The Crucible John Proctor Cruelty Analysis

Cruelty in Perspective Contrary to popular belief, I would like to argue that John Proctor is the root of all cruelty in the play The Crucible. His actions towards Elizabeth, Abigail, and even himself reflect how cruelty affects not only the victim but also the perpetrator. Elizabeth Proctor, the wife of John Proctor, was subject to cruelty in several emotional ways. John had committed the crime of lechery, a sin of ultimate betrayal. Doing so brought out cold emotion and heartache towards him and henceforth caused her lack of forgiveness. John guilted her into feeling bad about not forgiving him, even after 7 months time. He made her feel like it was her fault he had gone and been soft with Abigail. Only did the anger towards him and his actions dissipate when he were to be hanged. She pleaded with him, terrified of his looming sentence, to lie and save his life. The anguish he caused her just for the sake of his name is indubitably so a sure example of cruelty of the heart. …show more content…
As an adult, John was the causation of all the problems in Salem, all because he strung along a poor little girl into a lustful affair. Then, to be blamed and kicked out of the house, would make anyone scornful. A lovesick girl can pull anything off, as we saw how she lied continuously to blame anyone but herself. She is alone, hurt, and most of all betrayed by John, even going to him and begging him to admit he still loved her. This lovestruck girl, overcome with need, goes to extreme lengths to get him back, even trying to summon the devil in the forest to make a potion to kill Elizabeth. John’s inability to keep it in his pants is the main reason Abigail suffers so much and consequently strikes