In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, one of the most dynamic and influential characters is John Proctor. This man is a well looked-upon leader of Salem, who gets caught up in the witch trials of 1692. John plays a key role in the witch trials, who inadvertently affect its outcome throughout the story. Unlike other characters in the story, John gradually changes throughout the course of the play. He transitions from an unfaithful adulterer to a man of integrity who wants redemption for the sins he committed. John, like many other characters in the play, had a dark side. One of his main flaws was that he committed the sin of adultery. By having an affair with Abigail, his wife does not trust him anymore and created gaps between their marriage. This is evident when John argues with Elizabeth in the barn; ‘’ Spare me! You forget nothin' and …show more content…
He starts to reveal his true nature and character towards the end of the play when he is forced to either confess a sin he did not commit or be hanged by the neck until death. At that point, he decides to sacrifice his life to protect his name and redeem himself for the sins he committed; ‘’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!’’ (Miller 143). Moreover, Danforth compels John to confess; ’Is that document a lie? If it is a lie, I will not accept it! What say you? I will not deal in lies, Mister! You will give me your honest confession in my hand, or I cannot keep you from the rope. Which way do you go, Mister?’’ (Miller 143-144). Therefore, John ‘’tears the paper and crumples it.’’This reveals that john develops a strong moral compass throughout the play and decides to protect his family name because he believes that death is better than living a life full of
He told danfor that god can see his sins and that is enough. Because that is the only name he has and he wants to keep it. So danforth said that the confession is a lie and he will not accept the written confession. So then john rips the paper and the marshal tells him to change his mind. John was arguing with them to tell them that he just wants to keep his
During the Crucible, in the town of Salem, everybody is in fear of witchery. Lots of drama and fear has been going around about people committing witchcraft. In Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, Proctor, is a rule breaking man who changes from being a cheater to a man who has a change of heart and wants to save people who are being falsely accused of witchery by admitting his own sins. John wasn't always a kind man, trying to do something good for the community. Before he changed, Proctor could be described as a cheater, a narcissist, and a brave man.
Confess and save his and his wife's lives or deny all accusations and be hung for his “crimes”. This is where the decision making becomes more serious than it has ever been. He and Elizabeth discuss their options. He learns that she is pregnant and this persuades him to confess. He claims it is best for him and his family with one on the way if he is there to help raise and be with them. A smart, level headed choice. A choice that is made by thinking ahead and into the future. They also discuss his affair with Abigail. Something that he cannot forgive himself for and won’t. Elizabeth states that she will not begin to forgive him until he forgives himself. You can see in John’s expressions during this scene that he is contemplating the idea of forgiveness. He doesn’t think he deserves it and some part of you can tell that he’s never going to forgive himself for it. Even if he says he
Therefore Danforth would rather save his name than confess the hanging of innocent
John Proctor wasn’t always the most faithful man to his wife. (pg. 1270) “I’ll cut off my hand before I touch you again.” Everyone does something in life that they regret, and my client is very sorry. John has always had a little temper, we are working to get him into counseling. Y’all are upset that he kept a secret, while most likely all of you have something that you haven’t shared. ( lied to his wife about cheating.)
After reading The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the character that changed the most throughout the play, in my opinion, would have to be John Proctor. John went from being very secretive about his lechery, and inevitably hurting Elizabeth in the process, to eventually telling the whole court, and basically the whole town, about his affair with Abigail. So, John basically decided to do the right thing instead of trying to salvage his dying reputation. At the beginning of the play, John was still sneaking around with Abigail, even though they had supposedly ended things completely.
She tells John that is was also her fault he had an affair with Abigail. John tells her he will confess but all Elizabeth replies with is that he must choose to forgive himself not her. John confesses to Danforth but will not sell out his friends. Before John goes to hang he
Even though this lying is also considered a sin, John does his best to hide the adultery he committed with Abigail in order to keep up appearances in Salem. At the beginning of the play, when he finds himself alone with Abigail, he urges her to “Put it out of mind,” because he is aware that if anyone
The actions and choices he made that lead to where he is now. A lovesick girl who would go to any means to have the man she loved had managed to have him sentenced to death and his wife being spared till birth. For the first time in months, John and Elizabeth are finally in each other's presence. With the time to himself, he has decided he is not a worthy man, that he is in fact a fraud, one who cannot die honorably. Now is the time to decide their own fate.
How many live without my name? I have given you my soul; believe me my name!" (Pg. 1272, The Crucible) He doesn’t want to sign the papers and he ended up not signing them because he wanted to keep his dignity and pride and wants to respect the people that have also been accused and executed. If he signed the papers he wouldn’t be happy and is name would be ruined and his life wouldn’t be the same anymore.
In The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, Miller introduces John Proctor. John is living with deep guilt after committing adultery with Abigail Williams. Afterwards, he does all the possibilities in his power to clean the dirt off his name, even if that was death itself. However, accused of being a witch in Salem during the 1690s brings more disgrace to John then committing adultery.
In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, hysteria breaks out in Salem when young girls begin pronouncing accusations of witchcraft. One of the accused, Elizabeth Proctor and her husband, John Proctor, live on a farm where he provides and cares for their family. When Elizabeth becomes sick John is unfaithful and has an affair with one of the accusers, Abigail Williams. Through the course of the story, John Proctor moves from denial and deflection of his actions and their consequences in order to maintain his public dignity, to public confession and condemnation for his actions in order to soothe his conscience and maintain his internal sense of integrity. This progression is illustrated by his interactions with his wife, their accusers and the court, who ultimately condemns them.
In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, various characters, whether it is from physical trials or unseen personal struggles, experience some kind of major conflict. There are those who spend every day in fear, wondering whether or not they will be falsely accused of witchcraft. There are others who struggle with more internal trials, such as forgiving those who have hurt them. The protagonist, John Proctor, was a man of strong moral constitution, and held himself to a high standard for the sake of his good name and family. As a result of this, he struggled with a major internal conflict throughout the play.
In The Crucible, Arthur Miller depicts the transition of John Proctor, a highly respected, reasonable, and passionate man, as he develops the courage and selflessness to sacrifice his reputation for the sake of the community. His altruistic involvement eventually led to his demise as he himself was eventually accused of witchcraft. Although he is considered as a respectable leader in the community and an honorable husband at home, John regards himself as a sinner and a hypocrite because he engages in an affair with Abigail Williams and is not a pious member of the Puritan community. Throughout the story, he is driven by fear, guilt, and logic. His internal conflicts mirrors those of the individuals accused of communism during the McCarthy hearings
In the book, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, John Proctor is a farmer and a prominent member of society. However, he had an affair with a girl in town, Abigail Williams which leads to his wife being convicted of witchcraft and himself convicted of dealing with the devil. John Proctor is a strong and effective speaker and proves his point with the three rhetorical appeals and devices such as personification, similes, metaphors and tone.