FREE ESSAY ON JOHN PROCTOR AS A TRAGIC HERO

JOHN PROCTOR AS A TRAGIC HERO

The Crucible, written in 1953 by Arthur Miller is an accurate portrait of the which hunts
and trials in Salem Massachusetts during the 17th century. The story revolves around a
man named John Proctor. Over the course of the book, John proctor goes from just being an
observer in the which hunts, to having his wife accused, to being accused himself and
eventually hung. John Proctor, a tragic hero, died due to his own faults.
John Proctor lived out his life as a noble Christian man. He can be described as even
tempered, and not easily led and also respected and even feared. He is also stubborn and
possessed a strong sense of right and wrong. Of all of the characters is the book,
Proctor was obviously the most skeptical. All of these are some of the traits that caused
him to become a tragic hero. 
Over the course of the book, John Proctors state of mind changes greatly. During the
beginning of the book he is relatively happy and content in his life. As the story
progresses he becomes more and more angry and distraught. This is particularly evident in
the quote We are what we were in Salem, but now the little crazy children have the keys
to the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law! This warrant's vengeance! I'll not
give my wife to vengeance!after his wife becomes accused and put on trial. It is ironic
that only just before his death that proctor finally peace with his wife but cannot live
with her happily ever again.
One of the most substantial pieces of evidence of John proctor being a tragic hero is
that he died due to his own faults. All of his misfortunes in the story can be traced
back to the biggest mistake he ever made. That mistake was Abigail Williams. His affair
with Abigail caused Abigail to jealously accuse Proctor's wife of witchcraft in an
attempt to get rid of her. Being the good person he is, Proctor stood by her and tried to
defend her innocence. As the trial progresses, John Proctor himself is accused of
witchcraft by his former servant Mary Warren. He is eventually condemned by his own big
mouth at the end of act 3, For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have
quailed, and as you quail now when you know in all your black hearts that this be a
fraud- God damns our kind especially, and we will burn, we will burn together! This quote
is from when John Proctor is so angry that he lashes out at the situation, and ensures to
everyone is the court that he is guilty.
In conclusion, John Proctor obviously fits the description of a tragic hero, he is a good
and noble person, he goes from happiness to misery, and the cause of his death was his
own faults. John proctor was a good person, but his own faults brought his demise.