Tragic Hero in The Crucible Essay - 2240 Words

Tragic Hero in The Crucible What is a tragic hero? The most well known definition of a tragic hero comes from the great philosopher, Aristotle. When depicting a tragic hero, Aristotle states The change in the heros fortunes be not from misery to happiness, but on the contrary, from happiness to misery, and the cause of it must not lie in any wickedness but in some great error on his part.† In addition, he explains the four essential qualities that a tragic hero should possess, which are goodness, appropriateness, lifelike, and consistency. All of these necessities help to classify the character of John Proctor as the tragic hero of the play. Not only does he unfortunately fall to desolation, but also his character captures†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ(With a cry of his whole soul) 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!’ This quotation from the play shows us Proctors integrity and dignity. This is an essential part of Proctors personality, as we will discover throughout this essay. Perhaps to a fault, his pride is sometimes too great†¦? Miller’s narrative at the opening of the Act1 introduces the protagonist (main character) of the play as John Proctor. ‘John Proctor is a strong and virtuous farmer in his middle thirties, he was a kind of man-powerful body, even tempered, and not easily led. Proctor is a down to earth man who speaks his mind and has a deep sense of pride in himself.’ However, we learn that Proctor regards himself as a sinner and for this reason he is not perfect. Miller creates Proctor like this so the audience view him as the ‘everyman’ (he could be any one of us). The audience are more likely to empathise with Proctor for this reason. These small details that Miller gives us, are very useful to help us understand Proctor all the more clearly. (HisShow MoreRelatedEssay On Tragic Hero In The Crucible815 Words   |  4 Pagescompassion, courage and hope. Not even tragic accident or disaster can destroy such treasures of the heart† (Daisaku Ikeda). In the play, â€Å"The Crucible† there are many characters that have an effect on each other. Two of the characters that could be called tragic heroes are John Proctor and Reverend Hale. The most tragic hero in my opinion was John Proctor. Although Reverend Hale may be considered a tragic hero to some people, John Proctor is the definition of a tragic hero because he risked his life, heRead MoreCrucible John Proctor Tragic Hero935 Words   |  4 PagesAuthors April 25, 2013 John Proctor â€Å"Tragic Hero†? I believe that John Proctor is the tragic hero in the play â€Å"The Crucible.† I feel that his tragic flaw is the reason he became the tragic hero. He was trying to win back the trust of his wife and to do this he became the hero. By showing he was a good and decent person, this exemplifies he is a tragic hero. I see to prove his love and dedication to Elizabeth that John would do anything sheRead MoreJohn Proctor as a Tragic Hero in The Crucible850 Words   |  4 PagesArthur Miller The Crucible, the town of Salem is in pandemonium under the non-existent threat of witchcraft. Every character is either lying to save their lives or to end others, or dying for not admitting to a lie. One character who stands out among the chaotic conflagration is the tragic hero John Proctor. In Greek drama, a tragic hero is defined as â€Å"a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy that is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat.† No character in The Crucible fits this descriptionRead MoreThe Tragic Hero of The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay1396 Words   |  6 PagesThe Tragic Hero of The Crucible    A tragedy should bring fear and pity to the reader. A man in this tragedy should not be exceptionally righteous, but his faults should come about because of a certain irreversible error on his part. This man should find a bad or fatal ending to add to the tragedy of the story, for this man in the tragic hero. The protagonist John Proctor portrays a tragic hero in The Crucible; his hamartia of adultery causes great internal struggles, he displays hubris byRead MoreEssay The Tragic Hero in The Crucible by Arthur Miller913 Words   |  4 PagesThe Crucibles Tragic Hero A tragic event should bring fear and pity to the reader and the hero should be courageous and noble, hence when combined a tragic hero is presented. The protagonist, John Proctor, portrays a tragic hero in The Crucible. His hamartia of treachery caused great internal struggles, he displays hubris by challenging authority, and encountered catastrophe as the play went on. John Proctor’s decision to betray his wife caused internal turmoil and ultimately lead to hisRead More John Proctor is a Tragic Hero in The Crucible Essay863 Words   |  4 Pages John Proctor: A Tragic Hero A tragic hero is a literary character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy. In the play, The Crucible, Arthur Miller portrays John Proctor, the protagonist, as a tragic hero who has a major flaw—lust for Abigail, his teenage house servant. For fear of being exiled in a town where reputation is highly upheld, Proctor initially tries to hide his crime of adultery, but thisRead MoreHow Is John Proctor A Tragic Hero In The Crucible1020 Words   |  5 Pages A tragic hero is someone of once noble stature brought down by his own flaw, a defect or strength that becomes a weakness, this applies to the character John Proctor. John Proctor became a tragic hero when his power and respect he had was the reason he died in The Crucible. John got his power from his name which was highly looked upon and he destroyed it when he made multiple mistakes over a year that ends getting him hung. To begin, John’s power was challenged when Abigail found outRead More John Proctor is a Tragic Hero in The Crucible by Arthur Miller688 Words   |  3 Pages Since the times of the ancient Greeks, tragic heroes have been used to enhance the meaning of a play or literary work. Any character cannot be described as tragic hero. Several key characteristics are necessary for the tragic hero to possess in order to be characterized as such. He must be high-ranked or have a high standing in the community. He must have a weakness or a tragic flaw and be involved in a struggle. In the end, that struggle will lead to his downfall. Arthur Miller purposely incorporatesRead MoreThe Tragic Hero, John Practor, in The Crucible by Arthur Miller686 Words   |  3 Pages John Proctor The Crucible by Arthur Miller is set in Salem in a Puritan community. John Proctor had everything the average puritan could ever want: a farm to ceaselessly toil upon, three sons to discipline, and a wife to spend his life with. Proctor was a guy that wasn’t afraid to speak his mind and throughout Salem he was respected and honored for it. But John wasn’t the perfect man either he had betrayed his wife and committed adultery. John Proctor is the tragic hero because he is loving,Read MoreJohn Proctor as Tragic Hero of Arthur Millers The Crucible Essay798 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Proctor as Tragic Hero of Arthur Millers The Crucible In the play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, John Proctor fits the classic Greek definition of a tragic hero.   Aristotle, one of the great Greek philosophers, teachers and writers, stated that one of the most important aspects of a tragedy was the tragic hero.   He defined a tragic hero as a noble person that goes from a state of fortune and happiness to a state of utter misery.   The character’s tragic flaw causes this change