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The Transformation of John Proctor in The Crucible Essay

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The Transformation of John Proctor

In the play The Crucible Arthur Miller portrays the Salem witch trials in the 1960s. John Proctor can be said to be a good man as well as an evil man, it depends on when you decide to make your criticism. John Proctor is an interesting and changing man throughout this play by his initial character, how he may have been forced to change, as well as how his character changes. Proctor in the beginning of the play is perceived to be just a regular man who is a farmer in his middle thirties that did not have to be devoted to anything in the town. Although early in the play his actions are like this, he changes not just only in his character but also the way that people view him as a person now.

John Proctors initial character in the play is how he was portrayed to be is not as good of a person that you may think he may be in the beginning of the play. Mr. Proctor was also very well known in the town He was the kind of man-powerful of body, even tempered, and not easily led-who cannot refuse support to partisans without drawing their deepest resentment(Miller 175). In the beginning you find out that he had an affair with Abigail Williams. The only people that knew about this in the beginning of this were he and Abigail. Elizabeth Proctor, who is Johns wife, has a superstition that something was going on between John and Abigail who was one of their house servants. After this has happened John feels like him and his wife are not close anymore because of his wrong doings as well as her doubts.

John feels many reasons why he may be forced to change and many reasons why he might want to change. John knows that he is guilty and wants to confess, but does not want to get anyone hurt in the process of doing this. On the other hand Abigail starts to lie and tell the court that Mary Warren who is a young girl is a witch. Abigail is saying this to the court so that she can try and cover up having an affair with John. John in the beginning of the play wanted to do the same thing that Abigail did to lie to the court to cover up his sins, but he feels that he owes it to his wife and confesses. When Abigail hears this she tries to bring Elizabeth Proctor into this to try and get her killed just so that she will still have a good name and so that she can have John all to herself. This makes John very angry and he decides to finally confess to the court that he has had an affair with Abigail I have known her, sir. I have known her(Miller 220). John confesses so that he can keep his wife safe and keep her from being hanged. At this point John has already told Elizabeth what had happened between him and Abigail. When John confesses to the court they dont believe him and asks him if his wife knows. John says that you can ask Elizabeth she doesnt lie, but when the court asks Elizabeth she denies that John has had an affair to try and save him from going to jail or even worse being hanged.

Johns character also changes throughout the play as he hits some obstacles and some of circumstances that he is put through. Johns character in the beginning of the story may seem kind of suspicious of how he doesnt want anyone to know of how he cheated on his wife, and that at first he would do anything just so that no one would find out. As the story goes on you start to feel that Johns character is changing. You can see this because at first he didnt want anyone to know, and now he feels really guilty and wants to confess to his wife, so that Elizabeth doesnt have to suffer for what he has done. John then was with a girl Mary Warren at the court and was also trying to help put Abigail to shame for lying, but then Mary Warren is getting accused for being a witch and turns on John saying Youre a Devils man. Ill not hang with you! I love God, I love God(Miller 226). At this point John Proctor doesnt know what to do anymore and shouts I say-I say-God is dead(Miller 226)! When John shouts this he is arrested for being a witch and sentenced to jail.

John Proctor is a changing man throughout the play and can be viewed upon as being selfish as well as being a charitable person. John was changed in many different aspects according to what he feels is right to do during that situation. Do you think that John Proctor did the right thing to turn himself in or should he have stayed quiet?

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