John Procter in The Crucible by Arthur Miller

858 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Character of john Proctor

John Procter, an honest man that follows the word of god; his name is a symbol of the stability in the country; however, he committed an unforgivable sin and could have resulted in him getting banished from the country, or even killed. 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.
A ‘Proctor’ is someone who observes but does not judge, this symbolizes the calm heartedness of John Procter and how he is a forgiving person. On the other hand, the people of the coven are not as forgiving and accepting of the people that live in the same area. Moreover, the isolation of the outside world has created an illiterate population with a level of ignorance to any new information other than what is said in the Bible. In the novel this is reflected by the witchcraft accusations that are being reflected upon the people of Salem, Massachusetts. They blame the devil for any different behavior taking place in their area, if the people are not following the bible word for word, they are considered working with the devil. The people of Salem make these accusations because it is a great source of power.
When the play starts, John has had a past affair with a young and beautiful Abigail Williams, she was his servant and he took advantage of the situation. His wife, Elizabeth Proctor is very forgiving of his sin, but John has his mind set that he will not confess to anyone else, in fear of ruining his good name, and reputation. The affair between John and Abigail resulted in t...

... middle of paper ...

...because of the power being gained by the witchcraft accusations that have been drastically spreading. He hates that his name is being tarnished, but feels that God will forgive him for it because he is trying his best to fix all of his mistakes and confess to his sin. Later, his honesty is shown again when he tells Abigail his true feelings by saying that he would cut off his arm before reaching for her again. This symbolizes that has Proctor accepted the truth for what it was, not because he had to, but because speaking words of truth are actions of an honest and prideful man.
John Proctor dies for his name, and dies for the country and for the peace in the people’s hearts. He was a man of pride and possessed the qualities of honesty, persistency, and integrity. With those attributes he was sure he was rewarded his prize in heaven and eventually forgiven by god.

Show More
Related

  • Who Is John Proctor A Dynamic Character In The Crucible

    363 Words  | 1 Pages

    John Proctor was a dynamic character throughout the drama. He was a Puritan farmer who influences the townspeople of Salem, Massachusetts in a big way. Proctor was a husband and a father who held very dearly to his family. Occasionally John would be out in the fields on Sunday, said his wife, Elizabeth, "My husband is a good and righteous man. He's never drunk, as some are, nor wasting his time at the shovelboard, but always at his work". At one point in the

    Read More

  • John Proctor Flaws

    649 Words  | 2 Pages

    In essence, John Proctor was in fact a tragic hero, he successfully saved the life of his wife and children. His tragic flaw was that he chose lust over his family, which ultimately caused the series of events that occurred. He chose to die rather than to have his name ruined and for his wife to be punished for something that he did. He admitted to himself that he done wrong, and for that, he chose to end his

    Read More

  • Free Essays on The Crucible: John Proctor

    891 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Free Essays on The Crucible: John Proctor's Search For Identity

    799 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Crucible John Proctor Character Traits

    542 Words  | 2 Pages

    For John Proctor one of his most notable flaws is his over heightened sense of pride. It hinders him in almost every aspect. Proctor being a man held in high regard to the town he cares deeply about his ‘name’ and reputation. While in court Proctor attempts to defend and free his wife through Mary Warren’s confession. Claiming that the girls and specifically Abigail to be frauds and merely faking their symptoms of witchcraft. He does so without giving up information that would soil his ‘good name’ leaving him without a strong claim on why Abigail is untrustworthy. As a dynamic character in the story however he will change and react to the situations around him. That taken into account John Proctor then reaches a realization that the only way to protect and

    Read More

  • The Sorrow and Heroic Tragedy of John Proctor in The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    869 Words  | 2 Pages

    John Proctor depicts a courageous individual with an image of a sincere and an honorable man, not only in minds of the Salem community, but also in his own. His death implies more than a “tragedy”, but rather a strong action that inspires and encourages citizens in Salem to follow his footstep for change. Proctor is frustrated at how the court for believing Abigail and not the innocents. He says, “My wife is innocent, except she knew a whore when she saw one! You are pulling Heaven down and raising up a whore!” (Act III). He is infuriated that the officials in the court believe the ridiculous pretenses and acting of the Salem girls, that everyone’s the belief in god seems to be deteriorating.

    Read More

  • Flaws In The Crucible

    631 Words  | 2 Pages

    John Proctor was definitely a tragic hero in the play however reluctant. Proctor has many good qualities as well as flaws. He is shown to be hardworking by working all the time, even on the Sabbath when he is not suppose to, “I labor the Earth from dawn of day to blink of night” (Miller 62).Furthermore, Proctor develops into a noble character throughout the play by

    Read More

  • The Foolish Death of John Proctor in The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    963 Words  | 2 Pages

    John Proctor is, at first, willing to offer up a false confession that his life may be spared. Inevitably, John Proctor possesses that fateful attribute known to fall fatal to many human beings - pride. While he has, indeed, been ashamed of his many sins throughout his life, Proctor's soul still clings to his pride and his good name, however soiled it may have become. On the morning scheduled for his execution, Proctor wrestles with the realization that one more sin so heaped upon the rest in his life will make precious little difference in the end; "I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is a fraud. I am not that man.... My honesty is broke... I am no good man. Nothing's spoiled by giving them this lie." (126) He attempts to calm his pride by telling himself that the other accused witches who will not give false testimony to save themselves from the gallows have every right to do so; they led lives free of blame. He, however, he tells himself, did no such thing; what right has he to hang among the righteous? "Let them that never lied die now to keep their souls. It is pretense for me, a vanity that will nor blind God nor keep my children out of the wind." (126) Thus the conviction first reached by John Proctor is to save his life rather than to throw it away in mock martyrdom.

    Read More

  • John Proctor's Moral Struggle in The Crucible

    770 Words  | 2 Pages

    John Proctor is portrayed throughout the play to be a man who has high moral values that he must abide by. He can spot hypocrisy in others easily and judges himself no less harshly. Elizabeth Proctor says to him in the second act:

    Read More

  • The True Hero in The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    1340 Words  | 3 Pages

    While some chose life and falsely admitted towitchcraft, John Proctor stayed unconvinced by what society dictated(witchcraft) and assumed; that the girls were a manifestation from God. Heattempted to prove the children were making fraudulent claims. Proctor was very much in doubt of witchcraft inSalem. He slowly established that the children were lying in court with respectto their accusations of the townâˆ(tm)s people. Proctor argued that the accusationsgoing on in Salem were not necessarily based on witchcraft, instead, ∜awhores vengeance∝(110). Many people were Gods servants for a very long timeso ∜it was hard to think so pious of a woman/man be secretly a devils b**chafter seventy years of such good prayer∝(64). Miller uses this opportunityto show the reader that Proctor, unlike the townâˆ(tm)s people, ∜ is eventempered and not easily led.

    Read More

  • The Goodness and Immorality of John Proctor in Miller's The Crucible

    2068 Words  | 5 Pages

    When John Proctor is first introduced in the play there is a paragraph describing him, and reading this you learn a lot about his character, what others think about him, what he thinks of himself, and how he acts towards people.

    Read More

  • The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    1029 Words  | 3 Pages

    John Proctor comes home from working in his fields to his wife, Elizabeth. They argue about his affair with Abigail.

    Read More

  • The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    1094 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...ecause it would be a lie to claim that he has never lied. Elizabeth says that she has her own sins, and only a bad wife would want lechery. Finally Proctor decides that he will confess himself, and then he asks if what he does is even evil. When Proctor agrees to save himself by admitting to witchcraft, Danforth demands a written confession and says that he must prove the purity of his soul to others, so he demands that Proctor accuse others. Hale says that it is good enough for Proctor to confess to God, but Danforth still wants a written statement. Proctor refuses, because he wants to keep his name good for the respect of his children. Danforth refuses to accept his confession, and orders that he be lynched. Hale begs Elizabeth to plead with Proctor to sign a confess, but Elizabeth claims that Proctor now has his goodness, and nobody should take it away from him.

    Read More

  • The Tragic Hero of The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    1393 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...his sin of adultery, for it causes breaks in his bonds between his wife and Abigail. He grapples with authority, for Proctor is not one who listens to authority simply because it is the excepted thing to do. He also faces death because he chooses to be a noble man and denies all charges of witchcraft. Though John Proctor is not a perfect man, his beliefs and values are in the right place; he listens to his heart. When his head tells him to listen to the court because it is the law, and when Hale tells him to choose to live as an accused witch, Proctor does not listen because he knows that these acts are not in his best interest. He follows his soul, a lesson the whole world should learn to follow.

    Read More

  • John Proctor’s Moral Dilemma in The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    713 Words  | 2 Pages

    John Proctor faces many decisions in response to his moral dilemma to try to save his life. One of the difficult decisions John makes is to reveal that he had an affair with Abigail Williams and thereby has committed adultery. If the local court convicts him of this crime, he faces being jailed. Also by admitting this crime, John reveals a weakness in his character. This flaw in his personality will make it harder for him to stand up in the community as an honorable and believable person. In trying to convince others that witchcraft does not exist John’s dishonesty with his wife will make him less convincing to the community.

    Read More

More about John Procter in The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Open Document