What were the changes in John Proctor's character throughout the play "The Crucible"? ( Arthur Miller)
In The Crucible, John Proctor initially portrayed a sinful man whom had an affair, struggling to
prove to his wife that he should be trusted again. The dishonesty of the betrayal of Elizabeth and his
marriage to her changed, though, by the end of the play. This transition in Proctor's character
showed he transformed from a deceitful man and husband, to one whom was true to himself as well
as his beliefs. This paper will discuss Proctor's change in character and his struggle with getting to
the point in his life where he was finally at peace with himself.
In Act I, John Proctor displayed his guilt about having an affair with Abigail Williams, a young girl
of seventeen 'with an endless capacity for dissembling.' Proctor convinced himself he was a sinful
man that had done wrong, and to have respect for himself once again, he must break off all ties with
Abigail. When Abigail mentioned to Proctor the relationship she and he once had, he said to her,
'No, no, Abby. That's done with,' and, 'Abby, you'll put it out of mind. I'll not be comin' for you
more.' Even when Abigail tried to persuade Proctor to admit his love for her, he still denied it and
claimed he had no love for her any longer. She said to him, 'I know how you clutched my back
behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I came near! Or did I dream that? It's she
put me out, you cannot pretend it were you. I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved
me then, and you do now.' In all of Abigail's persuasion to try to get him to admit his love for her,
Proctor replied, 'Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before
I'll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby.' Proctor saying to
Abigail that they never touched was his way of trying to get through to her that the relationship
between the both of them had to end here. In Proctor's mind, saying that to Abigail was a
finalization of their affair and gave him
prove to his wife that he should be trusted again. The dishonesty of the betrayal of Elizabeth and his
marriage to her changed, though, by the end of the play. This transition in Proctor's character
showed he transformed from a deceitful man and husband, to one whom was true to himself as well
as his beliefs. This paper will discuss Proctor's change in character and his struggle with getting to
the point in his life where he was finally at peace with himself.
In Act I, John Proctor displayed his guilt about having an affair with Abigail Williams, a young girl
of seventeen 'with an endless capacity for dissembling.' Proctor convinced himself he was a sinful
man that had done wrong, and to have respect for himself once again, he must break off all ties with
Abigail. When Abigail mentioned to Proctor the relationship she and he once had, he said to her,
'No, no, Abby. That's done with,' and, 'Abby, you'll put it out of mind. I'll not be comin' for you
more.' Even when Abigail tried to persuade Proctor to admit his love for her, he still denied it and
claimed he had no love for her any longer. She said to him, 'I know how you clutched my back
behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I came near! Or did I dream that? It's she
put me out, you cannot pretend it were you. I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved
me then, and you do now.' In all of Abigail's persuasion to try to get him to admit his love for her,
Proctor replied, 'Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before
I'll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby.' Proctor saying to
Abigail that they never touched was his way of trying to get through to her that the relationship
between the both of them had to end here. In Proctor's mind, saying that to Abigail was a
finalization of their affair and gave him