The Crucible: John Proctor as a Hero Essay

In Arthur Millers The Crucible, a whole village is put through trials and tribulations that essentially turn their lives upside-down. Few survived through these tests and even fewer kept their pride and dignity until the end; John Proctor is one of them. Proctor is found in the center of all the action in The Crucible. He has to balance his situation with Abigail and his wife with the chance that both he and his wife are facing the end of both their Christian and mortal lives. Proctor does this, however, and in the end he is seen with his pride and dignity still intact.

John Proctor had started out in the book as someone who had something to hide. He, at some point, had had an affair with Abigail Williams, who became the mastermind behind all of the towns witchery and destruction. However, Elizabeth Proctor, Johns wife, had found out about this affair, and, in an effort to show her that he only loves her, John had since gone tiptoe in [their] house all seven month since (Act II, pg 54). Once he hears about Bettys condition, he soon finds himself in town and in a room with Abigail, no less. It is in this very moment when he sets Abigail straight and tells her that he may think of [her] softly from time to time. But [he] will cut off [his] hand before [he ever reaches for her] again.(Act I, pg 23). It is at this point when Abigail begins to target Elizabeth Proctor as she is blackening [Abigails] name in the village [.] (Act I, pg 23). This is when the wheels of destruction began turning in Abigails mind. She loves John Proctor so much that she is more than willing to take his wife out of the picture completely. This does not work too well with John, because he has done nothing but try to gain his wifes trust back over the seven months that he has kept away from the village. Later on, as more and more townspeople were being condemned for witchery, a man named Mr. Hale visits the Proctors home. He is a minister brought in from another town and has gone around visiting all those who have been accused of witchcraft. Because of the fact that the village is ran almost entirely upon theology, a simple test of The Commandments is asked of Mr. Proctor. John slowly makes his way down the list, but then finds that he is missing one. Elizabeth knows which one it is and states simply Adultery, John.(Act II, pg 67). In two words alone John was reminded of the entire situation between him, his wife, and Abigail Williams. John wishes only to be free of Abigail and all the trouble that she has caused, and, finally, he is towards the end. In all the chaos of the court John Proctor yells out at Abigail during one of her pretend attacks, How do you call Heaven! Whore! Whore!(Act III, pg 109). A man yelling whore in court very obviously brought up some questions and without hesitation, but with shame, Proctor unfolds the story of what had happened between him and Abigail those many months ago. Mr. Danforth, a high official in the court system, sees this as an opportunity to test Elizabeth, to see if she is really as honest as John Proctor claims she is. She is brought into the courtroom and asked Why did [she] dismiss Abigail Williams?(Act III, pg 112). Elizabeth starts out with very vague answers, saying simply She dissatisfied me.(Act III, pg 112). Her simple answer prompted Mr. Danforth to ask another question: What disturbance did she cause?(Act III, pg 112). Elizabeth works her way around answering it by setting the time and scene of the situation. She mentions how she was sick and how John is never drunk and such things that do not pertain to the question that Danforth had asked of her. Finally Danforth asks her a simple, yet loaded, yes or no question: Is your husband a lecher[?](Act III, pg 13). To which said question Elizabeth answers No, sir, and with those words, she is no longer seen as the women who cannot tell a lie and has condemned both herself and her husband.

The dictionary definition of a crucible is a severe, searching test or trial. John Proctor went through the same tests that everyone one else in the village went through, and then some. He had the whole ordeal with Abigail Williams: losing his wifes trust, her accusing his wife of witchcraft, and then finally breaking down in court which made him lose his wife completely. He had to watch as the Marshal took her out of the court room and her last words being Oh, God! (Act III, pg 113). That was a trial that none other but himself had to go through. He, also, had to bear witness to the girls in the village making a mockery of Mary Warren in court and condemning people in the town. He had to watch as Abigail and her followers took control of the court and played with Mr. Danforths imagination like a puppet. All the shouting and arguments John posed were meaningless. His attempts could not even reach Danforth as he was so drawn into the girls act. John tried to tell him that theyre gulling [him]!(Act III, pg 117), but it was to no avail. Then, as the girls had turned on Mary, Mary soon turned on John Proctor. Death surrounds them throughout the whole ordeal, friends and neighbors have been sent to the gallows and there is not anything they can do about it. John had to watch as the world he knew fell apart. His final test, his final crucible, takes place in jail, where John Proctor is seen as another man, bearded, filthy, [and] his eyes misty as though webs had overgrown them.(Act IV, 133). Elizabeth comes into his jail cell only moments before he is due to hang. Hoping she can get a confession out of him, Danforth, Hale, Cheever, Hathorne and Parris, leave them alone before sunrise. John confides in Mary that he might confess and asks of her what she thinks. She answered simply I cannot judge you, John.(Act IV, pg 135). John does not know what to do. All he wants is to please her, yet she will not tell him how he can do that. John tells Cheever that he wants his life, translating into he will confess. Danforth asks him questions about the Devil, to which John answers with lies, but he did not say he saw any other person with the Devil. Danforth, practically begging him to accuse someone else, is astonished by Johns unremitting denial of seeing anyone else with the Devil. Parris points out to Danforth that the sun has risen and tells him to have John sign it. John cannot bring himself to sign it, because it would give away his name, and he claims that is all he has left.

Though it fluctuated throughout all the chaos, in the end John kept what little pride and integrity he had left. He had denied everything in the beginning, hoping that if he just closes his eyes to it, it would all go away. He quickly realized that that was not the case. He began building his integrity when he admitted to the courts about what had ensued between him and Abigail Williams. It was a very difficult thing to do, but he had done it in attempts to reveal to the courts what she really was. He stands up for his wife, and though it did not save her life, he even takes the blame for doing the Devils work. In the jail cell, while him and Elizabeth have a moment alone, he proves to her, one last time, that he just wants to please her. Asking her what she would have him do, and receiving no answer in return John says he will confess; thus, bringing his integrity and pride to an all time low. As he confesses, rage slowly builds up inside of him until finally when he is asked to sign his name, he refuses. They tell him the confession will mean nothing if he does not sign it and he says his name would mean nothing if he does. Then, he signs it, but does not give it back saying I have signed it. You have seen me. It is done! You have no need for this. (Act IV, pg 142). Danforth says the town needs proof of his confession and asks him why he will not return the paper. Johns pride and anger crescendos to new heights as he tells them, Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life!(Act IV, pg 143). Sealing his integrity and pride in place, he rips up the confession and says no more.

Regardless of the fact that John had faced the same fate as everyone else in the end, he ended it the way he wanted to: as a good Christian and with his dignity. With the struggles between Abigail and himself and watching as one by one townspeople were picked off like flies, John had made it through. As Theology came crashing down upon them, John had risen up, and after all these trials that he had to endure John Proctor came out as a hero.