preview

Essay about Proctor as an Admirable Character in MIller's The Crucible

Decent Essays

Proctor as an Admirable Character in MIller's The Crucible During the play, there are many things revealed about the character of John Proctor. It appears, overall, that he is admirable, as the question suggests, but Proctor displays a good deal of qualities and shows signs of weakness and anger. He seems a very passionate man, though occasionally his admirable actions could be misinterpreted as him being stubborn. For example at the end of the play when, Proctor refuses to sign his confession. Arthur miller creates depth in Proctor's character by building him up slowly. When Proctor first appears in the play the words he speaks are foreboding, therefore making him seem an unpleasant character. …show more content…

Proctor's bravery in admitting his affair is admirable, though in the seventeenth century, when the play is set, adultery was a much more serious crime. People were a great deal more religious and, breaking one of the Ten Commandments would be punished more heavily than it is nowadays. Therefore a modern day audience would view this from a much different, less judgmental perspective than the seventeenth century characters of the play. When Proctor is left alone with Abigail, in scene one, she tries to tempt him again, saying "Give me a word, John. A soft word" Abby wants John to give in to temptation, but Proctor stands up for himself, He says "No, no, Abby. That's done with." And then later, " …I will cut off my hand before I ever reach for you again…" Miller makes Proctor continue to resist Abby's advances and his determination is admirable, as the audience know he has succumbed to temptation before and he has now changed his old ways and declares that he would never do it again. He also shows that his loyalties lie with Elizabeth, when Abby later retorts in anger, with a comment about his wife. Proctor responds "You'll speak nothin' of Elizabeth!" John won't let Abigail slander his wife, and in my interpretation, this is because he feels guilty for the way he treated her, and is therefore very defensive of

Get Access