Explore How Arthur Miller Portrays John Proctor Essay

derriere Proctor is the protagonist in the Crucible. The story revolves around him and shows how one man battle with his own self conscience. It is set in capital of Oregon with a strong puritan community surrounding the story throughout and gives puritan views on every scenario shown. The story was true and closely researched by Arthur miller including factual characters. The episode set between February 1692 and May 1693 has been used as a vivid cautionary tale about the dangers of religious extremism, false accusations, governmental intrusion and false pretences.However to help the story appeal to a wider audience Arthur added a love affair into the plot. This was the biggest change from the original story and added other genre to it creating a more sw allowesting and in depth version of a factual set of events. The overall feel to the plot is closely united to the House Committee of Un-American Activities (HUAC) in which McCarthyism, the politically motivated practice of mak ing accusations of disloyalty, subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence was used.It started in the late 1940s and was characterized by heightened fears of communist influence on American institutions and espionage by Soviet agents. It died down in the late 1950s but inter twines throughout the plot of The Crucible and uses real scenarios from history. The title of the story sums up the conclusion of John Proctors life on a w gob. A crucible is a pot used to burn im slight objects, as they come out clean and pure once heated. This is a metaphor for the whole village of capital of Oregon as after the event they see the error of there ways and act like puritans again.This can too be seen throughout the story as John Proctor has the impurities of his affair with Abigail and then is relieved of this sin at the end when he chooses to be truthful and accepts to do what everyone who likes him wants. This is also what his wife wants as she would prefer him to be baseless an d forgiven than live and be living a lie. John Proctor was not a typical puritan. He had a frizzy and biting way with hypocrites and was a man who stuck to his guns. His outspoken mannerisms could some quantify cause friction, for example with Putnam as he bear witnesss I seen none children dying, this society give not be a bag to swing around your head.This is a prime example of what Proctor is best at. Taking a encounter at all the evidence and then making a clear and clever conclusion from it and choosing who to blame. If you were stupid he enhanced your stupidity further by making you feel small. Arthur tells us in his notes that if a character told a stupid or blatantly obvious fact then Proctor would contribute them seem stupid by pointing out errors or miss judgements. This was a characteristic that won a lot of respect for John Proctor, but also made him a lot of enemies.Another reason why John is not a stereotypical puritan is the affair with Abigail. Abigail was made to be shown as a young, nasty, malicious girl who had once had an affair with Proctor but had never let it go. She uses her cunning words to tempt John back to her and reminds him of the eons spent together. Miller uses warm heat resource here and later on in the play when Proctor is with Abbie, yet again linking back to hellhole and religion. She tells him of how she remembers clutching my back behind your house and sweating like a stallion whenever I come near. Or did I just dream that?I byword your face when she put me out, and you love me then and you do now This lets John reminisce about the times he had with her and the fun that occurred. She then goes on to tell and contrast heat imagery with him burning in loneliness while with Elizabeth and that he is no wintry man. This section is the start of the tragic star genre for Proctor as the readers and viewers see hes not so perfect and has deep dark secrets of his own. The audience in this time period would have been shoc ked with the adultery theme being added, and as a result would have been more interested.The next main event involving John in the story has to be the biggest turning point. As he is in the court he exclaims loudly to everyone as the pressure has built up that he has known Abigail. As mentioned earlier this would have stunned the audience and sent them into shock and horror. Adding an adult theme into the story showed more depth and emotion in Arthurs writing, enhancing Proctors darker side and opening him up to the village. On the other hand this only furthers Johns many talents by giving him the courage to admit it.During this diorama Johns wife plays a vital and negative role on his life by adding his downfall. To the contrast of Abigail, Arthur uses cold and shallow heat imagery when describing Johns time with her. Its winter in here yet has to fully describe the relationship between proctor and Elizabeth. The quick, blunt and emotionless parley between them proves this as wel l as the stage directions of Elizabeth receiving a kiss from Proctor, almost as if it was a chore. The cold heat imagery here is in total contrast compared to Abigail.As if because shes younger and more tempting then the hot heat represents Hell and the temptation. While the cold heat represents the dead relationship with Elizabeth. Before Elizabeth enters, John tells the court of how she would never lie and is a good, pure puritan. She then enters, lies to the court not knowing the consequences and digs a hole for John. This is one of the rare cases of Irony throughout the play and varies the methods Arthur used to keep it interesting. Once the court case has been shown the next main predicament is what John is to do.He has been given the opportunity to tell the Court of who has been lying in exchange for his life much like the HUAC cases. This only adds to the dilemmas John is facing and turns to his wife. Here they are shown to have there firstly proper emotional, loving conver sation. It is in contrast to the short, blunt, snappy conversation in Act 4 and lets them render closer. If anything this is the only positive to come out of Johns death penalty and can be looked upon with happiness. In then end he doesnt sign the others names and shows that he can be a loyal puritan and a loyal friend.Most people see this as a selfless thing but he also does it to stay respected and not let others see he has lied. Elizabeth is then happy and I remember this is the reason she spoke to him with such depth. She knew what he was going to do and so respected him for it. His puritan lifestyle comes full circle as he dies pure and Elizabeth would of rather he died pure than lived falsely. What I believe the summary and the main plot for the Crucible to be is one mans inner struggle with his conscience and guilt.When first reading through it I thought the main focus was on witchcraft and judgement, but after reading and looking through key points some(prenominal) times I now have different thoughts. John Proctor is a tragic hero towards the start but in the end is loved as a hero. He made his choice and his wife stood by him. This was all that mattered and completed him. I think Millers intent upon this was to show us all that even though mistakes have been made in a life, it doesnt ruin the life itself and instead enhances the options we can take to correct it.