Salem society influences the ideas and actions of John Proctor. He fulfils the requirements of a "melodramatic hero" by his actions throughout the story. His "melodramatic hero" position is shown by his efforts to save his wife from being put to death, his attempt to prove the children are making fraudulent claims, and his unwillingness to confess to practising witchcraft when accused. Proctor is ultimately a good man. His refusal to provide a false confession is a true religious and personal stand. Such a confession would dishonour his dead friends, who are brave enough to die as testimony to the truth. Perhaps more suitably, a false testimonial would also dishonour him, staining not just his public reputation, but also his soul. By refusing to give up his “personal purity” Proctor nearly proclaims his conviction that such integrity will take him to heaven.
Proctor redeems himself and provides a final denunciation of the witch trials in his final act. Offered the opportunity to make a public confession of his guilt and live, he almost succumbs, even signing a written confession. His immense pride and fear of public opinion compelled him to withhold his adultery from the court, but by the end of the play he is more concerned with his personal integrity than his public reputation. He still wants to save his name, but for personal and religious, rather than public reasons.
Arthur Miller firstly points him out with a flaw, his affair with Abigail Williams that has left him with a guilty conscience, making him a troubled sinner but at the same time gives him a kind of humanity that the people which read the book may recognise in themselves. Throughout the play he changes by becoming a person of high moral standards. John reaches heroic status when he decides to rip up the confession and take personal dignity over life.
But most revealing of his good nature is Proctor's ultimate choice. When it comes down to it, he cannot lie. As he tries to give the confession, he has great trouble in physically saying it. His jaws lock, like said in the book, as if “God himself were intervening to stop a good Christian from sullying his name”. His confession is short, pained and brief. He cannot bear to elaborate, simply saying "I did … He did" in response to the charges against him. He cannot darken his soul to save his life. He would rather die as a good and honest Christian, than live a lie and fall so low as those who interrogate and imprison him. It is here that he proves himself truly heroic, as he rises above the hypocrasy of Salem and dies a martyr to the motivation of good and truth, and this he recognises himself - "I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor."
He was willing to lose complete respect of the people of Salem just to set his wife free and declare that he committed lechery with Abigail. The court didn't believe him and sent in Elizabeth who lied about his affair with Abigail to protect his name. Suddenly Mary Warren accused John Proctor of dealing with the devil and that he had came to the court to “eradicate” it. John Proctor was then arrested and this led to his execution. Mary Warren had betrayed him.
To conclude this, John Proctor is a very good man who certainly isn't afraid to speak for what he believes in, even if it means losing his life. In this play, it shows that he effectively had been through a crucible, not for purifying metals, but for purifying people; from the adulterer to the good man that hung with Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse. I agree with the statement 'John Proctor is a melodramatic hero' because John started off being fraudulent and insincere man but as the play went on we saw him gain a lot of respect. He gained his respect because he was loyal to his friends. I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character that is ready to give up his life, “returning order to the world”, to then secure his significance of personal dignity.
Juan Pablo Rodado 10.5
