John Proctor Tragic Hero

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Tragic Hero Analysis of The Crucible

Tragic heroes have been used as storytelling devices in literature for centuries, so audiences could find themselves sympathizing with this trope of character. The Crucible, written in 1953 by Arthur Miller, is a fictionalized play retelling of the real-life Salem Witch Trials. The Crucible details the tragedies that took place in Salem, Massachusetts, featuring accusations of witchcraft thrown the town's way. As rumors hit the town, the main character, Abigail, has another issue: she’s had an affair with John Proctor. A tragic hero is usually depicted as a protagonist with heroic consequences, eventually leading them towards their own downfall. With this definition in mind, The Crucible highlights many struggles in its cast, including the suffering of John Proctor. John Proctor is a tragic hero because he is noble in character, he has a tragic
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In Act II, Proctor yells out to Elizabeth, “I cannot speak, but I am doubted, every moment judged for lies, as though I come into a court when I came into this house!" The context behind this scene comes from Proctor’s drawback on forgiveness. When he shouts out to Elizabeth by indirectly accusing her of judging him, he compares his house to a court. Considering that every bit of judgment Proctor feels actually stems from his own bit of internalized judgment, it would look as though he feels guilty. Despite being a religious man, one of the hardest things Proctor fails to come to terms with is the ability to allow himself to forgive. In the last act of The Crucible, the only way he finally accomplishes this is by allowing himself to atone for his sins, and that is by leading himself to the gallows. His final moments show him accepting the right outcome—death itself—leading the audience to believe he is a remorseful man after