The story of The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, shows a very good test of morality. John Proctor is internally conflicted throughout the entire play. His struggles change in each act. But, he is not a character deserving of pity because all of his struggles are self-inflicted. His affair with Abigail is at the root of most of them, the others are a result of stubborn pride. John Proctor’s Attitude changes by the end of the story and he seems kind of like a different person from the beginning.
In act 1, John’s main conflict is dealing with his lust for Abigail. He does still lust
for her even though they ended the affair, but though she persists, he does not give in. She
catches him alone and tries to tempt him but he remains strong. This was very hard for him, because it is so tempting and easy to submit. But he is against hypocrites, and at first finds it hard to criticize the morality of others, making him feel insincere.
Then in act 2, John is trying to deal with the consequences of his disloyalty. Elizabeth won’t trust him and he is really bothered by this. He is doing everything he can to prove his honesty, and show her that he is trying to please her. John Proctor says “I mean to please you Elizabeth” (50).
He is also dealing with a lot of regret. He didn’t want things to turn out like that between him and Elizabeth and now he feels like an insufficient husband. When he is angered so easily, both his frustration and self pity shows. He realizes that he’s hurt her but doesn’t feel that he’s done something unforgivable.
The Essay on Committed Adultery John Elizabeth Truth
Guilt and shame can tear a person's soul away. The inevitable consequence of sin is the immediate reaction of guilt, shame, and remorse. In each of the two works, The Crucible by Arthur Miller and The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, there are characters who have committed a sin and feel guilty about it. For example: John Proctor, Elizabeth Proctor, and Reverend Dimmesdale have all committed ...
In act 3, John’s frustration is really starting to tire him out. He doesn’t understand why Abby is pursuing him so, and feels responsible for Elizabeth’s imprisonment. It is also very frustrating for him to feel powerless, and to not be trusted. He can usually remain calm, but when anger gets the best of him, he calls Abigail a whore. He was struggling with that truth, and barely admitted it to himself when he yelled it out in court.
John’s main conflict in Act 4 was definitely pride. He refused to admit to witchcraft, even though denial would mean hanging. John says ” My honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am no good man. Nothing’s spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten
long before.”(136) He decides to confess and save his life rather than to die for a crime he didn’t do. As John starts to confess, he starts to cry because he can not allow his name to be blackened by having his confession officially documented by the court. John says, “Because it is my name. Because I cannot have another in my life . . . How may I live without my name?”(143) John decides that he could not live with this lie. He chooses to be put to death with his honour than live with the shame of a falsehood. John demonstrated his integrity by believing in the puritan way even when it was a very difficult thing to do. He chose a proud name for his sons and unborn child, rather than life. This was actually his easiest struggle throughout the play. His stubbornness had already sealed his fate. Even when he had already signed the confession, his pride got the best of him at the last moment, and he ripped it to shreds.
His stress in Act 4 was shown when he came out of his sure and confident character to ask Elizabeth what she willed him to do. But even then, he already knew that even if she willed him to do so, he probably still couldn’t have done it. All of John’s conflicts were small in the face of honour. He battled lust, guilt, distrust, inadequacy, and denial to lose in the face of pride.
The Crucible is a great play written by Arthur Miller. From acts one to four there is a gradual but noticeable change in John Proctor’s character. He had to do everything he could to try and save his name. To save everybody else from Abigail’s accusations, he admits that he had an affair with her. Later he tries to redeem himself by choosing death rather then lying and saving his life. At the end of the story he seems somewhat a hero to so I guess he did redeem himself.
The Essay on John Proctor Abigail Elizabeth Affair
Abigail Williams portrays Miller's affair with the inner voice and guilt. Arthur Miller saw guilt as a habit of mind capable of being over come. It is seen in Abigail who exhausts her conscience to get herself out of trouble by accusing Tit uba, and then to seek revenge on the adults who make her life miserable. Abigail Williams seeks the devotion of John Proctor who was a very proud man, who was ...
