Another reason why he’s a tragic hero is because by being extremely superior to his fellow friends in the town, but he was not perfect. Proctor was known as a simple, honest, and a well brought up man who carries himself with much honor and dignity in the Puritan community. He was a devoted Christian, but was never afraid to speak openly about the quality of the religious leaders. Proctor’s pride faced the ultimate test when he was faced with choosing between two lines of action.
When faced with the dilemma of pleading guilty to witchcraft and living, or refusing to confess and hanging, he decided, after speaking to Elizabeth, that he will surrender to confession. After signing his name on the confession papers, John Proctor erupts in anger and refuses to hand the paper over to Governor Danforth. He died to keep his name clean, he believe that it would be wrong or even forbidden to sign his name to lies when he knows the truth.
John Proctor could not live knowing that he had confessed to lies and shamed not only his reputation and family name, but those who died only because they stood up for what was right. At that final tragic moment, John Proctor had at last found peace with himself. Then finally, Proctor dies as a symbol of goodness and dignity for other people in society to follow; And that right there was the tragedy of the tragic hero John Proctor in “The Crucible”.
