Development of John Proctor in The Crucible Essay

Throughout the play, The Crucible, many of the characters grow and develop as the play goes on. John Proctor is the main character in The Crucible, and he is a very complex character that takes some time to develop. In the end of the play, all of John Proctors changes in personality are made for the better. In the beginning of the play, John Proctor is a very intimidating and guilt-ridden man. Johns affair with Abigail Williams hangs heavy over his head and threatens to ruin his marriage. By the end of the play, John is a much more sincere man who does not care so much about saving his name rather than saving his friends. A character is an elaborate blend of emotions and characteristics, and in the beginning of the play John Proctor is filled with despair, remorse and shame but by the end of the play he feels like he has been forgiven for all of his sins, finally found himself, and regained his pride.

John Proctor is a highly respected man in Salem but John had much inner conflict dealing with the guilt of the affair that he had with Abigail Williams. John does not go to church regularly because he does not like the way that Reverend Parris preaches so he does not have the chance to free himself of his sins. During the entire play, there is always a tension in the Proctor household because of the affair between Abigail and John. Elizabeth tries to forgive John but finds it very hard to get over the affair. At the end of the play, when Judge Danforth tries to get John to sign his name to a false confession to spare his own life, John refuses. This is when Elizabeth forgives him and John can forgive himself. Id have you see some honesty in it. Let them that never lied die now to keep their souls. It is pretence for me, a vanity that will not blind god nor keep my children out of the wind.(Act 4, page 136) At this point, John feels as though he has committed enough sins and does not want to commit another by lying and signing a false confession and putting it on the church door.

Throughout The Crucible, John Proctor is in a constant battle with himself and trying to figure out who he really is. In the beginning of the play, John is a lost soul. Hes not the same person as he used to be because of what happened between him and Abigail. John is soul-searching the entire play, and in the end, its Elizabeth who helps him find out who he really is. Not only is Elizabeth able to forgive John for the pain he has caused, but along with that, shes helped him find himself. By forgiving John, Elizabeth gives John his pride back and a sense of contentment. I can. And theres your first marvel, that I can. You have made your magic now, for now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs. Give them no tears! Tears pleasure them! Show honour now, show a stony heart and sink them with it!(Act 4, page 144) Although John faces the gallows, he still gets to die with his pride and is free of all the sins that he has committed.

During the time of the witchcraft trials in Salem, a mans name and word were very important to them and this was the case with John Proctor. After word got out about John and Abigail, he is very ashamed and disappointed in himself. In the beginning of the play, John is respected by others but did not respect himself for what he had done to Elizabeth and his family. Johns inner conflict is one of the major conflicts of this story. Even though some people managed to look past the affair, Elizabeth could not and in a way, neither could John. At the end of the play, John takes it upon himself to salvage some pride by refusing to allow Judge Danforth to post his signature on the church door on a fake confession to witchcraft. Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!(Act 4, page 143) Although this act costs John his life, he is able to die a proud and sinless man.

John Proctor is a very elaborate and deep character that takes some time for Arthur Miller to develop. Initially John is not a very approachable figure around Salem, but by the end of the play, he was a hero in the eyes of the people in Salem. One of the main factors that plays a major role in the growth of John Proctor is his affair with Abigail Williams and how his wife is not able to forgive him until he is able to forgive himself. John develops into a caring man who is fighting for a cause. It takes a while for John to get a clean slate and to feel free of all his sins, and he finds that freedom in his wife at the end of the play. Throughout the play, John Proctor is on a constant search trying to find himself. John truly finds himself when he begins looking out for others instead of trying to save himself. John has no pride in the beginning of the play, but by then end of it, he regains his pride by standing up for others that cannot stand up for themselves. He takes stand against the courts and tries to make things right by proving that the witchcraft is fraud.