The Crucible, an American tragedy written by playwright Arthur Miller, is a dramatized piece of literature that emphasizes heavily on the dark and sadistic events that occurred in colonial Massachusetts during the Salem Witch Trials, and the consequences of the pious and demented Puritans. Of the many characters involved in, and executed as a result of, The Crucible pinpoints its emotional and climactic ending on the surrendering of John Proctor, falsely accused of witchcraft, to his death by hanging. His decision to die for a falsehood- to die a martyr- in the end only gave him a lasting power over his fate and remembered integrity. John Proctor is a character tormented by his past grievances and is in question of his personal morality by
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By choosing to pass up the opportunity to evade death by debasing his name and morals in his new life, John gains the power and moral goodness by dying with his honor. Elizabeth states that, “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!”, and she is completely right- John is showing his moral compass to be just and upright, while making the decision himself to die with his grievances forgiven and without the weight of living a life that holds no honor. John reasons to Elizabeth before his death that he could not bear to live a lie and have that be an example for his sons to grow up in, or have to bear witness. One of John’s most impactful lines in the play is when he passionately exclaims that he will die for his name because it is his name, because he “can have no other in this world”. John is willing to give his soul and his life to the judges for the false accusation, but he will not slander his name and his lineage for a lie- thus, giving John one last power over his …show more content…
Twenty people were killed in the maniacal slaughter and while none of them were deserved, not all were in vain. John Proctor chose death in order to preserve his morality and honor. By doing this, not only did he end the horrific trials, but he also gave his family and community a final exclamation of his goodness and integrity. Whether or not his death was just or his person innocent in the eyes of the Massachusetts people, John Proctor regained his name and his value and was able to die knowing he chose what he knew to be
By choosing to pass up the opportunity to evade death by debasing his name and morals in his new life, John gains the power and moral goodness by dying with his honor. Elizabeth states that, “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!”, and she is completely right- John is showing his moral compass to be just and upright, while making the decision himself to die with his grievances forgiven and without the weight of living a life that holds no honor. John reasons to Elizabeth before his death that he could not bear to live a lie and have that be an example for his sons to grow up in, or have to bear witness. One of John’s most impactful lines in the play is when he passionately exclaims that he will die for his name because it is his name, because he “can have no other in this world”. John is willing to give his soul and his life to the judges for the false accusation, but he will not slander his name and his lineage for a lie- thus, giving John one last power over his …show more content…
Twenty people were killed in the maniacal slaughter and while none of them were deserved, not all were in vain. John Proctor chose death in order to preserve his morality and honor. By doing this, not only did he end the horrific trials, but he also gave his family and community a final exclamation of his goodness and integrity. Whether or not his death was just or his person innocent in the eyes of the Massachusetts people, John Proctor regained his name and his value and was able to die knowing he chose what he knew to be