The Crucible
Arthur Miller�s play, , is a very powerful statement about Puritan ethics in the 17th century. The play depicts a character, John Proctor, against both his inner conscience to do what is right, and against the courts of Salem, where he is involved in a crucible to rid the city of witches. These circumstances arise for Proctor because of his affair with Abigail Williams, the leader of the girls who have started the witch hysteria,. Throughout the play, Proctor is depicted with a character flaw, his passiveness. Because of this character flaw and his tragic ending to his life, Proctor can be regarded as a tragic hero.
A tragic hero is an individual, usually the protagonist, who ...
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wishes to distance himself as much as possible from what is happening in Salem--the bewitching of the young girls. He has many reasons for doing so. First and foremost, Proctor is afraid of being seen as a lecher, because he thinks that his affair with Abigail may become public. Throughout the first act, Proctor stays away from the witch trials of Salem; he hopes that Reverend Hale will be able to solve the witch problems so that he may continue to keep his affair a secret. In a dialogue between Proctor and his wife Elizabeth, he says to her, on the subject of his not returning to Salem in eight days, "I have no business in Salem." She replies, "You did speak of going, earlier in the week." He comes back saying, "I thought better of it since." (p.51) With this statement, Proctor is implying that his affair may be uncovered if he went and involved himself in Salem; it clearly shows that Proctor wishes to stay away from Salem at all costs. ...
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The Crucible. (2004, December 27). Retrieved June 20, 2025, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Crucible/19605
"The Crucible." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 27 Dec. 2004. Web. 20 Jun. 2025. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Crucible/19605>
"The Crucible." Essayworld.com. December 27, 2004. Accessed June 20, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Crucible/19605.
"The Crucible." Essayworld.com. December 27, 2004. Accessed June 20, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Crucible/19605.
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