A tragic hero is a protagonist, a virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat. Tragic heroes typically have heroic traits that earn them the sympathy of the audience, but also have flaws or make mistakes that ultimately lead to their own self-awareness and downfall, which they accept with pride. John Proctor, a character in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, is a true tragic hero. Proctor is an honest man with good morals and a fatal flaw. Through his goodness, superiority, tragic flaw, and an epiphany that caused widespread catharsis Arthur Miller portrays John Proctor as a classic tragic hero.
From sinner to tragic hero; Proctor’s new found respect for morals and ethics is the first way Miller paints Proctor as an exemplary tragic hero. In Act Two, Elizabeth is condemned for witchcraft as Proctor assures her “I will bring you home soon… I will fall like an ocean on the court! Fear nothing Elizabeth” (Miller 501). John claims to do whatever is necessary to get her free as he prepares to forfeit his “good name” to prove her innocence. Later, Proctor becomes aware that is it Abigail who has raised the allegations against Elizabeth. He takes it upon himself to go to Judge Danforth and the court and keep his promise to Elizabeth. “She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me, I lusted and there is promise in such sweat. But it a whores vengeance and you must see it” (Miller 520). Believing all lies are damned in the court, he confesses an affair between Abigail and himself to rationalize Abby’s logic behind targeting Elizabeth. In this instance, Proctor puts other needs before his own and defaces his own name and reputation to save them and keep his word. Like a real tragic hero, Proctor honors decency and takes care of what needs to be no matter the circumstances.
Amongst others, John Proctor is respected and even feared in Salem (Miller 469). His nobility, authoritative behavior, and eminence ego reveal some of the main reasons he is considered a tragic hero. Early on in the play, John runs into Abigail, whom he has cut all ties with, and the two are placed alone in a room where Abigail tries to rekindle their old flame. “Abby I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand I’ll ever reach for you again” (Miller 470). Proctor takes this time to respectfully, but firmly inform Abigail that he will never again touch her; he would rather cut his own hands off before even reaching for her. After hearing John’s comment Abigail still won’t take no for an answer, and she impudently mentions Elizabeth. With great dominion, Proctor’s voice booms throughout the room, “You’ll speak nothin’ of Elizabeth!… Do you look for a whoopin’?” (Miller 471). The disrespect, he does not condone, so through his intimidation others will not test his word because they do not want to suffer the consequences and repercussions. Proctor’s superiority is often delineated throughout the work. By his supremacy never being challenged and receiving the utmost respect from the people of Salem shows how he is a tragic hero.
Proctor’s elephantine pride is his tragic flaw, Miller’s most obvious reason to prove him a tragic hero. John’s good name is his all that matters to him. In any situation, he wishes not to dismantle his reputation, but for his wife he has. Proctor confesses his sins in front of the townspeople, and Judge Danforth still will not accept and give his blessing, “I have made a bell of my honor! I have rung the doom of my good name…” (Miller 520). Proctor is upset that he has been made a fool of in this instance because he was allowed to tell this truth and it was not accepted after it had all come out. He had scratched his name for no reason it seemed like. Later, they had come to accept his sins and asked him to drag his name thru the mud once again and hang his sins in the village and Proctor’s reasoning for not wanting to is “Because it is my name.
Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I cannot 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!” (Miller 538- 539). His pride keeps him from doing great things that will save other is the long run. He refuses to give his name again and ruin his full name because when he dies he wants his legacy to be positive, he wants to be remembered as the great man that they used to think of him as. This prodigious ego/pride he has will soon lead to his downfall and epiphany.
In the beginning of his purification, Proctor tells Parris , “For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have quailed, and as you quail now when you know in all your black hearts that this be fraud– God damns our kind especially, and we will burn, we will burn together” (Miller 525). He tells them they know that these people are lying and they still hang these innocent people, and together they will burn and suffer in Hell the most because they know what they are doing is wrong. As the plot continues on, the audience gains deeper sympathy for John Proctor’s situation, but the deepest moment happens as John says “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” (Miller 539). The catharsis becomes even more widespread at this moment because of it when Proctor come to forgive himself for his sins and care less for what others have to say about him and rather what he says about himself. This moment identifies John as a true tragic hero.
Proctor a man of great nobility, honor, pride, and righteousness has now been cleansed and is a perfect tragic hero. Following his morality, ethics, nobility, superiority, tragic flaw, and beautiful acceptance Arthur Miller has illustrated John Proctor as one of the top tragic heroes in time.
The Perfect Tragic Hero
A tragic hero is a protagonist, a virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat. Tragic heroes typically have heroic traits that earn them the sympathy of the audience, but also have flaws or make mistakes that ultimately lead to their own self-awareness and downfall, which they accept with pride. John Proctor, a character in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, is a true tragic hero. Proctor is an honest man with good morals and a fatal flaw. Through his goodness, superiority, tragic flaw, and an epiphany that caused widespread catharsis Arthur Miller portrays John Proctor as a classic tragic hero.
From sinner to tragic hero; Proctor’s new found respect for morals and ethics is the first way Miller paints Proctor as an exemplary tragic hero. In Act Two, Elizabeth is condemned for witchcraft as Proctor assures her “I will bring you home soon… I will fall like an ocean on the court! Fear nothing Elizabeth” (Miller 501). John claims to do whatever is necessary to get her free as he prepares to forfeit his “good name” to prove her innocence. Later, Proctor becomes aware that is it Abigail who has raised the allegations against Elizabeth. He takes it upon himself to go to Judge Danforth and the court and keep his promise to Elizabeth. “She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me, I lusted and there is promise in such sweat. But it a whores vengeance and you must see it” (Miller 520). Believing all lies are damned in the court, he confesses an affair between Abigail and himself to rationalize Abby’s logic behind targeting Elizabeth. In this instance, Proctor puts other needs before his own and defaces his own name and reputation to save them and keep his word. Like a real tragic hero, Proctor honors decency and takes care of what needs to be no matter the circumstances.
Amongst others, John Proctor is respected and even feared in Salem (Miller 469). His nobility, authoritative behavior, and eminence ego reveal some of the main reasons he is considered a tragic hero. Early on in the play, John runs into Abigail, whom he has cut all ties with, and the two are placed alone in a room where Abigail tries to rekindle their old flame. “Abby I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand I’ll ever reach for you again” (Miller 470). Proctor takes this time to respectfully, but firmly inform Abigail that he will never again touch her; he would rather cut his own hands off before even reaching for her. After hearing John’s comment Abigail still won’t take no for an answer, and she impudently mentions Elizabeth. With great dominion, Proctor’s voice booms throughout the room, “You’ll speak nothin’ of Elizabeth!… Do you look for a whoopin’?” (Miller 471). The disrespect, he does not condone, so through his intimidation others will not test his word because they do not want to suffer the consequences and repercussions. Proctor’s superiority is often delineated throughout the work. By his supremacy never being challenged and receiving the utmost respect from the people of Salem shows how he is a tragic hero.
Proctor’s elephantine pride is his tragic flaw, Miller’s most obvious reason to prove him a tragic hero. John’s good name is his all that matters to him. In any situation, he wishes not to dismantle his reputation, but for his wife he has. Proctor confesses his sins in front of the townspeople, and Judge Danforth still will not accept and give his blessing, “I have made a bell of my honor! I have rung the doom of my good name…” (Miller 520). Proctor is upset that he has been made a fool of in this instance because he was allowed to tell this truth and it was not accepted after it had all come out. He had scratched his name for no reason it seemed like. Later, they had come to accept his sins and asked him to drag his name thru the mud once again and hang his sins in the village and Proctor’s reasoning for not wanting to is “Because it is my name. Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I cannot 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!” (Miller 538- 539). His pride keeps him from doing great things that will save other is the long run. He refuses to give his name again and ruin his full name because when he dies he wants his legacy to be positive, he wants to be remembered as the great man that they used to think of him as. This prodigious ego/pride he has will soon lead to his downfall and epiphany.
In the beginning of his purification, Proctor tells Parris , “For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have quailed, and as you quail now when you know in all your black hearts that this be fraud– God damns our kind especially, and we will burn, we will burn together” (Miller 525). He tells them they know that these people are lying and they still hang these innocent people, and together they will burn and suffer in Hell the most because they know what they are doing is wrong. As the plot continues on, the audience gains deeper sympathy for John Proctor’s situation, but the deepest moment happens as John says “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” (Miller 539). The catharsis becomes even more widespread at this moment because of it when Proctor come to forgive himself for his sins and care less for what others have to say about him and rather what he says about himself. This moment identifies John as a true tragic hero.
Proctor a man of great nobility, honor, pride, and righteousness has now been cleansed and is a perfect tragic hero. Following his morality, ethics, nobility, superiority, tragic flaw, and beautiful acceptance Arthur Miller has illustrated John Proctor as one of the top tragic heroes in time.
Works Cited
- Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. Collections, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015, pp. 458–539.
