Puritanism In The Crucible

Simply, it [the role of Puritanism] was this: for good purposes, even high purposes, the people of Salem developed a theocracy, a combine of state and religious power whose function was to keep the community together, and to prevent any kind of disunity that might open it to destruction by material or ideological enemies. It was forged for a necessary purpose and accomplished that purpose. (Miller 1)
Salem’s creation as a religious haven, reliant on the strict following of Puritanism, also created an overarching oppression of its citizens, whose desire to follow their religion is marred by the threat of hell and their inability to receive penance for their sins. Salem also suffers from its inability to respond to the desires of its citizens and develop over time, as evident in Reverend Parris’s references to the faction who opposes him and his harsh teachings. As a citizen of Salem, Proctor acutely suffers from the presence of religion, which is evident in his struggle to contend with his guilt over his infidelity to …show more content…
Proctor acts as a tragic hero as his demise stems from his adamant refusal to confess and tarnish his reputation, his tragic flaw, although doing so would save his life. Proctor is tormented by his infidelity to Elizabeth, resulting in an internal struggle to either die maintaining his dignity, or live to punish himself. However, Proctor also fulfills the archetype of scapegoat, as he dies for benefit of the town of Salem and for the benefit of his family. Overall, Proctor’s instrumental role in progressing the plot and his fall due to his vanity allow him to fulfill the conventions of a tragic hero, just as his self-sacrifice to illuminate the inanity of the trials qualifies him as an archetypal