John Proctor Character Traits

John Proctor sought his wife’s forgiveness to regain her trust and to entitle him to die an honest man. He recognized his actions; he simply wanted his wife to recognize them too. “Let you look sometimes for the goodness in me, and judge me not.” (Miller 55) Proctor’s appeal to his wife reveals his hope for her forgiveness and for her to see the goodness in him. He wants his wife to recognize him as an honest man, because to him that is the only substance that made him feel like a good person. Later in the course of the play, Elizabeth forgives Proctor for his mistakes. She states, “John, it come to naught that I should forgive you… Whatever you will do, it is a good man does it… it needs a cold wife to prompt lechery.” (Miller 136-137) Elizabeth’s statement to her husband exhibits an understanding of his mistakes and acknowledgement of the good man Proctor truly is. Elizabeth’s forgiveness allows Proctor to forgive himself as well. After being forgiven, John Proctor can now die an honest man, a tragic hero - a man with integrity and goodness.

Proctor 's decision to tell the court about his affair ironically demonstrates his goodness. He also spoke up for the innocent girls that had their names branded. He willingly sacrifices his good name in order to protect his wife and others who are wrongly accused. Only through his public acknowledgment of the affair does Proctor regain his wife 's trust. At the end of the play, Proctor refuses to slander himself by allowing the court to make him make a false confession. The court told him to lie, and that if he lies that he would not be sent to the gallows. He did the right decision by telling the truth about his affair with Abigail. He honestly told the truth about the affair, and that he was not part of the witchcraft. His response further exemplifies Proctor 's integrity. But John was not guilty. He had nothing to do with witchcraft, he admitted to his own mistakes. Proctor knows that if he confesses that he will be damned himself, yet again, if he agrees to confess, he will also be free from the torment from the demon inside him and set others free too. This realization, along with Elizabeth 's forgiveness, enables Proctor to forgive himself and finally regain his good name and self-respect. As the court

Another inner quality that defines John Proctor is the value he holds to his good name. Proctor is a firm believer in the fact that one’s name is the only thing that remains after death, and what is done with it while living can affect one’s posterity for generations. This is the driving force behind his actions in the final act of the play. At first, he felt no shame in lying to the court about his accusation of witchcraft because he felt there was no more damage he could do to his reputation and that one more sin would not make any difference. His attitude changed when he realized his confession would mean blackening the name of those who already had died, and his sons would have to live with that mark on their names. He knew he could not teach his sons “. . . to walk like

John proctor is hesitant to expose Abigail’s lies because he fears and knows she will accuse him of adultery. Back then, it was a crime to commit such acts. “PROCTOR: You will not judge me more, Elizabeth. I have good reason to think before I charge fraud on Abigail, and I will think on it. Let you look to your own improvement before you go to judge your husband anymore.”(Miller 58). In this example, Elizabeth tries to question him, and John Proctor feeling ashamed and guilty attacks her back, trying to change the subject. The old psychology trick, to look back on herself, and not think about John’s Proctors positon. When asked what are all the commandments he stutters and forgets all but one, which was the adultery. Which is ironic, since he committed it and having reason

This particular quote deals with Elizabeth speaking of her frustration, anger, and disappointment as a result of the violation of trust and marital oaths. Proctor only becomes angered when this topic comes up because he feels that he has repeatedly expressed his sorrow for the mistakes of the past and finds Elizabeth constantly second-guessing him, showing the lack of trust.

Throughout the play, Proctor struggles with his honor as he changes from viewing it as his reputation to believing it is based on his own private moral of truth. The isolated Puritan community in which Proctor lives forces him to try and achieve a pious and perfect lifestyle, which ultimately pressures him into lying about his affair with Abigail in order to maintain a good reputation. This view changes in the courtroom, when Proctor becomes extremely frustrated with the lies and deceit that Abigail is telling the judges, Proctor screams in anger, “I beg you sir, I beg you - see her what she is… She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me; I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a

Through this conversation, the reader can see the way in which John is easily caught up in his lies. This lie, still seen as serious in today's society as a social crime, in the late 1600's, it was a severe crime. One of the punishments a person would receive for lying would be cleft stick, or a stick split at the end thrust into their tounge. (Landrigan) Although Proctor was never convicted of lying, this shows how much his lies rest upon his conscious. But Proctor did not just lie about being alone

After telling the truth, he declared that “a man will not cast away his good name” (Act III, Lines 846-847). Here, Proctor finally disclosed the fact that he was an adulterer and stated his reason as to why he never exposed the truth. This shows Proctor’s change in his way of thinking; he finally decided to tell the truth instead of lying for the sake of the people being falsely accused. When Elizabeth was sent to by Danforth to convince Proctor to confess to witchcraft, he claimed that he “cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is a fraud” (Act IV, Lines 481-482).

“Why, I-I would free my wife, sir” (Miller 41). He says this to try to free his wife from accusations of being a witch. He has changed from lusting after a side chick, to being a good husband who cares about his wife. This change in character makes John Proctor a dynamic character that perfectly illustrates that people can change for the good.

John Proctor is a man, in this residential area of Salem, Massachusetts, with an incredible notoriety under his name. He is the spouse of Elizabeth Proctor, remorseful partner of Abigail Williams, and father of four. In this blasted town, he is the main redeemable man actually when you consider his blames; his breaking point and everything that he is carried out. He's not flawless, however he is sympathizable in the way that he, regardless of what the expense he will settle his wrongs and tries to be a finer man. John is similar to the rest of society simply living his life to the best he can.

In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the character John Proctor had as motivation in act 3 and 4, prove that the girls were lying, save his wife and his friend’s wives, and doing what is right until his death no matter what society offered him to give up. First, in act 3 John Proctor is trying to prove that the girls were lying in order to end the witch trials and free his wife and his friend’s wives as well. Moreover, he brought as evidence Mary Warren who confirms that it was pretense(Miller 106).However, he was asked why he ripped the court’s warrant and about his absence in church and Proctor answered that he ripped because “it were temper”() and respond to the absence by saying: I have no love for Parris. It is no secret. But God I surely love”(), and this was all true, showing that he is an honest man.

Proctor’s body language and emotions throughout the book revealed that he felt guilt and regret for his decision. In the end, he even admitted to the court his wrongdoing in hopes to save Elizabeth from the accusations Abigail put against her. He knew the consequences that would arise from admitting such a sin, but he does the right thing. The morning of his scheduled hanging, Elizabeth and Proctor discuss if he should confess to being a witch. “I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint.

Secondly, The message of Resistance to tyranny shows up while Proctor is talking to Elizabeth about giving a confession he says, “Spite only keeps me silent. It is hard to give a lie to dogs.” (Miller 136) The meaning behind this is, spite has been the only thing keeping him from lying. He doesn’t want to give the people that ruined so many lives what they

Elizabeth proctor remains an honest saint who never shows falsehood, which was exclaimed by John Proctor in court, when he states “In her life sir, she have never lied. There are them who cannot sing, and them that cannot weep, my wife cannot lie.” (103). Arthur Miller uses Elizabeth’s righteous and untainted character to show that even the most honest people become dishonest when they feel threatened. The theme is best exemplified in Act III, when Elizabeth Proctor is brought into the courtroom, and asked to testify, if John Proctor had an affair with Abigail Williams. Deputy Governor Danforth says “Look at me! To your own knowledge has John Proctor ever committed the crime of lechery? Answer my question is your husband a lecher?” (105). Seeing the danger it could put her and her husband through, Elizabeth for the first time tells a lie saying “No, sir” (105). Through Elizabeth’s actions in Act III Arthur Miller was able establish that even a saint like Elizabeth Proctor is capable of dishonesty, when they feel

John Proctor is not that great of a person in the beginning but ends up more honest with the people around him and himself. He starts off as a liar who can’t control or forgive himself for what he has done. After cheating on his wife with Abigail, Elizabeth can not forgive him or trust him anymore. This make it more difficult