Danforth And John Proctor In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Decent Essays
The effect of the talk between Sarah and Tituba was that both Sarah and Tituba confessed to witchcraft and so they had to keep their “act” up because they know Herrick is going to jail. Miller included it because it was his way of knowing who was lying and who wasn't lying.
Parris changes because he is usually the one to protect his reputation, but this time he didn't try to protect it. The news does not affect the court's decision because they don't want to actually admit that this whole time they were wrong for what they been doing. Danforth is a victim of his own logic because Danforth prioritizes something that seems off , over the reality of possible innocence.
Hale returned because he wanted to see if he can fix what he was part of which was the big problem. He changed because he seems more full of himself since he got back. He handles things completely different. He changed because he is trying to get people to confess just to save their lives.
…show more content…
She changed towards John because now she is more distant from him. She doesn't take Hale's advice because she knows John is strong and will not give up his reputation.
Giles dies because he was pressed to death. He died because he refused to answer the court when they asked him questions. He wasn't hanged because they was trying to make him confess by pressing him. If he confessed, he would have been hanged.
Proctor confessed because he wanted to protect his wife Elizabeth. He does not say any names because he doesn't want people going after him so he says no names to take all the pressure off of him. Proctor does not give him the paper because he wanted to protect his name and his reputation.
John Proctor chooses to hang because he did not want to live any longer because he was trying to get his name and dignity back. He accomplishes self-respect and

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Proctor exhibits the puritan value of honesty when he decides to confess about his affair with Abigail Williams. Proctor decides that confessing his crime of adultery would be the best choice in order to try and…

    • 743 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    All John wanted at the end of the play was forgiveness and love.“...I would have your forgiveness Elizabeth”(Miller 1227).Elizabeth loved John and forgave him, but she knew he needed to forgive himself first .Some might argue that John needed to forgive himself and that he would have been able to live with the guilt of lying to stay alive.John needed to forgive himself because he felt unworthy of it he wasn’t like Rebecca Nurse or Martha Corey who were honest, and knew the punishment for that honesty. Finally, John learned to gain forgiveness he needed to forgive…

    • 638 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    After Elizabeth’s arrest for witchcraft, Proctor is determined to save the woman he loves as he tells Elizabeth when the clerk of court Cheever is taking her into custody “I will bring you home. I will bring you soon.” (177). He sacrifices his reputation by making an effort to compensate for his sin by being a better husband to Elizabeth. Proctor tells Mary Warren, the house servant and cohort of Abigail Williams, that “My wife will never die for me! I will bring your guts into your mouth but that goodness will not die for me!” (178) Proctor chooses to break his silence and fight for all the women who are accused of witchcraft and he tells Mary Warren that she will tell the truth about Abigail and her malicious attempt to get rid of Elizabeth so that they can be together. He confesses his adultery with Abigail even though the court does not believe Proctor and accuses him of devil worshipping. After he is jailed, Proctor changes his mind and decides to make a false confession to save himself after Elizabeth is pardoned for being pregnant. When talking with Elizabeth in his cell asking her what to do, Elizabeth replies, “It is not my soul, John, it is yours… Only be sure of this, for I know it now. Whatever you will do, it is a good man does it…I am not your judge, I cannot be. Do as you will, do as you will!” (208-209). His true character of goodness prevails when he rips up the confession and stands by his friends in death instead of falsely accusing them as witches. Proctor’s courageous decision at the end of the play to die rather than to confess a sin that he did not commit finally breaks the tragic cycle of the witch trials. Proctor could have lied to save himself, but he did not. His choice…

    • 1661 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Proctor found himself in a paradox at the end of The Crucible that cost him his life. Judge Danforth said, “You will give me your honest confession in my hand, or I cannot keep you from the rope.” Proctor faced the choice of letting his confession be kept or rip it and be hung. If he hands over his confession, he can live and be with his family. However, if he rips the confession he will be hung; others won’t be hanged if he does this. He decides to rip his confession and be hung because he knows that he will save others from the same fate. He also wanted to keep his name and he could not do that if he did not rip his…

    • 506 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Danforth continues to use his authority for the wrong reason. He says, “Hang them high over the town! Who weeps for these, weeps for corruption! ” (144). He still shows no proof or evidence for hanging the innocent people. More over, he continues to hang people; he has not yet realized what he is doing is over false facts. Innocent individuals like John Proctor are hanged simply because they did not confess to something they did not do. He feels no guilt or regret for what he has done. He hangs with pride and doesn’t care about how others feel. He would not stop doing what he does because he simply has the authority. Danforth is still scared of being a part of the trails and having someone perform witchery on him. The same goes for Abigail, she has not changed either. Reverend Paris tells Judge Danforth “my niece sir, my niece- I believe she has vanished” (126). Abigail continues to run away from her problems like she did before. In order to avoid the consequences of breaking the rules she started accusing. She got very overwhelmed when she realized what she had created. The witch trials were now gargantuan. Abigail tries her best to avoid the truth in all cases. She is too scared to own up to her words. When marry warren tries to do the right thing, she scares her away. Throughout the play she has always…

    • 1449 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Judge Danforth is able to be compared to Senator McCarthy because they both falsely accused people who they thought, or who they were told, were guilty of no relevant reason. Many people suffered from these accusations and were ostracized for them. History has repeated itself, and what was once an issue in the 17th century, became an issue in the 20th…

    • 1080 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Danforth thinks of himself as a perfect being and remains intolerant to others. He is arrogant and acts as if he were one of ‘God’s fingers”. Since he believes that he is perfect he doesn 't think that there is anything that he needs to forgive himself about. As a result of his arrogance, he finds it easy to judge everyone since he believes that he is more important and superior to others, whereas Proctor throughout the whole play learns to accept his imperfections and refuses to judge others. FIND QUOTE ABOUT THIS When John Proctor confesses to his affair with Abigail, his refusal for the written confession puts Danforth’s reputation in jeopardy. He wants to be the one to get Proctor to confess to witchcraft so he can be recognized as the person that solved the trials. Danforth and Proctor differ from each other because Proctor wants to change and Danforth…

    • 1272 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    When questioned about his wife, Giles refused to say “aye” or “nay” to the accusation that his wife was a witch. For keeping his silence, they placed large stones on top of his body, hoping he would then give them satisfaction and answer. He didn’t give them their satisfaction, only telling them to add weight, and it finally killed him. Giles kept silent because he was not willing to give up his wife, in this instance it wasn’t his own reputation, but his wife’s that was on the line. By Giles’ silence he didn’t have to give testament on the accusation that his wife was a witch because at this point both yes and no were the wrong answer: yes, soiling her reputation, and no, making him a liar. Rebecca, on the other hand, was accused of witchcraft, and would not admit to it. She went bravely to the scaffold alongside John Proctor saying: “Let us fear nothing! Another judgment waits us all!” (Miller IV). Using this quote as an indication, Rebecca seems to realize that even though she receives false judgment here in Salem, that God will judge her based on her actual sins. Rebecca is aware that keeping her reputation and not bearing false witness will please God, because God does know if Rebecca was a witch or not. Rebecca and Giles knew that it is more important what God sees in your reputation than what the people in their community see. With not confessing or not testifying,they know…

    • 1137 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In manipulating the character of John Proctor, the playwright shows that nobody is free from the mob. He made Proctor a community figure, one of the “most respected” (Polster). Proctor, who was accused solely based on the ulterior motives of Abigail, stood up to the authority attempting to prove the situation false. As the protagonist, John Proctor is viewed as a good person who has made mistakes. Miller utilized this perception making Proctor’s fatal decision have an even greater impact. Proctor attempts to rise up against the mob ideals that have overrun Salem by refusing to confess to witchery, a crime he never committed, saying “You have made your magic now, for now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor… Give them no tear! Tears pleasure them! Show honor now, show a stony heart and sink them with it!” (Miller 133). In proclaiming this, Proctor gave his life to stop the mob mentality. Proctor tells Elizabeth to stop the mob mentality using the memory of his life and the life she still has to live. Miller displays how one cannot just submit to the cruelty of mob mentality and “advocates taking a stand to preserve civil liberties against tyranny” exemplified by the death of John Proctor (Polster). The playwright proves the barbarity of the mob and constructs the theme that people must stand against these actions to create a better…

    • 1054 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    As a response to his wife being jailed for witchcraft, Proctor enters Act III determined to take up the challenge and prove that the girls are frauds. Once Proctor begins losing leverage over the court case after Abby and the girls discredit Mary Warren’s testimony, Proctor reveals the lechery he committed with Abby to prove that Abby is not the harmless, innocent girl the court thought she was. Danforth, surprised by these accusations, urges Proctor to elaborate. Proctor responds with, “I have known her, sir. I have known her… A man will not cast away his name.” (115). This is an enormous change from before, as he hurts his reputation regardless of the outcome by saying that he himself is a hypocrite. This action also helps lessen the weight of his sins because he publicly admits that he sinned, allowing him to forgive himself slightly. Even with his confession to lechery, Proctor is not able to convince the judges and is thrown into jail. In Act IV, Hale pleads for Elizabeth to help her husband confess to witchcraft so that he will not hang, so she goes to have a talk with Proctor. During their talk, Elizabeth confesses to Proctor, “Only be sure of this, for I know it now: Whatever you will do, a good man does it… It needs a cold wife to prompt lechery.” (143). Elizabeth now fully supports Proctor in his choice to confess or not. She also admits that she herself was…

    • 951 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Hale is still towards the hunt, yet he starts to draw back from it. Hale begins to see the harm he is doing. Hale shows up at Proctor door alone late one night hinting that he is second guessing what conclusions he had made. The moment that Abigail is noticed for her transparent machination’s Hale looses it. Hale leaves the court storming out in anger.…

    • 441 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After his affair with Abigail, he tried not to let the secret out into town. He didn’t want the gossip and ruining of his name that would come if anyone found out about his affair. Proctor was very paranoid about his reputation and would do anything to keep his name in good graces. Not only this, but, unlike other Puritan civilians, Proctor didn’t go to church every day. When confronted about it, John became defensive and played it off as though it was Reverend Parris’s fault he didn’t go to church. “...when I look to heaven and see my money glaring at his elbows-it hurt my prayer sir, it hurt my prayer. I think, sometimes, the man dreams cathedrals, not clapboard meetin’ houses” (62). John knew that if he didn’t defend himself, then the townspeople would start accusing him of witchcraft. Proctor didn’t want them to think that, knowing it would also blacken his name in society. Along with not wanting to be accused of witchcraft, Proctor did not want anyone to find out about his and Abigail’s affair. At first, John was adamant about no one finding out, shutting down Abby everytime she would bring up the adultery. “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” (22). However, when the trials begin and John’s wife is charged, he knows he will have to take chances. This included giving away the…

    • 1414 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The court urges him to sign a confession that he was with the devil but now is with God. Towards the end, John refuses to lie and allow the court to hang his confession that is not truthful to the church wall. Proctor knows that he will once again disgrace his good name, if he confesses to something that is a lie. John wants to live, but avoiding his death is not worth giving up the only thing he has left, his good name as well as living the rest of his life as a lie. This, as well as his wife's forgiveness, makes Proctor forgive himself and finally regain his good name and self-respect. As he is being taken away, he finally finds the peace in himself that he has been longing for. John Proctors re-discovers his honor as an upstanding citizen of Salem and God.…

    • 521 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Hale, a spiritual doctor, comes to the Proctor home only to tell John that Elizabeth had been mentioned in one of the witch trials. After much arguing, they decide to take Elizabeth away, even after possible evidence disproving the trials all together. As they leave, John angrily approaches his maid, Mary Warren and shouts, “My wife will never die for me! I will bring your guts into your mouth but that goodness will not die for me” (Miller, 862). John’s eagerness for Mary Warren to confess displays a true love for Elizabeth. He uses the word “goodness”, which is important in this case. Elizabeth forgave his sins and continued to love John. This made him realize the true love he had for her, and the goodness in his life truly was Elizabeth. During the final scene one of the most important developments takes place. John confessed making a bond with the devil in order to save his and Elizabeth’s life. When Judge Danforth says he will put the signed confession on the church, John realizes that a clean name is worth more and makes clear he will not let them post the document, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies...How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name” (Miller, 886). This segment revolves around the importance of a name and everything that makes up a name.…

    • 758 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    He followed through with his morals and wanted to die a honest man than live as a liar. As a reader, the play needed a character like John Proctor because it creates a setting where one sane person, must deal with all the injustices of people trying to ruin his life. John Proctor was hung after being convicted guilty of knowledge of witchcraft.…

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays