Category: John Proctor

In the dark thunderous nights of the winter of 1692, the people of Salem’s biggest fear had risen upon them. Arthur Miller deliberately uses verbiage to make the Trials seem a little more histrionic. Abigail Williams and a group of young ladies performed dances around a fire, fully stripped out of their clothes, which sprung a rumor lasting a few months that costed people’s lives. The people of Salem credenced the rumor, that the dancing was a talisman to calling a devil to Salem. Accusations of witchcraft were being thrown from left and right causing the hectic city of Salem to begin what we call, the Salem Witch Trials. Things became so intense where people were being called to the courtroom and be questioned about their involvement with witchcraft. These accusations had the whole area fooled, besides a bright man by the name of John Proctor. Proctor states that all of this is nothing but an act that the girls have put on due to Abigail’s threats to the girls for if they speak the truth. John Proctor later gets accused of witchcraft and gets jailed for colluding with the devil and decrying Salem’s court. In order to become free again, he must submit his name on a document stating he had relations with the devil. John made the proper choice by rebuffing to write his name leaving the court no choice but to hang him.

John’s decision of choosing honor over life was a tough yet proper decision due to his excessive honor and pride. The Proctors are extremely truthful and honest, so John lying about something he didn’t even do would break their personal moral code and ethics. John has self-pride to an extent where he wouldn’t lie to keep his life. He would rather say the truth and die with the truth being told so that his legacy would live on with a good reputation. Elizabeth Proctor, John Proctor’s wife, is requested to persuade John to confess to witchcraft in Act IV, and John seemed to be a little convinced. After he signed his name on the paper that holds the names of the people associated with witchcraft in front of Judge Danforth and Reverend Hale, John snatches the paper and says with boundless anger rising in him, “I confess to God, and God has seen my name on this! It is enough!” (ACT IV, line 688). Judge Danforth and Reverend Hale are both astonished and surprised. Judge Danforth avidly insists on receiving the paper as he needs it in order to nail it to the church door with all the names of those who confessed to witchery. Proctor is resistant to giving it to Judge Danforth as he claims that Judge Danforth is part of the “high court” and his word is enough and is more than a confession (ACT IV, line 712). Danforth then questions Proctor’s acts with witchcraft saying he is not confessing to it, so he is guilty. Danforth is so tenacious to have John Proctor’s signature on that paper and back in his hands, but Proctor replies with a cry of his whole soul, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (Act IV, line 725). Danforth has already had enough of John and asks for the paper one last time before he puts a rope around his neck. John Proctor tears the paper and crumples it, and he is weeping in fury, but erect (Act IV, line 738). This puts John in a position in which he must hang. He allowed the court to take away his soul and leave him empty, yet he held on to his name and his identity as John Proctor. Elizabeth Proctor is sentenced to hang along with John Proctor, but since she is pregnant, she will not hang. Proctor begins thinking about the future of his children and how his legacy will carry on. Proctor asks Danforth a rhetorical question regarding his children and his name: “I have three children—how may I teach them to walk like men in the world, and I sold my friends?” (Act IV, line 703). He knows if he gives up his name and lives, then his children will carry the name and legacy of a man that committed witchery according to the town. John cannot fathom what his children will grow to be like if he had given up his name to live. Therefore, John’s decision to take death and his name and leave the truth in the real world was proper.

Unlike the justice served in Salem, it is only just and fair if we see things from both sides. John Proctor was given a choice to either lie and falsely admit to witchcraft, or instead sacrifice his own life and die the death of a man who appears to attempt to be redeeming himself for some prior wrongdoing. In this case, he must look at this future from both decisions. Having a family is every couple’s dream, and the Proctors are not an exception. Even though Elizabeth Proctor was granted one year to birth her child and take care of it before her time comes to be hung, it is better to have at least one of the parents alive to take care of it. It would be a depressive start to life for a fetus to not have his parents around him growing up. On the other hand, John Proctor cares more about when his children grow and become men to carry on the legacy of a Proctor. He will not allow his name to fall into shame and have his children carry it, but he would rather destroy his reputation and expose himself than be known as the man who was involved in witchcraft in the village. John proctor whales in ACT III in the midst of the courtroom, “She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a whore’s vengeance, and you must see it” (Act III, line 379-384). In saying this, John is attempting to save his reputation by not only confessing to Judge Danforth and the rest of the village about his affair with Abigail, but also by accusing her and shifting everything around on her making Abigail the antagonist. Abigail has always been the antagonist since the beginning of the play from the reader’s point of view. Abigail has lied about everything from the incident in the woods to falsely accusing people of witchcraft. Since then, all the people of Salem have fallen into a never-ending cycle of lies, therefore, they all had to adapt and lie to stay alive. Some could argue that John Proctor’s decision was a really dull decision as he could’ve easily avoided death by lying. He could’ve stayed alive with his wife, maybe worked things out to get the court to dismiss Elizabeth from her sentenced hanging, allow her to give birth, move to another village and start a new life with his family. As clever as that sounds, that is not myopic. As the saying goes, “What goes around, comes around”. The story about Salem and the Witch Trials will find its way out into the world. Once the list of doom makes its way outside the small village of Salem, John Proctor will never be able to glance beyond his past. Looking more into the future, his children will grow up with that name, too, making it a very tough lifestyle. I’m sure no parent wants to see their child suffer bullying growing up because of their name, neither does John Proctor. Thus, Proctor made the right move in offering his life for his children’s sake, and for pride and honor.

Arthur Miller evinced the Salem Witch Trials in his play, ‘The Crucible’, portraying betrayal, pride, honor, and vengeance. Despite the murky and tragic ending of this play, Miller teaches everyone a lesson that cannot be forgotten. Whether that lesson is to be prideful, be honest, adaptation, or to not dance around a fire naked, ‘The Crucible’ opened up our eyes to how unjust and unfair justice was and how McCarthyism haunted governments and courtrooms and villages. It gave a good representation of how feckless you became once someone hints at your name in court in such a trial. Among them is John Proctor. In my vision, he made a marvelous choice in choosing to deny the sacrilege idea of witchcraft that roams Salem and attempt to speak the truth even if it meant his death was to come unwonted.

Work Cited

1. Achter, Paul J. ‘McCarthyism’. Brittanica, www.britannica.com/topic/McCarthyism. Accessed 2 Nov. 2019.
2. Miller, Arthur. The Crucible: A Play In Four Acts. New York : Penguin Books, 1976. Print.

John Proctor is the tragic hero in the play ‘The Crucible’. He gives all he has and gives his life for the people that he loves. He confesses his sins in front of the court to get his wife out jail and prove that there are so many people lying about everything that is going on. He’s one of the biggest inspirations in the story and no one could ever live up to his part or character in any movie or show.

Abigail another character in ‘The Crucible’, that Proctor had to deal with. She was a little girl that was in love with Proctor. She used to work for them until Elizabeth his wife found out they had an affair and fired her. Abigail was so mad and was so in love with Proctor that she made up some lies to try to get her away and take her place in Proctor’s life. When Elizabeth tells Proctor that she was not happy with it he took himself down to Abigail to tell her that they were no more and even threatened to kill her if his wife died because of her. “Abby, you’ll put it out of mind. I’ll not be coming for you”. Proctor refuses to leave his wife for a little girl. Not mentioning that he confronted her even when she threatened four other girls that she will kill them if they say anything to the courts. She was and determined girl for love but at the end of everything was it really worth going through all you did just to have the person you want to die because your selfish and doesn’t anyone else to have him when he already has another person.

Second reason why John Proctor was the tragic hero, because he took himself into the court and admitted to them that him and Abby had an affair. Knowing that he could’ve went to jail or even Abby trying to press him for something that he didn’t do. He still kept his mind straight of getting his wife out jail and saving her to be with their kids and keeping his family together. John puts himself in jeopardy of bad things to save people and tries to make deals with the judges. He is very brave and not very scared, when it comes to getting people save, plus he sticks to what he believes and what religion he grew up with. Not mentioning that not many people like him because he doesn’t go to church like he is supposed to and he doesn’t want to lose his name in the mix of this because he worked for a long time for people to actually know him and know what he is about. “Well, who accused me? Why Abigail Williams!”. Abby had vengeance out for Elizabeth for firing her but her reason is still not enough to actually start accusing her for something that was taken very serious back then and have the person that you were going to die.

Proctor never let anyone think of him as anything other way then the way that he wanted people to see him as. Also noticing that he didn’t really didn’t care about what people thought of him except for his name he didn’t want to have bad name around the town. He was a strong guy that wouldn’t take no for an answer. He lived far out so no one could bother him and if wife with two kids. He was also a farmer for the people, but even being a farmer, many people respected him and his wife and never gave them any problems. “I was planting way out to the edge!”.

Even as people found out that him and Abby had an affair he was still and well-known person for what he has for other people and the stuff that he has done for the town. Proctor died knowing that he was saying his wife for their kids and that he was dying for the sins he committed. Proctor was also the person in that town that told himself that he had sinned and that he didn’t let it go because he knew what he did was a sin. Proctor never showed weakness for anything or anyone he took what he was given and that’s just how he ruled. He wasn’t a judgy person or didn’t look at people like they were anything different from him. He did believe in another religion though i think that’s one of the reasons that he never went to church and listened to Parris. John Proctor was my tragic hero, I picked for the three reasons, and I still believe, that if John would have stayed alive, he would have changed so much in that town. He also probably would have been killed for killing Abby for putting his wife in jail and also getting her hanged. Anyways John Proctor was a tragic hero because of these reasons.

Proctor’s last act is a noble and honorable way to die. He chooses to die not only for himself and his wife, but also for those who stand wrongly accused. Proctor decides to die with the honest people of Salem instead of selling those people out and dishonoring their memory and deaths by falsely admitting to the crime of witchcraft. By refusing to confess, John gives up his life with his wife, children, and unborn child, standing by the ideal of honesty and preserving his honor. In addition, Proctor is able to salvage parts of his wife and children’s reputations with his death. By doing this, he ensures his death will not be in vain and his children will be able to be to live honorable and productive lives in Salem after he is gone. Proctor is able to let go of his pride and reclaim his honor in death, but also in his last moments, providing a future life for his descendants and others in Salem.

Character

John’s character develops throughout the story as he finally comes to terms with his wrong actions with Abigail and, using his last act on earth, dies to save his family’s reputation, honor, and way of life in the town. At the very end of the play, Elizabeth tells Hale that she will not try to convince John to confess because he has his peace. This is significant as it shows recognition in Elizabeth that John has made peace with the idea that he is a good man who made a bad decision. John’s decision demonstrates that in order to earn God’s forgiveness, one must first have their own. Arthur Miller states though Elizabeth that John has forgives himself and has found his pure soul once again. John finds his purity of character and soul at the end of the play, lending his death to be more honorable than prideful as he chooses to die pure of lies rather than to live one.

Actions

John’s actions as he tries to bring an end to the trials shows his growth and movement towards an honorable death. In a last attempt to discredit Abigail, John even confesses to adultery, knowing that this will also discredit him. Proctor makes the point that no man would intentionally soil his good name in the village. The idea that Proctor is a good name is further emphasized by Parris later on as he tries to convince Danforth to postpone the hangings. By confessing his sins, John convinces Hale, the expert on witchcraft, of his innocence leading to Hale’s protests of his condemnation. In this way, John convinces the people that he is innocent, as it is inconceivable in a Puritan society for one to purposely soil their good name.

Rebecca Nurse pleads with John not to allow his signed confession to be nailed to the church door because a false confession is no confession at all. While John debates handing over the signed confession, he eventually chooses to instead rip of the paper, refusing to confess to witchcraft, and condemning himself to hang. By ripping the paper, he stands with Rebecca Nurse, another falsely accused witch, and figuratively stands with God. The ripping of the paper also signifies the forgiveness of John’s sins as he is stepping away from another lie, and living his last moments of truth. When John refuses to sign hand the signed paper over to Danforth he is protecting the lives of his wife, Elizabeth, and his children by preserving the goodness of the name Proctor in the village of Salem. By not signing the paper John is holding on to not only his honor, but his relationship with God and his children. This demonstrates actions that show John’s strong moral character and character development.

John also confesses to conspiring with the Devil in order to at first save himself, but eventually decides to put God first and refuse to admit to witchcraft. This action shows strong moral character and self-actualization as John is able to put aside his own needs for the needs of others. Parris and Danforth do not understand why he does this, Elizabeth is even unsure, willing to even take his sins upon herself if he will confess, however, Rebecca Nurse is able to recognize John’s reasoning. When he refuses, John is choosing to not save his life in order to save the lives of his family and, unknowingly, the lives of several others who were accused. While it is true that Elizabeth would have survived with the children regardless, John grants them and even bigger gift, quality of life. With his confession, the name Proctor would have been ruined and his family would have been ridiculed, outsiders, for the rest of their lives. John instead chooses to rip up his confession and hang for his family, in the end showing an altruistic quality that could be overlooked otherwise.

Analysis

Character is defined as the combination of a variety of components that make up an individual’s moral and ethical beliefs and actions. John’s actions demonstrate strong moral character towards the end of the book as he owns his mistakes, even dying for his beliefs. When John refuses to allow his signature to be posted on the church door, instead choosing to rip the paper. The ripping of the paper signifies the end of John choosing to consign himself to lies, the end of his prideful endeavors, and the beginning of the reinstatement of his honor. Notably, John’s honor has been questionable, the very end of the story when he chooses to die instead of lie. He is previously unable to “remember” the sign of adultery, when he is asked to list the Ten Commandments. However, he is even able to confess to that sin when he realizes what is at stake if he does not. At this point in the story John realizes that his pride is no longer the most important thing to him and is able to put it aside and achieve honor. Strong moral character is not living perfectly, it is acknowledging mistakes, putting aside one’s own pride for betterment of society and those around you.

John’s confession to witchcraft would have been a lie, however, he did consult with the Devil. By committing adultery, he had chosen to do the Devil’s bidding, which he confessed to (Miller 1953). It is often believed that John’s entire confession is a lie, however, there is enough truth that it could be seen as John confessing his sins not only to himself but to God. With his confession, although originally intended to save his life, John bears his soul to not only God but also himself, in a sense releasing his pride and asking for forgiveness. Rebecca Nurse is used by Miller in this particular scene to represent God’s forgiveness and John’s reclamation of honor. As John refuses to hand over the signed confession, that he is practicing witchcraft, and he condemns himself to hang, Rebecca quietly reminds him that Danforth will not pass the final judgement on his soul. This symbolizes that God shall be the final judge and John’s decision to die in honor will not go unnoticed. In essence, this grants John not only the peace he needs but also the assurance that he did the right thing.

Impact

The death of John Proctor leaves Danforth and Parris stunned, and, perhaps, many readers surprised. However, throughout the story John has shown considerable growth and his journey towards regaining honor by giving up pride. By looking back at the story, his struggle with his ego is apparent when Elizabeth is known to be saved but John’s friends still faced the threat of the rope. If he had chosen pride, he would have accepted the fact that Elizabeth was saved and moved on. However, he instead chooses to confess his sins with Abigail in an attempt to save his friends in the community, marking his first step towards honor. While John takes several other steps before he achieves honor in his last moments, this first step has the greatest impact on those around him. By not giving up on his friends, John further establishes his good name with the people of Salem, which with John’s refusal of confession, will help to bring an end to the trials all together. Due to John dying an honorable death, he is able to help bring the trials to an end, all the while ensuring a high quality of life for his wife and future descendants in Salem.

Conclusion

John is able to let go of pride and instead die in honor as he gives up his life in one last altruistic act to help others. His actions and character development throughout the story track his steps towards honor and how it is finally achieved, impacting those around him. The death of John Proctor will lend itself towards ending the Salem Witch Trials, but more importantly remain an upstanding example of how one must let go of pride in order to achieve honor.

John Proctor is one of the most significant and vital characters of The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller in 1952 and released in 1953. John Proctor is a farmer in his middle thirties, the sort of important man with a bad temper. Miller does not use the name of the character by chance: his name is a telling-name because he is a very cleanhearted, good and reliable leader. Furthermore, related to his psychology, he is a completely proud and selfish man, who does not think in himself only but also in his wife, Elizabeth Proctor, the love of his life. Both of them try to be the perfect and model puritan couple.

However, and talking about Elizabeth, the reader knows that John Proctor is not perfect because he keeps a scandalous secret: he has cheated on Elizabeth with Abigail Williams, the antagonist of the play. He does not like her, but she behaves like the person she is not, a naive depressed teenager, to manipulate him. The “hamartia” of John Proctor is falling into the arms of Abigail Williams in a moment of emotional vulnerability: his wife is gravely ill after giving birth. Responsible for the mistake, he does not want to see Abigail anymore, and it is just the moment in which Abigail, obsessed with him and jealous of Elizabeth, decides to manipulate the entire town into mass hysteria because she is hurt.

When disturbed neighbours begin to blame innocent neighbours for the illness of two girls and the rumours of witchcraft, John is severely conscious of the plans of Abigail Williams and that the friends of Abigail, totally manipulated by her, are not telling the truth of the enigmatic event in the forest.

The effect of Elizabeth telling John about the death of Giles is tremendously emotional because he thinks that he is going to be the next one to die. He knows that Abigail is manipulating society to death. And she is not going to stop. As a result, John Proctor is aware that he has to face the problem confessing his infidelity and die, or to falsely accuse his neighbours, as the major of them do. His moral dilemma is especially profound.

Nevertheless, he decides to be true to his values and be honest. He changes from a very proud man to a sincere man and, in a way, an altruistic man, who sacrifices his life to solve the mass hysteria of the town. He changes his way of thinking, becoming, then, in one of the few round characters of the play.

In the trials described to find the truth, John Proctor names Abigail a fraud of person, without revealing crucial details of their sexual encounter. However, he fails because Abigail starts to scream like a lunatic looking at the sky. At that precise moment is when John Proctor knows that it is too late, that the truth cannot overcome manipulation.

The reader sees the change of the mind of John Proctor at the very end of the play, in court. The fear of losing his reputation and his immense pride force him to keep his adultery as a secret, but, when he wants to keep his name for personal reasons, and not for public purposes, he chooses, then, to tell the truth, and die.

He dies worthy, not having given his name, or the name of one of his neighbours, with dignity. He does not sign the paper to accuse anyone, and dies with his name clean, although they have taken his soul away, as he said.

Returning to the author of the play, Arthur Miller, the reader can trace parallelisms between him and John Proctor. Both were men arrested in trials and forced to say the names of innocent people to adapt to a very authoritarian puritan society. Arthur Miller reads about the madness felt in the town of Salem in 1692, and decides, in 1953, to extrapolate his feelings with John Proctor individually and his experience in America in the 1950s during the Cold War with Russia in a unique general way.

In conclusion, John Proctor is one of the most important characters of the play because, apart from being the tragic hero and the most harmed for the manipulation of Abigail Williams, he is human, teaching the reader that people make mistakes because they have moments of weakness, that sincere people have no place in a manipulated society, that good people never live to tell the tale.

The Crucible is a 1953 play by American writer Arthur Miller. It is a dramatised and in part fictionalised story of the Salem witch trials that occurred in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during 1692–93.

John Proctor is a hardworking moderately aged farmer, husband, and father. He values genuineness and has extraordinary scorn for hypocrisy. Incidentally, John is concealing a scandalous little secret of his own. His wife Elizabeth Proctor adores and regards him even though she realises he isn’t without human failing. This blog is based on John Proctor and his internal conflicts along with all the drama surrounding him.

The setting happens in the autumn Salem Massachusetts, Reverend Parris’ Home, John Proctor’s home. The time-span was around 1692, the time of the Witch Hunt. The setting influences the traditions of John Proctor by how he acts and how he should act. His job is specific and his duties as the man of the house are simple.

Legit, upstanding, and gruff spoken, Proctor is a decent man, however, one with a mystery, fatal flaw. His desire for Abigail Williams led to their affair (which happens before the play starts) and created Abigail’s jealousy of his wife, Elizabeth, which sets the entire witch hysteria in motion. Once the trials begin, Proctor realises that he can stop Abigail’s rampage through Salem but only if he confesses to his adultery. Such an admission would ruin his good name, and Proctor is, above all, a proud man who places great emphasis on his reputation. He eventually attempts, through Mary Warren’s testimony, to name Abigail as fraud without revealing the crucial information. When this attempt fails, he finally bursts out with a confession, calling Abigail a ‘whore’ and proclaiming his guilt publicly. Only then does he realise that it is too late, that matters have gone too far, and that not even the truth can break the powerful frenzy that he has allowed Abigail to whip up. Proctor’s confession succeeds only in leading to his arrest and conviction as a witch, and though he lambastes the court and its proceedings, he is also aware of his terrible role in allowing this fervour to grow unchecked.

Proctor makes up for himself and gives a last revilement of the witch trials in his last demonstration. Offered the chance to make a public confession of his guilt and live, he almost succumbs, even signing a written confession. His immense pride and fear of public opinion compelled him to withhold his adultery from the court, but by the end of the play he is more concerned with his integrity than his public reputation. He still wants to save his name, but for personal and religious, rather than public, reasons. Proctor’s refusal to provide a false confession is a true religious and personal stand. Such a confession would dishonour his fellow prisoners, who are brave enough to die as a testimony to the truth. Perhaps more relevantly, a false admission would also dishonour him, staining not just his public reputation, but also his soul. By refusing to give up his integrity Proctor implicitly proclaims his conviction that such integrity will bring him to heaven. He goes to the gallows redeemed for his earlier sins. As Elizabeth says to end the play, responding to Hale’s plea that she convinces Proctor to publicly confess: ‘He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!’

John Proctor’s Internal Conflict is that he had an affair with Abigail Williams. He is an extremely religious man and the way that someplace in him needed to be with other women still haunts him and his wife. John Proctor would be the perfect puritan husband and man if he would not have slept with Abigail. He has the problem with coming to terms with the fact that he did this to his wife and his family while she was sick.

John Proctor generally is a tormented person. He accepts his undertaking with Abigail hopelessly harmed him according to God, his wife Elizabeth, and himself. True, Proctor did succumb to sin and commit adultery; however, he cannot forgive himself. John refused to destroy his reputation and instead Proctor chose not to testify against Abigail during the trials. Although he knew it was the right thing to do, he didn’t want to hurt and embarrass his beloved wife by exposing his shameful affair in public.

Therefore, he decided not to testify against Abigail. This is additionally halfway why he was eager to bite the dust coming to the end of the play. Proctor felt that he was unable to have continued living when he had this sin looming over him every day. This causes the crowd to see Proctor as a noble and honourable man.

Another motivation behind why Proctor decides to kick the bucket is because he couldn’t double-cross his friends. He felt that by selling out his friends, he would submit an extra sin which would then darken his name further. He would have then needed to live everyday beating himself for what he did. He wouldn’t have been able to live with himself knowing that other innocents had died while he got away with living by lying. The fact that he had three children additionally impacted by his choice. Proctor couldn’t bring up his children to walk like men on the planet if he was certifiably not a genuine man. Family life and friendship were very important to John Proctor and he felt that if he had lived, he couldn’t possibly have raised his children to be men in the world knowing that he was a sinner who chose to sell out his friends. He wanted to teach his children that they should stand up for what they believed in and not give in to unjust courts or any other injustices in life. By dying, he thought that he would teach his children that he wasn’t a sell-out and also that he had paid for the sins that he had committed. He wanted his sons to know that their father had died with honour and integrity.

Arthur Miller was attempting to change the ideal of accusation based on just feelings rather than reasonable suspicion. He was accused of being a Communist because he refused to tell on other Communists. He compared his accusation to that of the Salem Witch Trials, which was a rather larger-scale version of these actions. Miller was trying to change the way people acted when it came to suspicious times

John Proctor, from Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, and Macbeth, from William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, are two main characters that show obvious similarities with each other. Both characters show the negative impact of witchcraft in their lives, the reputation they have within the community, and their tragic flaws. While the similarities may be true, they contrast and show evident differences.

To begin with, John Proctor and Macbeth are both highly impacted by witchcraft. John’s home town is rumored to be bewitched and people are constantly being accused of being witches. John’s wife, Elizabeth Proctor is accused of being a witch and that, quickly, makes John’s life chaotic.“The town [is] mumbling witchcraft”(Miller 21). The rumor of the witchcraft quickly spreads amongst Salem and no one has time to mentally prepare themselves. The witch trials really impact John’s life by ruining his relationships with people in the community. Macbeth’s life is also impacted by witchcraft. In the beginning of Macbeth, three witches tell him that he could become king. Later in the play, the witches decide to fool Macbeth again by giving him more predictions, purposely making his life more chaotic. Macbeth travels to speak to the witches for the second time, “Even till destruction sicken-answer me/ To what I ask you. Speak. Demand. We’ll answer” (Shakespeare 4.1.60-61). The witchcraft has a big impact on Macbeth’s life because they ruin the relationships he once had with the people in his community. Although they both have similar actions to witchcraft, they have different outlooks. John Proctor despises the witchcraft because most of his friends are falsely accused of witchcraft. One of John’s friends is killed by being pressed to death and Elizabeth tells John about the horrible death of his friend, Giles Corey, “He were not hanged. He would not answer aye or nay to his indictment…[g]reat stones they lay upon his chest…[a]nd [Giles] died”(Miller 135). The witchcraft leaves a very negative impact on his life because people he was once friends with were murdered. Macbeth on the other hand, likes witchcraft. He realises the witches help him become more powerful. “ Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more” (Shakespeare 1.3.70). In this quote, Macbeth is told he will become the Thane of Cawdor and become King. He asks for more predictions so he can become more powerful.

John Proctor and Macbeth’s second similarity is their positive reputation in the beginning of the plays. John Proctor’s name is highly respected in Salem Massachusetts because he speaks his mind and always conveys the truth. “What ever you will do, it is a good man does it” (Miller 109). Elizabeth reassures John that he is a good man and doing the best he can by trying to help the community discussing the truth with his friends. Macbeth is also very liked in the beginning of his play. He starts as the Thane of Glamis and quickly becomes the Thane of Cawdor. He is recognized for his bravery for Norway’s defeat and how much he has participated in the war. Later, the King expresses his appreciation for Macbeth and the King sends a messenger that tells him “He bade me, from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor:/ In which addition, hail, most worthy Thane!” (Shakespeare 1.3.105-106) The difference between John Proctor and Macbeth is John gains more positive reputation whereas Macbeth becomes extremely disliked. John gains more positive reputation because the people of Salem look to him for guidance. People wish for John to the sign the confession paper so his great reputation can influence the people of Salem to lie so everyone can avoid death. He is even given a second chance to sign when John says he will not sign the paper. “As you will, I would have it. I want you living, John. That [is] sure (Miller 136). Everyone asks John to reconsider and confess to being bewitched. On the other hand, the reputation that Macbeth gains is negative. Once Macbeth becomes king, he greatly abuses his power and shows Scotland that he is a horrible leader. Malcolm and Macduff discuss the suffering of Scotland, “Weep our sad bosoms empty. Let us rather/ Hold fast the mortal sword, and like good men/ Bestride our down-fall’n birthdom (Shakespeare 4.3.3-4). He is unliked by all because he shows he is very selfish and unable to be a great King.

Finally, Macbeth and John Proctor both convey a tragic flaw. John Proctor is very proud in his name. John is a troubled sinner who has had an affair with a Abigail Williams the young girl that accuses his wife of being seen with the devil. John procrastinates to tell the court his sin for a very long time which ultimately ruins his chances of possibly saving Salem from chaos. John says during court, “ [a] man will not cast away his good name…” (Miller 110). This means he has tried to hold off his confession so he does not tamper with his good name. However, Macbeth has too much pride once he becomes King. Throughout the play of Macbeth, he progressively becomes greedy. He sends murderers to kill innocent people because he worries people will remove him from his place in the throne. “The mind I sway by, and the heart I bear/shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear” (Shakespeare 5.3.9-10). Macbeth is hopeful and dependant on the witches prophecies and thinks of himself as indestructible. Macbeth and John Proctor both have tragic flaws but they are different from each other. John Proctor’s tragic flaw is overcome so he would not ruin his reputation and disgrace the generations that came before him. ‘I-I have once or twice plowed on Sunday. I have three children, sir, and until last year my land give little’ (Miller 91). John excuses himself from his tragic flaw and attempts to remind people he is still a good Christian. Macbeth’s tragic flaw on the other hand, is based on selfishness. “By the worst means, the worst. For mine own good” (Shakespeare 3.4.135). Macbeth really demonstrates that everything he does, is just for himself.

In conclusion, John proctor, from Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, and Macbeth, from William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, share noticeable similarities yet, they also show they are evidently different from each other. John hates the witchcraft whereas Macbeth likes it, John Proctor gains positive reputation and Macbeth gains negative reputation and lastly, John Proctor has a tragic flaw but does not want to disappoint anyone whereas Macbeth’s tragic flaw is only selfish reasons.

Christopher Pike once said, “Nothing is as it seems.’ John Proctor, from the play The Crucible, relates to this quote. John Proctor is a farm owner in Salem, Massachusetts. He was a well–respected man who went through some road bumps that made his characteristics change drastically. John Proctor changed throughout the play because of events that made him have to change his judgment, beliefs and emotions.

The beginning of the play, John Proctor is not presented as a good man, he is portrayed as weak and unfaithful. John Proctor says this as he is feeling guilty about having an affair with Abigail, “But I’ll plead no more! I see how your spirit twists around the single error of my life, and I will never tear it free” (Miller 60). This quote shows that John Proctor is guilty for having an affair and that he is worried that his mistake will stay with him for eternally.

John Proctor, weakness changed into him being a bad-tempered man who was violent and aggressive when his wife was being cold with him. John Proctor say’s this to Elizabeth and his servant, “I’ll whip you if you dare leave this house again.” (Miller 46). Him saying that was prime evidence that he turned ill-tempered and violent. Because of his wife, Elizabeth, John has become a violent and angry man at this point in the play.

At the end of the play, John Proctor changed to be devoted to his wife and family and he transformed into a courageous man. John Proctor says this while being at the courthouse, “I have three children, how may I teach them to walk like men in the world, when I sold my friends.” (Miller 114). This quote shows us how John wants to set a good example for his kids. He showed responsibility and no fear as he scarifies his life for his family. Due to all the events John Proctor went through, he changed into a better person.

John Proctor changed for the better and became a town hero who died to save lives of innocent people. Major events throughout the play made John Proctor change his emotions, believes and judgments. John started off being weak and unfaithful. Then due to Elizabeth being cold he changed and became violent and ill-tempered. Towards the end of the play his morality changed, and he became courageous and a real hero. John’s characterization changes represented the struggles of a man both mentally and physically.

Miller Arthur’s play “The Crucible” takes place in Salem, the vent during this play is regarding the witch trial. Theis trials will have a totally different reaction from the audience and result in this influencing individuals in numerous ways in which. The witch trial breaks the village into totally different sides of their own means of seeing the trial, individuals get the defendant of being witches or finding out witchery and their trial will keep company with totally different consequences. The trial would either lock up or suspend those that area unit accused to however decline necromancy, however, those that admit thereto whether or not it’s a lie or not don’t face this fate. These trials rip the individuals in some ways and flip others against one another.

In Act one page 100 fifty, Proctor: “Abby, I might take into account you softly from time to time. however I will stop my hand before I’ll ever reach for you all over again. We have an inclination to close touched, Abby.”(pg150) around the middle of the play Abigail takes action and defendant Elizabeth to be a witch and created a thought which will get the judges attention and to question nutriment Proctor in court. Proctor’s servant, Mary, created a valve in court next to Abby and left a needle in its abdomen, Abby saw this as an opportunity and injured her stomach same house to make it seem to be Elizabeth sent her soul bent on attacking her. Elizabeth denied that she created the valve and didn’t attack Abby, the Judges sent Elizabeth to jail for no confession. John suspects that everyone amongst usually this can be often Abby’s doing Associate in Nursing had a modification of perspective, he set to try to notwithstanding he could to prove his wife’s innocence. In Act three pages one hundred and three“A man might imagine God sleeps, however, God sees everything, I do know it currently. I beg you, sir, I encourage you to see her what she is…She thinks to bop with Pine Tree State on my wife’s grave! And well she would possibly, for I assumed of her softly. God facilitate Pine Tree State, I lusted and there’s a promise in such sweat. however, it’s a whore’s vengeance”(pg 103). when John approaches Danforth in hopes of proving, through his servant Mary’s testimony, that Abigail is lying concerning witchery, once Abigail begins to show God to help her, John loses his temper and confesses to Danforth that he had an affair along with her. He explains the affair is the reason Abigail is once his wife’s life. John Proctor is willing to throw aside his smart name to save his wife.

In Acts 1 and 2 he commits adultery with Abigail and Abigail wants john proctor to be his boyfriend or husband. John Proctor was in the witchcraft trial and this changes his character throughout the play and it changes a lot. John can really act with limits sometimes in the novel. He clearly defines his religion and says that God doesn’t exist anymore: “I say, I say, God is dead!” (Pg. 119), Saying that God is dead is really insulting and shocking for people. John is very religious but then is something that really triggered everyone in the play and made him to go to jail. John Proctor change a lot when he was part of the witch trial which made him angry and all this happen because of Abigail. “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!”(pg212). At the end of act 4, john proctor confesses everything fasley to witchcraft and then he stops short after he was told to sign a confusion to be a poster in town. The idea of personal integrity is an important theme in the play, and here it is paramount.

Throughout the play, john proctor was the protagonist person and a nice person but when he was in the witch trial he change a lot and was angry and was a very confusing character this I because of Abigail. In today’s society, there is no witch hunter because people don’t believe in that kind of stuff and don’t pay attention to it.

“It is the cause, not the death that makes the martyr.” (Napoleon Bonaparte). The underlying truth of this axiom has been the ruler in which all protagonists’ deaths have been measured. One such instance is the execution of John Proctor in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. In her article, Fair and Foul: The Goodness of John Proctor, the critic Susan Abbotson proposes the argument that in the 1996 film rendition of The Crucible, Proctor’s character development goes from “JP to JC”; insinuating John Proctor as a martyr with qualities similar to Jesus Christ. However, from a historical examination, one can counter-argue that John Proctor does not showcase characteristics of a martyr as proven in his own personal encounters and the lengths he goes to preserve his namesake. His lack of belief in witchcraft can also be brought up for questioning; for by definition one can not be a martyr if one does not believe in the very thing they are dying for. Furthermore, historically John Proctor was not the first to be executed for the denial of witchcraft, nor was he the last. In the end, John Proctors’ refusal to accept the accusation of ‘signing the devil’s book’, although influential, was not the pinnacle event that led to the dismantlement of the trials.

The notion of Proctor being a martyr can be debunked by closely observing his personal altercations. One of Proctors acts that proves he is not a martyr similar to Jesus Christ is his treatment of women specifically Elizabeth, Abigail, and Mary Warren. In the play this is actively displayed when Proctor argues “Woman […] I’ll not have your suspicion any more[…]You will not judge me more.”p.280-281 This argument proctor has with Elizabeth proves that he is more human than divine savior. However this was not an isolated instance given that Proctor also threatened Mary Warren in “ I’ll whip the Devil out of you” p.283 this out-lash from Proctor towards Warren proves that he can be violent at times when he is angered. None the less, some may have the belief that John Proctors martyr-hood does not stem from his personal interactions, but rather in the form of his execution and its christ like connotation , however this claim lays on very little grounds, for christ is not idolized solely for his death but the actions he did leading up to it. Christ defended adulterers, while Proctor is willing to shame them in court as he shouts “How do you call Heaven! Whore! Whore!” P. 317 in reference to Abigail at the sake of saving his wife. For further reference, although Proctors personal controversies are incriminating enough to make a case against him being a martyr. Another aspect of Proctor that denies his status as a martyr is a lack of belief in the cause he is executed for.

The most adamant rebuttal to the argument that proctor is a martyr, is that he can’t be one for he never truly believed there was witchcraft in Salem to begin with. Proctors skepticism in the girls and the trials is first seen when he questions Mary Warren and later when hearing the names of the accused. This formation of doubt in proctor is apparent when he says “ What work you do! It’s strange work for a Christian girl to hang old women!( Miller P. 283) a separate occasion where proctor disbelief is apparent is when coerced Mary Warren to testify against the other girls proving he did not fear them for he knew there was no witchcraft. While in court Proctor pleads to Danforth to realize that the girls are manipulating when he says, “Lies, lies… They’re gulling you, Mister!” (Miller P. 321-322) which is Proctor fully outright saying to Danforth that the girls are frauds and that the trials have been a rouse by the girls. Consequently, Proctor also does not mirror the acts of Jesus Christ when he shows his selfishness later in the play.

Proctor lacks the selflessness a martyr portrays as is exemplified in the lengths he goes to preserve his namesake and maneuver situations to his benefit. This is greatly seen when he regrets signing his accusations for fear of the repercussions it will have on his family and he pleads to Danforth, “ Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! P. 343. Proctors willingness to lie in order to live proves he is not a martyr for the cause. He discusses this with Elizabeth as he whispers, “ I have been thinking I would confess to them, Elizabeth…What say you? If I give them that? Elizabeth”p. 337 which exhibits proctors thought process and him considering to lie for the sake of him living whereas a true martyr would take their fate with pride. His want for forgiveness shows that he is not doing this for the salvation for others but rather his own personal growth. As he pleads, “ “I would have your forgiveness, Elizabeth… What say you?” P. 337-338 lastly John Proctor is not the first to be executed so he does not have the privilege of being called the sole martyr of the town.The first was revealed by Mary Warren as she mutters, “Goody Osburn—will hang!” Which shows that goody Osborn has more qualities of a martyr than John Proctor since she was actually the first to be executed for denying the use of witchcraft and stuck to her morals.

In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible the statement of John Proctor going from “JP to JC” and becoming a martyr for Salem can be disputed by his disrespect for women, his lack of belief in the cause of his death, and his personal motives for his death. What can be truly taken away from the Crucible, was a character that reached a point of growth and forgiveness, but far from divine Savior. Thus revealing one of the greater truths of the play, if one seeks flaws in other humans one will inevitably find them. Which carries with it a vague answer of there is no truly innocent person just individuals who are more innocent than others. I believe this is what Arthur Miller wished to convey his audience, there were no martyrs in Salem only innocent people who made a personal choice.

Every tragedy in history has a tragic hero. Now a tragic hero always has the potential for greatness but is destined to fail. They also meet a tragic death and face it with honor. The Salem Witch Trials began in the spring of 1692, in Salem Massachusetts. During this period of time there were 200 people were accused of being a witch, and 20 people were hanged. During the Salem Witch Trials, there is a “tragic hero” named John Proctor.

First, a tragic hero is neither completely good nor completely evil. In act 2 of The Crucible John goes on to say “ I nailed the roof upon the church, I hung the door-”. This may not seem like a lot but it does. In the village of Salem, they took their religion very seriously. They were Puritans so they went to church every Sunday. Now saying this jumps into how Proctor wasn’t completely good. In Act III of The Crucible, John explains why he comes to church once a month. Procter explains by saying “ I-I have no love for Mr. Parris. It is no secret. But god I surely love.”, after he was accused of rarely coming to church. Now the reason he never came to church was explained by Cheever. Cheever went on to say “ He plows on Sunday, sir” since Procter would plow on Sunday he never went to church. This explains that he wasn’t all that good, because it was one of the 10 Commandments to go to church on Sundays.

Next, a tragic hero is responsible for their own fate. John Procter was indeed responsible for his fate. Act IV of The Crucible was going to be hanged for being accused of being a witch. He talked to his wife Elizabeth before they took him. He then decided he wanted his life back. When Hale and Parris went to go get him Hale told John he should sign his name on the slip. Now when John signed the slip Parris told him they were going to put the names of everyone who confessed on the church door. Back then if you had a bad reputation, it would carry out for the rest of your family. Even if you had kids later on. Everybody would know who they are due to the bad things you have done. Now John thought about this for a while, he didn’t want to ruin his name forever. Even if it wasn’t true that he was a witch. He then ripped the piece of paper and said he didn’t want to confess. This makes John responsible for his own fate because he could have easily confessed and signed the paper. He could’ve saved his own life. But since he didn’t want to confess, he led himself to his own fate.

Finally, all tragic heroes meet a tragic death and face it with honor. John Proctor did indeed face a tragic death. In the previous paragraph, he tore up his confession and chose his own death. As he tore it up Hale was in shock. His wife Elizabeth wasn’t in shock. She was proud of her husband’s decision. Soon after Proctor tore up his confession, he and two other people from the village were off to be hanged. When they got there, everyone was more quiet than usual. The crowd would usually be really loud when they saw someone get hanged. But when they saw John going, they were all quiet and devastated. John Procter, Rebecca Nurse, and Martha Corey all were waiting to be pushed off the ledge they were standing on. As they awaited their death they began to say something out loud and together. In the movie The Crucible, John Proctor and the other characters began to recite “ The Lord’s Prayer” ( 1:59:28 – 2:00:01). This proves that John Proctor met a very tragic death and he faced it with honor.

In conclusion, we know what it takes to be a tragic hero. In every tragedy, there is always a tragic hero. A tragic hero is neither completely good nor completely evil. All tragic heroes are responsible for their own fate. Lastly, tragic heroes meet a tragic death and face it with honor. In the spring of 1692 in Salem Massachusetts, the village of Salem met their tragic hero. John Proctor. In my eyes, I see that John Proctor is a tragic hero.