Character Analysis of John Proctor in the Play The Crucible by Arthur Miller
John Proctor is the memorable protagonist of Arthur Miller's famous play, "The Crucible". On the surface, Proctor seems quite simple as he is an average honorable farmer. However, it is soon discovered that Proctor is more complex as he has made one dishonorable mistake, his tragic flaw, which leads to his demise. Throughout the play Proctor clashes with the plays main antagonist, Abigail, and at the same time, he also has an inner conscience struggle with himself. Although the complex Proctor's imperfection leads to his own downfall, he nevertheless dies with pride, honor, and dignity in the end, because he refuses to shame his name through a false-confession.
The play begins with Proctor already having committed adultery, and although guilty he still upholds his pride and name. On the exterior, Proctor is described as a basic “farmer in his middle thirties...powerful of body [and] even-tempered". However, it is soon discovered that he is "a sinner not only against the moral fashion of the time, but against his own vision of decent conduct" (20). This sin that Proctor committed before the plays opening was adultery as he cheated on his wife Elizabeth with his house-worker Abigail. This mistake makes the simple Proctor into one of the most complex characters of the play. Proctor internally "regard[s] himself as a kind of fraud. But no hint of this has yet appeared on the surface" which is how Miller sets up the main conflict of the play (21).
The plot's main conflict began at the hands of the play's antagonist Abigail. Ever since her affair with Proctor she has fallen in love with him. The fact that he has a wife though makes it hard for Abigail and Proctor ever to be. Abigail knows that her only way in, is by getting Proctor's wife Elizabeth, out. She attempts this by framing Proctor's wife Elizabeth as a witch. Elizabeth is arrested, with Proctor the only one able to save her and everyone else. All Proctor must do is explain how Abigail is lying because she told him alone that they were simply "dancing' in the woods [that] night" (22).
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However, the problem was that if Proctor were to present this information he would have to explain why he was alone with Abigail, admit his adultery and destroy his name. Unfortunately his conscience fails in this first internally struggle, resulting in the conviction of many people of Salem.
In the end of the book, Proctor is faced with a final ultimatum. He is to either to live by signing a document falsely admitting to being a witch, soiling his name to the church, or be honest to maintain his honor as he goes to the gallows. At first he gives in, and even signs the confession, but suddenly he has a burst of good conscience and integrity as he tears up the confession, all the while knowing it will lead to his death. In the end, Proctor chooses integrity and dignity over his very own soul. This action atones for his sin and he dies with dignity and pride. With this final act even Elizabeth states that he "ha[s] his goodness now" (145).
All in all, the protagonist character of John Proctor is essential to the classic Crucible play. He develops over the short duration of the play battling with not only the antagonist Abigail, but also himself. At first he can't bring himself to admitting his fault, but in the end he overcomes it, salvaging his integrity knowing that his reputation and soul are sacrificed in the process. Providentially, at last, with this final act Proctor conquers his own internal crucible and is once again in harmony.
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Character Analysis of John Proctor in the Play The Crucible by Arthur Miller. (2023, Apr 19). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/character-analysis-of-john-proctor-in-the-play-the-crucible-by-arthur-miller/
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