What is a tragic hero? The best definition of a tragic hero comes from a Greek philosopher, Aristotle. When depicting a tragic hero, Aristotle stated, “The change in the hero’s fortune be not from misery to happiness, but on the contrary, from happiness to misery, and the cause of it must not lie in depravity, but in some great error on his part.” In addition, Aristotle explained the qualities that a tragic hero should possess. Qualities that are best shown through the play The Crucible by Arther Miller, where the protagonist is an excellent example of a tragic hero. John Proctor has all the elements of the character archetype. He has a tragic flaw, noble stature, his death evokes pity, and is seen as a waste of potential, and his demise was partly his own fault. John Proctor’s tragic flaw was hubris, or his great amount of pride, which fueled a series …show more content…
Despite the fact that Procto had not born into nobility, he has a high stature in the Puritan community, before the trials began. He had a wife, children, served his community well, and earned the respect of the Salem people. The fact that he had not been born into nobility allows the audience to relate themselves to him better. Even though Proctor had an affair with Abigail, he cares more for his wife and children. The audience can relate because they care for their families as well. John Proctor is a christian, but he doesn’t attend church every Sunday for his own reasons. The audience can relate to this belief. Arther Miller even had John Proctor’s character choose his words carefully when he speaks to authority figures, such as when he said, “I-I have not witness and cannot prove it, except my word be taken. But I know the children’s sickness had naught to do with witchcraft.” (TC,2.1063). This is a great example of how Proctor is understandable to the audience. Another characteristic of a tragic hero is that his death is seen as a waste of human