There are several dynamic characters in The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller. The definition of a crucible is a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development. A dynamic character is one who undergoes significant changes in the course of the play because of things they have experienced. At the beginning the person acts or feels one way, and at the end acts or feels the total opposite way. In the play, John Proctor and Reverend John Hale are the two primary dynamic characters.
John Proctor is a dynamic character in The Crucible. At the beginning of the play Proctor is reluctant to tell others of the truth Abby has told him. For instance, when Elisabeth Proctor tells him to go and tell Cheever the truth, he is hesitant. “I’ll think on it” (53).
Proctor begins to change when he finds out that Elisabeth is “somewhat mentioned” in the court. Now he is anxious to tell the truth. His outlook on the situation changes greatly. He becomes involved in the trials, not only to try to save his wife, but other innocent people. He tries to help prove Martha Corey, Rebecca Nurse, and others innocent. He writes up a petition with ninety-one signatures to show that Goody Nurse, Goody Proctor, and Goody Corey are all innocent. Proctor undergoes a dramatic change in the course of the play.
