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Life in Salem, Massachusetts back in 1692 could prove very difficult for its residents. John Proctor, a married man living in this setting has to combat his society for what he believes is just and right, and in doing so sacrifices his life for it. In the play The Crucible, Arthur Miller illuminates the conflict between the individual and society by using John Proctor as his protagonist. Despite the fact that Proctor does die in the end, Arthur Miller believes that the individual does triumph over society in the end.
In the town of Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, society was greatly centered around the church and its teachings.
In this community there was little to no religious diversity, mostly everyone were Protestant. This religion had many restrictions on its followers and influenced how they should behave as well as determine what they are allowed to do. The townspeople took their religion to such an extent to appoint “…a two-man patrol whose duty was to ‘walk forth in the time of God’s worship to take notice of such as either…may be accordingly proceeded against’”(4).
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The church was also strongly against “vain enjoyment”, restricting Protestant and prohibiting actions such as dancing.
The so-called “witch hunt” of 1692 started with Abigail and her friends going into the woods to worship around a fire and saying love spells. Due to fear of the judgment of their society and possible consequences, the girls that were with Abigail that night decided to go along with her story and accused the outcasts of the town of witchcraft.
All of the girls, except Mary Warren, conformed to the idea of witchcraft because that was what they were taught growing. However, Mary Warren saw through Abigail Parris’ lies and threats and eventually accused her of her sins but soon relapsed her claims due to the pressure of her friends accusing her of hurting them supernaturally.
John Proctor has always been his own man. He made his own decisions, and whether or not the Puritan society which he was part of agreed with them, he did not let that influence him. For instance, we learn early in the play that Proctor did have an affair with a woman named Abigail; while at the same time he was married to his wife Elizabeth. From Proctor’s statement, “Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But i will cut off my hand before I reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby.”(24) We learn that Proctor is aware and guilty of his decision to conduct this affair, and wants it to remain a secret. Nonetheless, he did make the decision, and through this we learn about Proctor’s character and moral values. He was not afraid to set foot outside Puritan and Biblical law to make himself personally happy. Proctor also was questioned by Reverend Hale, who said he seldom went to church. This further implements Proctor’s individuality, and illustrates him pulling away from the society he lives in to be his own man.
Proctor was thrown into a situation where he needed to make a choice. He needs to decide whether to conform to the society that he lives in to save his own life or whether to tell the truth and stick to it, even though that means risking death. The escalation of the witch trials in Salem had gotten out of control, and many had already condemned themselves to death by denying that they had interacted with the devil. Proctor wants to live and be with his three children, but at the same time he cannot bring himself to sell his friends whom are dying for the same cause that he truly believes in. Proctor explains to Danforth “I have three children – how may I teach them to walk like men in the world, and I sold my friends?”(150). Here, the choice Proctor has to make is clearly described to us.
Additionally, we learn what he was thinking when pressured by the court to make his decision. Proctor was also thinking of Giles Corey, who was pressed to death and did not say “aye” or “nay” to being a witch. Giles, thinking only of his family, because by neither denying nor accepting one’s charges, one’s land will be kept in his or her family, said only “More weight.” In the end, Proctor cannot bring himself to sell out those who have been loyal to him, and therefore cannot bring himself to sign off on it that he saw the devil. Proctor states that he will not sign his name “because it is [his] name! Because I cannot have another in his life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How will I live without my name? I have given my soul; leave my name!”(150).
By making this decision, Proctor was hanged, and although he may believe that he was not there to “teach his children to walk like men,” That decision was Proctor leading by example. Not signing that sheet of paper was essentially proctor stepping out of the conformities of the mod of insanity that had become Salem, Massachusetts. This act of heroism gave hope more than anything, as more and more people started to tell the honest truth that there was no witchcraft, and not live within their society’s boundaries of what is truthful and accepted. Proctor also kept white what was most important to him, that being his name. Since he didn’t blacken his name, his children can still have the life that he wanted them to have.
In conclusion, Proctor stood up for the truth. He was not a perfect person, and much less a perfect Puritan, however when it came down to it he knew what was right, for his family, for himself, and for the future of his community. Proctor successfully accomplished what he wanted for his family, without blackening his name or selling out his friends. Although it cost him his life, his individuality still triumphed over the grasps of society in the end.
Individual vs Society in The Crucible and Religion in the Thirteen Colonies. (2022, May 25). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/the-individual-and-society-in-the-play-the-crucible-by-arthur-miller-to-what-extent-did-religious-beliefs-determine-the-character-of-the-thirteen-colonies-essay
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