John Proctor

John Proctor is a good and honest man who throughout the play has been trying to find a way to forgive himself for committing adultery. He displays each characteristic of a tragic hero at one point in the play. Arthur Miller's play The Crucible contains a number of characters that all progress in the own unique ways. There is one man in particular that stands out among all others as being the most dynamic and that man is John Proctor. Over the course of the play John evolves from an uncaring individual, to a self-conscious, caring, and just man.

In the beginning John Proctor appears honest, but seems to only be worried about himself and his reputation. His affairs with Abigail without remorse, or thoughts of his faithful wife Elizabeth show his selfishness. Further into the play John shows that he truly regrets his action and tries to prevent it from happening again. John shows us this when he says "Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I'll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby". John tries to resolve his issues with his still forgiving wife and tries to rekindle the flame he nearly put out with giving into his lustful desire. This is the first part of his new beginning, and at this point it looks like he is turning over a new leaf.

John can be said to be the cause of all that is going on in the story. His affair with Abigail led to her jealousy that is the cause of all the hysteria that is currently taking place. Early on Proctor could have put a stop to Abigail by admitting to his affair, but he waits till things are out of control to profess her to be a whore, and all the girls to be liars. During the congregation proctor says "She only pretending to faint, Your Excellency. They're great pretenders" then later when he addresses Abigail he says "How do you call heaven! Whore! Whore!". Being this far into the proceedings, the court cannot take John's word that there are no witches, they would look like fools.

John says that he is trying to get Elizabeth freed, but ever after he discovers she connot be hanged because she is pregnant he still refuses to retract his condemnation of the court. John admits to his affair something he really didn't have to do being that he already knows his wife is safe. But he does it all the same, not just for his love for Elizabeth but for all the people being wrongly accused. He even goes as far as getting a petition