John Procter: Tragic Hero The Play 'The Crucible'

A tragic hero is the main character in a tragedy, the person is a very prestigious character who has a tragic flaw which causes his or her downfall. This flaw causes the character to suffer greatly. In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the protagonist John Proctor, a tragic hero has a huge weakness. His weakness is his love for Abigail, who is his own house servent. In the beginning of the play John Procter tries to hide he crime of adultery to the rest of the town.

This secret lead to a downfall of events for John, which ultimately lead him to admit to his crime. Undoubtedly, John Proctor’s flaws of unfaithfullness and self pride, tied with his hero like qualities, and the pathos he brings to the audience make him the ideal tragic hero.

In the puritan society of Salem, everyone has the same view of witchcraft and sin. John Proctor does not follow the same beliefs as everyone else.

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In this time period everyone is pointing the finger to someone else, to save themselves. They rather give away the name of an innocent person and survive, then to be hung for there crimes of witchcraft they did not commit. John on the other hand is sentenced to be hung for his crime of adultery. The government offered him a deal to give up another so called “witch”. John forbids to tell the name of one of his townspeople, he goes against the puritan society and stays true to his beliefs and philosophies.

He is hung for this action of disobedience, thus making John a hero. He saves many more people from dying since he would not give up names of other “witches”. Johns action of choosing the people over himself, and nothing being a follower of the puritans, portrays him as a hero.

John is most definitely a tragic hero, but every tragic hero has flaws and downfalls. John Proctors biggest flaw was his love for Abigail. This event of adultery basically started the whole witchcraft hysteria in Salem. If John never had committed the sin of adultery, he would still be alive. Another of John Proctors flaws are his pride. At the end of the play when John was on trail for witchcraft he told the people he would confess. John forbids to sign the congress to be brought around the town, John says, “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!”. Thus showing that John Procter rather die then lose his pride in the town. John Procter is most definitely a tragic hero, but as like all other tragic hero’s he has flaws too.

Along with John Proctor’s hero like qualities, and tragic flaws the pathos he brings to the audience makes him a perfect tragic hero. During Proctor’s decision of whether he should confess or not creates tension and suspense for the audience. People in the town are always on the edge of there seat because they never know when they are going to be the one on trail for witchcraft. When Procter does not sign the confession paper, it put’s a little more ease on the townspeople. In addition, Proctor brings pitty and sadness to the people reading the play. Just like in the story people reading the drama are on the edge of there seat with of all proctors decisions at the end. To go with Procters hero qualities, and flaws pathos makes John Procter a excellent tragic hero.

In conclusion, John Procter’s unselfishness, flaws, and emotion he brings towards an audience is why he represents the ideal a tragic hero. John’s flaws loving Abigail, and not wanting to ruin his pride clearly show the flaws in him. Pair with John’s heroic action of not signing the confession. Also, how John is able to bring pathos to the audience creating a single effect. Undoubtedly, all of these traits and flaws makes John Procter the ideal tragic hero.