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Roberto Villarreal Mrs. Tyree English III, per.4 3 December 2013 The good name of John Proctor John Proctor is one of the main characters in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Proctor is farmer in Salem and was affected by the witchcraft there. He is a good man with a dark secret. In The Crucible he is known as a tragic hero. A tragic hero is a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy that is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat. Proctor kept a secret from his wife, Elizabeth, and suffers from it until he is killed at the gallows. Proctor has a fight within himself during the whole play to do right or to do wrong. In the beginning proctor is a good man to his wife and kids. He wants the best for his three boys. Proctor: she never saw no spirits, sir. (Act III line 146) In Act three is the courtroom scene where Mary Warren is speaking the truth about no witchcraft and the main point is that Proctor was to set Elizabeth free from jail. He tries but cant set her free. He also wants best for her, too. Proctor: I have three children- how may I teach them to walk like men in the world, and I sold my friends? (Act IV lines 703- 705) Before his is hung he wants his boy to be men and not do the same mistakes that he did. Proctor also wants his wife to be happy after he is gone even with the baby. These good traits saved Elizabeth life for now. In life a good person might fall here and there but even the greatest person has flaws to bring them down. John Proctor was a good person but he fell to his death. Proctor: I have known her, sir. I have known her. (Act III lines 842) When Proctor said this in front of Danforth is because he had an affair with Abigail Williams. It created tension between him and his wife.

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Proctor called himself a lecher. A lecher is a person who was having an affair with someone and in that time period was punishable by death. His wife, Elizabeth, came to the courtroom to say that John was a lecher. Proctor said In her life, sir, she have never lied. (Act III line 891) to Danforth and she said no, sir. (Act III line 958). This is irony because Elizabeth never lies. Hale: do you know your Commandments, Elizabeth? Elizabeth: I surely do. There be no mark of blame upon my life, Mr. Hale. I am a covenanted Christian woman. Hale: and you, mister? Proctor: I-am sure I do, sir. Hale: let you repeat them, if you will. Proctor: The Commandments. Hale: Aye. Proctor: thou shalt not kill. Hale: Aye. Proctor: Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors goods, nor make unto thee any graven image. Thou shalt not take the Lords name in vain; thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy. Thou shalt honor thy father and mother. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. Hale: you have said that twice, sir. Proctor: aye. Elizabeth: Adultery, John Proctor: Aye. You see, sir, between the two of us we do know them all. (Act II lines 539-577) This line was a big thing because it contains irony. This irony is called situational irony.

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Situational irony is irony involving a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, so that the outcome is contrary to what was expected. The irony in this line was that Proctor said all the Commandments but one, you shall not commit adultery. From here he will have a big punishment which is to be hung. In Act four its three months since the so called spread of witchcraft has happened and Proctor is awaiting his death in jail. Proctor: the child? Elizabeth: it grows. Proctor: there is no word of the boys? Elizabeth: theyre well. Rebeccas Samuel keeps them. (Act IV lines 417-420) Proctor wants the best for his boys because he cant see them grow up to be men. He also want them to also remember him also. Proctor: would you give them such a lie? Say it. Would you ever give them this? You would not; if tongs of fire were singeing you you would not! It is evil. Good, then- it is evil, and I do it. (Act IV line 555) Proctor is saying that his name is good but he knows that his actions were wrong because of what he has done. When he dies, it is a lie because he has to say he was the start of witchcraft. John Proctor was a good farmer in Salem doing his business till he has an affair with Abigail and dies from all of this. Proctor has been a great role model toward his children and his wife. His wrong was the affair and being a lecher. What we believe in as truth is sometimes not the actions we take.