeply for each other and try to protect each other from harm. Even in his last moments, Proctor’s last words- “Show honor now, show a stony heart and sink them with it!”- were directed toward Elizabeth and were full of love and care (Miller, 144). Proctor may have sinned but his regret over his affair with Abigail and the trouble he had brought upon his wife justifies his

Read More
884 Words | 4 Pages

The Crucible was published in the year 1953, written by Arthur Miller. This story's setting revolves around Salem Massachusetts in the bay area. Throughout this story many of the characters endure changes because what is going on around them and the tight situations they are in. In The Crucible There are many situations where many characters have to tell lies to stay alive and not be hanged. Through this process there are a lot of dynamic characters but one that really jumps out in my opinion is the farmer John Proctor.

Read More
925 Words | 4 Pages

Abigail William’s age was raised in order to make the romantic relationship between John Proctor and Abigail practical. Similarly, John’s age was lowered to add to the emotional effect of his death. On the other hand, Reverend Samuel Parris’s character was not altered because the historical Parris already embodied the characteristics that Miller desired for the story. Overall, the changes Miller made to the characters helped to shape The Crucible and allowed the reader connect to its historically-based

Read More
1095 Words | 5 Pages

The Crucible - Conflict Analysis John Proctor Internal: John Proctor’s most eminent internal conflict is over the sin he has committed, adultery. Proctor cheated on his wife with Abigail Williams, and this makes Proctor feel incredibly guilty because in the town, he is “respected and even feared” (19). He tried very hard, and succeeded, with keeping this moral crime to himself. He still walked about Salem as if he was “an untroubled soul,” (21) however, avoiding the sin again would be a difficult task. Abigail flirts with him, in attempt to have him for one last night, and it’s obvious Proctor has an arduous time pushing her away.

Read More
630 Words | 3 Pages

Shawn Jande Ms. Clancy American Literature B3 15 November 2015 The Crucible Analytical Essay Imagine, being accused of a crime you didn’t commit by your neighbors and friends out of jealousy, and desire. This is what many people in the town of Salem had to go through during the time of the Salem Witch Trials. People's motives such as: gaining and maintaining power, and aspirations for what other people had caused them to make irrational, and atrocious decisions. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, desire and power drive characters to create chaos in the community.

Read More
302 Words | 2 Pages

In The Crucible, the protagonist John Proctor was. In the town of Salem, in 1692, a group of young ladies by the names of Betty Williams, Abigail Williams and Tituba were found dancing in the forest naked by Reverend Parris, Abigail’s’ uncle. Reverend Parris assumed that they were participating in witchcraft. This idea of witchcraft spread through the city of Salem and the citizens began accusing each other of being witches. This started a series of court cases known as the Salem Witch Trials.

Read More
525 Words | 3 Pages

The speaker John Proctor, in the playwright The Crucible by Arthur Miller, is portrayed as a noble, and well respected Puritan man. However, it is later revealed that he had an affair with Abigail Williams, as she turns the whole town to chaos to be with him. When Elizabeth Proctor is accused of witchcraft by Abigail, Proctor uses logos to convince the court especially Danforth, that his wife is innocent and the girls were lying about their accusations. Yet, the mass hysteria has engulfed the court, making any use of logic useless. So, he uses pathos to appeal the court, tarnishing his name.

Read More
566 Words | 3 Pages

In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, John Proctor was accused of witchcraft. John Proctor was a man of great integrity and knew he did nothing wrong. He was given the choice to confess and lie or be hung. Being the honest and stubborn man that he was, he decided his name was more important than his life. John struggled both internally and with others while trying to fight for what he thought was right.

Read More

More about The Crucible By Arthur Miller: Character Analysis

Related Topics

Open Document