Salem Witch Trials, in the spring of 1692, was a time of chaos and turmoil in Salem, Massachusetts. The novel, The Crucible by Arthur Miller illustrates a series of accusations of witchcraft against many citizens of Salem. The Salem Witch Trials consisted of accusations, court hearings, prosecutions, and executions of people who were believed to have been possessed by the devil and therefore committed witchcraft. It was a time were citizens of Salem “accordingly looked on neighbors with some suspicion” and Salem was “a community riven with schisms” (Miller xiii). The Crucible’s tragic hero, John Proctor, a farmer in his mid-thirties who “was the kind of man – powerful of body, even-tempered, and not easily led – who cannot refuse support to partisans without drawing their deepest resentment” (Miller 19) is a man who experiences the trials first hand through his affair with Abigail Williams and through his marriage to Elizabeth.
“A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall,”Aristotle. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, John Proctor, the main protagonist of the play faces several situations in which he struggles both internally and externally; all of the struggles that Proctor encounters throughout the story heavily affect those around him, but most importantly they impact the way that he perceives Salem and his own life. Truthfully, the troubles that Proctor experiences in life are the most impactful occurrences in The Crucible because they reflect the righteousness that is within him, even in times of corruption; it is ultimately Proctor’s ability to discover righteousness that allows him to be seen as an tragic hero. It can also be said
Arguably, one of the most important characters of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” is protagonist John Proctor. In Salem’s community, he stands with a level head as a progressive, strong-willed and passionate man. However, Proctor plays a large role in the inaction of the witch hunt because of his affair with Abigail who is still in love with him when he no longer reciprocates her love. As an act of revenge, Abigail attempts to take away what Proctor loves, including Elizabeth who she frames for an attempted murder through witchcraft. He mimics that of a tragic hero archetype because he struggles with a guilty conscience of the affair with Abigail and beings to lose what loves.
In the book The Crucible by Arthur Miller, one of the main characters, John Proctor had an affair with Abigail Williams. By doing so, this opens up a big conflict between his wife Elizabeth, Abigail and the Salem court. In court Abigail accused Elizabeth of attempted murder by witchcraft. Their servant Mary Warren, brought home a doll she was making in court with a needle stuck in the stomach. When Reverend Hale visits the Proctors, the town marshals arrive with a warrant for Elizabeth’s arrest.
The Crucible “A hero is somebody who voluntarily walks into the unknown”- Tom Hanks. Hank’s quote is being expanded by the thought that there are many opportunities for a person to possess the title of being a hero without them even knowing it. There are beliefs that John Proctor was indeed a hero in Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible. The story takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in the year 1692. In the community of Salem a witch hunt came about.
In The Crucibles written by Arthur Miller, John Proctor is a tragic hero. He’s farmer that is honest and a respectful. Proctor does something that is a sin within the puritan town. He commits adultery with his 17 year old maid named Abigail Williams. Ever since Proctor’s wife kicked Abigail out things have got worse.
The Crucible by Arthur Miller is set in Salem in a Puritan community, John Proctor is the tragic hero because he is loving, loyal, authoritative, but his tragic flaw is his temper. The most well known definition of a tragic hero comes from Aristotle who was a great philosopher . When describing a tragic hero, he states "The change in the hero's fortunes be not from misery to happiness, but on the contrary, from happiness to misery, and the cause of it must not lie in any depravity but in some great error on his part. "He also explains the four essential qualities that a tragic hero should have, which are appropriateness, goodness,consistency, and lifelike. These necessities help, classify the character of John Proctor in Arthur Miller's play The Crucible as the tragic hero.
In Arthur Miller’s book The Crucible, it shows John Proctor as both a romantic hero and a side of an antihero where he’s a hero in some people’s mind and he shows some insecurities because of Abigail’s affair. And most of people don’t see it until the confession. For Proctor he’s always had gone head to head with the Putnams over the land disputes, even though most people (including Mr. and Mrs. Corey) support the Proctor’s. For Proctor as a hero, he does show some bravery in the way that some people would see. For example he shows a few thing to do and even defiant to protect his own name.
“I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (Miller 1357). This quote is said by John Proctor, a character in “The Crucible,” who is pleading to keep his name reputable when accused of witchcraft. Arthur Miller writes “The Crucible” to portray the Salem witch trials of 1692. The people of Salem have grievances in which they need a scapegoat.
These characters are usually very prideful, but are intelligent and learn something at the end of the story. The tragic hero of The Crucible is John Proctor, whose flaw is that he had committed adultery with Abigail Williams, due to the cold nature of his wife. The events that led to his fall first start when his wife is arrested for witchcraft. He is extremely angered by this unfair arrest and rips the warrant, screaming, “Off with you!” (72) as they try to take custody of her.
Throughout the play, Elizabeth shows her love for John, in variety of ways. She tells John “I do not judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you. I never thought you but a good man, John- with a smile- only somewhat bewildered” (1295). Elizabeth lying in court is her belief to protect John as well as her pleading with him.
The Crucible by Arthur Miller, is known for its critique of our society through irony and literary techniques such as foils or tragic heroes. A tragic hero is considered to be an individual who is well respected, but makes a mistake that ruins their stature or personal well-being. Another characteristic of a tragic hero is a life ending with an untimely, yet still often brave death. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller utilizes John proctor as a tragic hero to show the hypocrisy of society through his fall into adultery, his fight to regain the trust of his wife and others around him, and his tragic yet heroic death. John Proctors fall into adultery shows his human nature, and its tendency to make many mistakes in one’s lifetime.
John Proctor is a good man despite anything others may say about him. He displays three very noble qualities throughout the witch trials which are bravery, honesty, and an overall goal to save lives even to the point where he sacrificed his. While many argue John is a bad man because he committed adultery they are entirely mistaken. Just because he had one bad sin gives no right to anybody to call him a bad person when clearly the good side of him is shown more than the bad. John Proctor is a good man who displays the characteristics of a hero and could be seen as one for giving his life for his friends.
When people think of the play, “The Crucible”, they usually picture the witch trials and women being hanged, but Arthur Miller depicts the witch trials in a completely new light. He shows through a story that the witch trials were much more than just people calling others witches. There was deceit, pain, greed, and more. Through the play, we follow the character, Abigail, observe her actions and their consequences. We witness the lives of people she impacts, what happens to them, and how many times she lies to get her way.
In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the town of Salem is afflicted with hysteria, intolerance, and accusations that lead to death. According to philosopher Aristotle, a tragic hero possesses a tragic flaw, excessive pride, and an inevitable downfall. Protagonist John Proctor illustrates a tragic hero because he is presented as happy, powerful, and privileged, which later leads him to suffer because of his own actions. First of all, John Proctor possesses a fatal flaw, pride, which is a characteristic of a tragic hero. Proctor’s fatal flaws includes honesty and pride.
