“The Crucible” by Arthur Miller is commonly referred to as a tragedy. In the center of most tragedies, there emerges a tragic hero. A tragic hero can be defined as “a good man with a minor flaw or tragic trait in his character… the fall and sufferings and death of such a hero would certainly generate feelings of pity and fear” (“The Tragic Hero”). In other words, a tragic hero is a man who is thought of as noble or brave, acquires a flaw or misjudgment, and experiences a downfall into death as a result of his flaw. The first ingredient in the recipe of a tragic hero is the character’s traits and characteristics. Normally, traits that qualify a tragic hero as a tragic hero are his ability to be noble, brave, or well thought of in his own community. John Proctor is able to fit into this category of a tragic hero in a decent manner. In his personal community, John might not be considered remarkably brave or noble, but he is well thought of and many people look up to him. “John Proctor is a middle aged farmer, husband, and a father. He values honesty and has a great …show more content…
“The Crucible.” Act IV. Pg. 1357). This quote from John Proctor is very significant in the idea of how respected John is in the community of Salem. It entails that he has a good name in the community and is thought of highly. His name is one that he is not okay with being tarnished or made a mess of. Mr. Proctor’s words also contain a little bit of nobility in the sense of what and who he is defending. In this section of the play, John is being questioned about specific people in the community and their involvement in the topic of witchcraft in Salem. He tells a lie for them because they are innocent members of the community and don’t deserve to be hanged. John didn’t think that it was really fair that they were to be hanged for doing nothing wrong. Essentially, Proctor sacrificed himself for their freedom. That action qualifies as something a tragic hero would