John Proctor is a Tragic Hero

The characteristics of a hero are hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis, and hubris. John Proctor was a tragic hero because he had all of that. Although John Proctor did some things he shouldn’t have done he is still a tragic hero. He made some mistakes he did things that cost him his life. But he faced his consequences with his head up and was not scared. Proctor had made adultery, he did not know all his ten commandments, he didn’t go to church often, and he plowed on sundays.

By doing all these things people started thinking that he was with the devil and needed to confess or else he would be hanged. But the people knew he was a good man and a hard worker: he was one of the wealthiest man there was, and had lots of land and a nice family. He always took care of them.

John Proctor is a tragic hero. He faced his responsibility with his head up. Mr. Hale goes to John Proctor house and said to Proctor “Twenty-six times in seventeen month, sir. I must call that rare”(32). Proctor then said, ” Mr. Hale, I never knew I must account to that man for I come to church or stay at home. My wife were sick this winter” (32). Mr. Hale then asked him and says why he could not go by himself. Proctor answered and said, “I surely did come when I could, and when I could not I prayed in

this house”(32). Hale, “Mr. Proctor, your house is not a church; your theology must tell you that”(32).Proctor was a good man. Even though he didn’t go to church on sundays often he had a reason why not to go. Because he wanted to be there for his wife and take care of her. And when he didn’t have time to go to church he would pray at his house, there is nothing wrong with that.

Paris, Danforth and Giles when to Proctor’s house to ask him questions about why he had been skipping church so much and only going once a month. Danforth asks Proctor and askes “you are in all respects a Gospel Christian?” Proctor, “I am, sir.” Danforth, ” such a christian man that will not come o church but once in a month!” Proctor, “I have no love for Mr. Parris. It is no secret. But God I surely love” (41). Then Cheever comes and says, “He plows on Sunday, sir” (41). Cheever tells that to Danforth and he starts to wonder and start questioning more. Proctor tells him the truth and says, “I have once or twice plowed in sunday. I have three children, sir, and until last year my land give little” (41). Proctor told the truth right there. He had a rough year with the land. He also needed to take care of his wife because she was sick and was not in a good health. And he needed to take care of this family.

Although John Proctor was a good man he had his flaws. Like when he cheated on his wife with Abigail. Proctor said to abby, “Abby i may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby” (15). Abby says, “aye, but we did.” Proctor says, aye, but we didn’t” (15). Proctor saw that he did something wrong and tried to fix it but it did not go as planned. Abby was in love with him and she wanted to kill Elizabeth so she could be with Proctor. Proctor did not like what abby was doing and wanted her to stop but she didn’t. Proctor felt guilty. When they called Proctor to the court he confessed to them. And told them that he knew abby. Proctor confess even though he knew he could be in lots of trouble and it could even costs his life.

Proctor did things that no one did or mostly that no one did in The Crucible. He made mistakes he lied and he cheated on his wife. He cheated on his wife with a younger girl named Abigail. He sometimes plowed on Sundays and he didn’t go that often to church. John Proctor was obviously not a perfect man. But he tried to be a good man. Yes he made mistakes but we all do and no one is perfect. He faced his consequences like a hero and with his head up. Sadly for John Proctor his end was not the best. He could have saved himself but he did not want for other people to die just because he wanted to save his own life by accusing and saying random people he saw with the devil.

So John Proctor had lands was wealthy and had a good house. He loved his family and took care of them. He protected them and gave them what they needed. He made mistakes and faced the consequences for his actions. And at the end he could have signed a paper saying that he confessed that he was a witch. But they kept asking him who he saw with the devil. And he kept saying no one. At the end he didn’t want anyone else to die so he ripped the paper in half knowing what would happen if he did. That was an act of a true tragic hero.

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