John Proctor Is a Good Man Essay

Many actions dignify the traits of a tragic hero, but only few stand out. In the tragedy The Crucible by Arthur Miller, a tragic hero dies a good man when brought to trial over nothing more than child’s play and dishonesty. John Proctor is an honest, upright, and blunt-spoken man because he fought for what is right and found forgiveness in his fatal flaw. Although he exhibits these traits throughout the story, John dies a dynamic character. Throughout the story, John expresses qualities of an honest man by defending his wife Elizabeth when she is accused of hurting Abigail. John defends Elizabeth† Herrick! Herrick don’t chain her† (page 177: Proctor) in many ways despite the hardship they have been going through with their marriage. With tension between the two because of John’s affair with Abigail, Elizabeth and John have been falling apart. However, in some divine way, John forfeits his good name when he tells the court of his affair. In doing so, John has lost what makes him honorable, but Elizabeth seeing this has brought new perspective upon her relationship with her husband. She forgave him. John doing the unimaginable to seek his wife’s forgiveness is a true example of a dynamic change throughout the story. Although John changed with his honesty, he also was an upright, blunt-spoken man. With this quote, â€Å"How do you call Heaven! Whore! Whore! † (Page 192: Proctor) John exhibits his personality and thought very bluntly towards Abigail because he knows what is right in this court case. In doing so, John brings the attention of this case to new and questioning points for Judge Danforth. However, these points soon became turned around with the compendious lies Abigail and the girls conspired about. Although John spoke his mind when it came to honesty about Elizabeth, he came to a point where he neede d something big to make Danforth see the truth. John revealed his sin to the courts of Salem. By him releasing his secret, Judge Danforth opened light to John’s objections. His actions may have brought him down in a way, but he still rose up to catch Abigail in her lies. John Proctor used his blunt-spoken mind to convey the truth to the courts and showed how he did change with how he saw other people such as Abigail. John Proctor expresses his honesty and blunt personality throughout the story, however when time did come to the end of the tragedy, he exposed another trait until his last breath of air. There is such thing of honor and it can be argued that John Proctor died without it. Or that he wasted his breath fighting for his and Elizabeth’s life. But, John Proctor expressed himself as an upright man. He proved many things with the case and even was awarded a second chance to live before he be hanged. Such a thing would not come of any honor but come of disgrace and embarrassment. He chose to die a man of his name with honor and pride because he knew what was right and knew he would not win† I say- I say- God is Dead!† (Page: 198: John Proctor). This quote means John has changed and come to conclusion of things in the story. Although he is portraying things as if Abigail was not lying, he knew he could not fight a losing war. As to him, it was better to die the man he knew himself for and a man of his own name. Even to the moment of impact, John felt peace and change with himself before he was hanged because he died and honest, upright, and blunt-spoken man.