The Crucible John Proctor Character Analysis

John Proctor, throughout The Crucible struggles to overcome the burdens that not only he, but those around him have lain upon his chest. The eventual martyr of John Proctor was necessary to prove him a tragic hero, but it was also a bit unbelievable considering human nature. As a human being one faces many struggles and problems, and on many occasions one makes choices that only benefits them. As such, they show their selfish nature. This isn’t true of a single person, or just a group of people, but all people. The definition of a tragic hero is: a great or virtuous character who is destined for downfall, suffering, defeat, or death. Proctor can be labeled as a tragic hero because he is a righteous man who is destined to bear the mistakes

Another point in which John proves himself a good man comes in the beginning of act three when Danforth offers Proctor a year with his wife, “if she begin to show her natural signs, you shall have her living yet another year until she is delivered-- what say you to that?” Danforth asks. Proctor, proving his own righteousness with, “I--I think I cannot...These are my friends. Their wives are also accused.” Proctor Denies Danforth’s proposal despite how much he longs for his wife, in order to help save the others. Furthermore, Proctor is a tragic hero because he is destined to be a martyr, and in the process of martyring himself he helps stop trials. From the beginning Proctor has made it more than known how

Such a sacrifice can be written or imagined by people, but when it comes down to it, a man would save himself. Through social conditioning or an enormous sense of pride, people have been convinced to lay down their own lives, but that seems unfathomable in proctor’s situation. What could have persuaded him to lay down his life? Proctor’s wife is the only thing that could have swelled a strong enough emotion in him to override the primal instinct to save himself. Proctor wanted to win the trust of his wife because her opinion of him meant more to him than any else as he proved when he confessed his lechery to the court. John, finally procures the forgiveness of Elizabeth when they meet in prison before John rips up his last chance at