“The Crucible” was a play written by Arthur Miller in the 1950’s. This story consists of the Salem witch trials in 1692 and the events leading up to these trials. One of the main characters is John Proctor; he is looked at as a tragic hero in this book and could arguably be related to the Jesus of Salem. By the end of this play he is one of many being falsely accused of witchcraft as his life begins to unravel. John Proctor is looked at as a tragic hero because he willingly gives his life to save the people of Salem from the persecution that the witch trials brought.
John Proctor is tragic in the sense that he is an innocent man, even after being accused of witchcraft. John Proctor spoke his mind about the court and the church. John Procter was a rebel and some what of a non believer, the judges Danforth and Hawthorn noticed this so the image they had of Proctor was a witch. John Procter is falsely accused of witchcraft as his innocence suffers. “Why, it is all simple. I have come to do the devil’s work. I come to counsel Christians they should believe themselves. His sarcasm collapses.There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head” said Reverend Hail. This quote explains the injustice of the hanging of John Proctor because Hail wants to save the lives of innocent people. “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” Procter says toward the end of the play. John Proctor is stuck with a choice to either confess to witchcraft to save himself or tell the truth. Proctor can not see himself living a lie let alone letting innocent people suffer due to his selfishness. Proctor chooses to die for the people of Salem, standing up for his beliefs while trying to prove that a witch is a made up figure.
This tragedy of Procter now leads to...