The Crucible John Proctor Sacrifice

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Is a sacrifice truly a sacrifice when one forsakes life for goodness? Should one live a lie, or die for the truth? John Proctor is one such man who faces this battle—a tragic hero who fights between emotions and morality, family and name, a righteous death or a mendacious life. The Crucible, a play written by Arthur Miller, centers around the judgment of the people during the historic Salem witch trials. Miller tries to capture the mayhem and madness of the witch trials and each character's conflicted feelings and actions. Throughout the play, Proctor undergoes an internal dilemma that seems to grow so heavy it clouds his judgment and places the people around him and his own life on the line.
When Proctor's emotions clash with his morality, …show more content…
Abigail and the girls have initiated the witchcraft trials and there are already people in jail. Elizabeth and Proctor fight over his affair with Abigail and the grave foreboding of the witch trials in Salem. What scares Elizabeth more is when Mary, their newly employed servant, comes and tells them of the news about the trials and how her name was mentioned in court. Elizabeth now pleads with John asking him to tell the court the truth. Yet Proctor is unwilling to give up his name at first, reluctant to tell about his affair and break his ‘promise' with Abigail shouting, "Because it speaks deceit, and I am honest! But I'll plead no more! I see now your spirit twists around the single error of my life, and I will never tear it free!" (p. 59) He forgets now that it is Elizabeth's life on the line, not his, and he seems to look more for his honor than his wife. When Elizabeth is accused by Abigail and chained and taken away, Proctor finally realizes his wife is in trouble because of him. His guilt now reaches a climax and is overcome with anger, which he takes out on Mary Warren yelling, "My wife will never die for me! I will bring your guts into your mouth, but that goodness will not die for me!" (p. 76) Proctor's emotions now seem to be a part of his good judgment instead, and he seems willing to give up his name for his
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