Examine Miller’s presentation of John Proctor and the Circumstances
which lead to his choosing to be executed.
Although the events of the play are based on events that took place in
Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, Miller was liberal in his
fictionalisation.
For example, the affair between farmer, husband, and father John
Proctor, and the Minister’s teenage niece, Abigail Williams, drive
many of the accusations of witchcraft in the play – in fact at the
time of the Witch Trials, Williams would only have been around eleven
and Proctor would have been in his sixties. The play, written in 1953,
was in response to Senator McCarthy and the ‘House Un-American
Activities Committee's’ crusade against supposed communist
sympathisers, in which Miller became embroiled. When he testified in
front of a congressional committee in 1956 he refused to reveal any
names and so was held in contempt. The decision was overturned two
years later.
One of Miller's most powerful devices in the play is his use of irony:
dramatic, verbal, and situational irony.
Verbal irony is a figure of speech in which the speaker intends to be
understood as meaning something that contrasts with the literal or
usual meaning of what he says. One example of this is when John
Proctor says ‘Good. Then her saintliness is done with’, mentioning
Abigail. However, Proctor does not actually believe that Abigail is a
saint. The affair makes her a sinner, because he is married to
Elizabeth. However, he says this line because the rest of the town,
and most importantly, the courts believe that she is believable and
truthful. In effect, he tries to convince the court and the people of
her “unsaintliness”, by bringing to their attention her sins, but to
no avail; this is one of the most important circumstances which lead
to his choosing to be executed. Another example has Proctor telling
his wife ‘It’s winter in here yet.’ However, it is actually spring, as
in the same dialogue he asks her to go walking in the field with him
so that they may pick flowers and bring them into their home. Proctor
really means to tell his wife that their home is cold, that there is
no sign of love. He believes that when his wife fills the home with
warmth and love, he is forgiven for his sin of lechery, and only then
can he continue normally with his life. By using this type of irony,
Miller’s characters indirectly bring something to our attention, which
could not otherwise be done.
Situational irony is a discrepancy between what we expect and what
occurs. This is the second type of irony used in the play.
Throughout the whole play, John Proctor placed himself as a “servant” of God only and maintained that position regardless of what happened. He represented the image of a person that corresponded for God in Earth, and at the same time he acted consciously and knew what was happening in Salem. In an attempt to disengage from God, his principles, conscience, and morality acted upon him and brought him back to God. Elizabeth and his friends also affected his conscience, as the only reason why he went to the court was to try to release them. John Proctor can be considered the savior of Salem, he can be considered Jesus in that story. His name was important as it was the main reason why he decided to die with dignity instead of live for a lie; but what is the symbolism behind his name? What is conscience and why does John Proctor struggle with his?
The protagonists In both the play The Crucible, and the movie “None without Sin” ultimately emerged from their own nightmares without sin. Both Terry and John Proctor had to endure challenges and had to complete correct course of action, however both characters differ in comparison to the screenwriter Dalton Trumbo’s quote.
John Proctor plays the leading role in The Crucible by Arthur Miller. He was persistent, honest, and full of integrity. He was simply, a man with pride. A wise woman once said, "Do what you feel in your heart to be right--for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't." (Eleanor Roosevelt). Proctor was the protagonist of the dramatic piece of literature.
Greetings to all. I am Dillon Marshall, I’m here today presenting to you why John Proctor was an unfavorable and bad character in The Crucible. The story takes place in Salem Massachusetts in 1692. John Proctor a farmer who lived in Salem. Elizabeth Proctor’s husband. A hard, bitter tongued man, John a man who also hates hypocrisy. John Proctor also putting his marriage to the test having relations with Abigail Williams along with his wife creating a scandal. John Proctor wasn’t the man he proclaims to be.
Imagine a teacher giving a zero to a student on a test for cheating, but had no proof the student was guilty? This is exactly how John Proctor felt when Mary Warren accused him of witchcraft, with no proof. Even under these circumstances, he keeps his composure for the most part, and accepts his fate. Many of Mr. Proctor´s personality traits can be associated with my own in that he and I, sometimes stretch the truth, is not easily fooled, and fight for what we believe in.
out in his cage, and she let's him out. He leads her through the jungle to a hut that belongs
John was a cherished man, a man that no one can replace. I stand before thee to bid my beloved John Proctor one last goodbye. John if you are listening to this, let me tell u, I had never seen such goodness in this world till the day I set my eyes on you. God has you in his arms now John and I in my heart. Oh the sorrow of bitter justice, if only there was such a thing, my husband would still be alive and well today to see his creation brought into this world. He is under gods wings now, a white knight who stopped the pillars of Salem from crumbling down to the cinders of hell.
The Crucible In the The Crucible by Arthur Miller, justice is raped by the immorality of those who kill for pleasure. In the Salem 1690’s, an epidemic of accusations is going around the village. Women, Men and Children are accusing others of witchcraft. More than a dozen girls fell ill, everything attributed to the devil. Men and women are being killed by immoral accusations, some of them because of land disputes, but others because of forbidden passions.
with, the one she wants, and that she must marry Logan, for protection. Towards the end
In this town Salem will be forever corrupted… with this so called justice. Those who you have know and we're friends are aren't what they are anymore. The judges have no reason. Justice has vanished. There is no god in this place anymore. The people believe nothing but a liar. It is not Elizabeth's fault. It was I, John Proctor who has betrayed her. I shall be punished for the cause of such tragedy. I never wanted this to be. I was too careless and excited. Elizabeth deserves someone better than me, For I am nothing other than a deceiving husband. Everytime I look into her Hazel eyes, it reminds me of my flaws of a husband. I so ashamed. I shall redeem myself and be free from this chaos that I have started. Tomorrow I will be forgiven for my shame. Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. Today is my last. I John Proctor will be forgiven for the sins I sins I have made. Farewell.
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.
The primary dramatic focus in the play The Crucible is the moral struggle of its protagonist, John Proctor. Certain characteristics of John Proctor's character and also the environment of the Puritanical Salem alleviated this problem for him. The main issues running through out the play are a series of dilemmas that John Proctor faces. The first and foremost of these is his guilt over his adulterous affair with Abigail Williams, the second his hesitation to testify against Abigail to bring out the truth and the third, his final decision to make the ultimate sacrifice.
In The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, the madness of the Salem witch trials is explored in great detail. Arthur Miller was an American playwright, who was born in 1915. He grew up in a Jewish family in New York City. While attending the University of Michigan in the mid 1930’s, he began to characterize himself as a distinguished writer. His first plays were Honors at Dawn and No Villain. The Death of a Salesman, which he wrote in 1949, won him the Pulitzer Prize for literature.
(Portis 24) At the beginning of her journey she is confronted
John Proctor is a good man. He is a puritan, a husband, a citizen, and an all around valuable member of the community. All of this is represented by his name. The name of John Proctor could be considered his most prized possession. It is his most priceless asset. Proctor is very strong-willed and caring. He does not set out with any intentions of hurting anyone. He is a farmer and village commoner who is faced with incredible inner turmoil. He has committed adultery and had absolutely no intentions of joining in the witch trials. After his wife got involved and eventually was set free due to the fact that she was pregnant, he feels that he can't sit back and accept what is happening to the town. John Proctor is a good and noble man and because of this he believes that he can't be hanged and die a martyr when he has this sin blooming over him every waking moment.