A hero is someone who is admired, or looked up to for courage, achievements, or noble qualities. Yet, if one hears the word hero it patently seems as if it is someone who does well and has no flaws. However, a tragic hero is someone with heroic qualities but has flaws or imperfections which leads to their death or at least their downfall. In play the Crucible written by Arthur Miller, an allegory of the communist witch hunts, tragic hero is born. John Proctor is the tragic hero in the Crucible, he is viewed as a large figure, yet a certain desire he has leads to a tragedy in the play and his downfall. John Proctor stands on principle in Salem by portraying himself as an important figure, which exemplifies him as the tragic hero of the play.
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Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
HALE: You have said that twice, sir.
PROCTOR: Aye. ELIZABETH: Adultery, John. (Miller 63-64)
This is significant because this is a courageous action by Proctor because when Hale said he forgot one, Proctor knew it, but this can be argued that Proctor just did not want to say it because he knew he committed adultery, yet he was trying to hide it. As a result this leads to proctors downfall making him a tragic hero because he made a courageous act in order to preserve his reputation, which plays a large role in Salem. On the second hand, John has been trying to hide his affair with Abigail as it was stated before. Proctor did not want to go to court with Abigail when he was being accused of adultery but he ended up going to court. While Proctor was in court with Abigail he tells the judge,
PROCTOR: I have known her sir, I have known her.
DANFORTH: You-you are a lecher? (102)
This was a major event because this was where proctors affair with Abigail was brought out to the public, in the court. He does this in order to show Abigails motives behind the witch hunt. All in all this displays proctor as a tragic hero because this is an example of where Proctor was courageous and said he has known Abigail instead of completely denying the fact, although leading to his …show more content…
After John made the right decision with his confession, Elizabeth says, “He has his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!” (134) Elizabeth is saying that for the first time in a long time after John made the decision he wanted to make, he finally felt like a brave, righteous man, after feeling guilt about his confession for a long time. In conclusion, it is shown that proctor incorporates the traits of which make him a tragic hero, from his wife, who said he finally has his goodness back and she would not dare to interfere with that. Proctor is clearly very loyal, and this is one of the major traits that portrays him as a tragic hero in the
Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
HALE: You have said that twice, sir.
PROCTOR: Aye. ELIZABETH: Adultery, John. (Miller 63-64)
This is significant because this is a courageous action by Proctor because when Hale said he forgot one, Proctor knew it, but this can be argued that Proctor just did not want to say it because he knew he committed adultery, yet he was trying to hide it. As a result this leads to proctors downfall making him a tragic hero because he made a courageous act in order to preserve his reputation, which plays a large role in Salem. On the second hand, John has been trying to hide his affair with Abigail as it was stated before. Proctor did not want to go to court with Abigail when he was being accused of adultery but he ended up going to court. While Proctor was in court with Abigail he tells the judge,
PROCTOR: I have known her sir, I have known her.
DANFORTH: You-you are a lecher? (102)
This was a major event because this was where proctors affair with Abigail was brought out to the public, in the court. He does this in order to show Abigails motives behind the witch hunt. All in all this displays proctor as a tragic hero because this is an example of where Proctor was courageous and said he has known Abigail instead of completely denying the fact, although leading to his …show more content…
After John made the right decision with his confession, Elizabeth says, “He has his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!” (134) Elizabeth is saying that for the first time in a long time after John made the decision he wanted to make, he finally felt like a brave, righteous man, after feeling guilt about his confession for a long time. In conclusion, it is shown that proctor incorporates the traits of which make him a tragic hero, from his wife, who said he finally has his goodness back and she would not dare to interfere with that. Proctor is clearly very loyal, and this is one of the major traits that portrays him as a tragic hero in the