John Proctor: Hero or Stooge?

John Proctor: Hero or Stooge?

            After reading Act IV of the Crucible the reader learns a lot about John Proctor’s character. Once a well-respected farmer, Proctor is pulled into a large tangle of witchcraft accusations, which puts his honesty through one of the greatest tests a man can undergo; death. Proctor is faced with a choice of lying or death, which is one of the greatest tests a Puritan can go through.

            I believe that John Proctor is a hero because he sacrifices his life for what he believes is right. He dies because he refuses to have a statement nailed to the door of his church, informing the town of his confession to dealing with the devil. He does this because he knows that this confession is a lie, and that it will damn his soul and the souls of others like Martha and Rebecca in the eyes of the people.

            In the text, on page 1357, he says, “I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” In this context, he has essentially sold his soul to the devil and accusers by lying in his confessions, and also for his sin against Elizabeth. This leaves him with only his name for salvation, and when he realizes that that will be taken away from him as well, he decides that it would be better to die a good man, than to live as a damned one. He weakens, to the point where he actually signs the confession, but in the end, he decides that he can’t confess to a lie, and he rips up the piece of paper that he signed, therefore condemning himself to death. He goes to hang with Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey, who also die because they would not confess to a lie. I think this makes them all extraordinarily strong people because they will all face even the end of their lives, so that they can do what they know is right.