Tragic Hero In Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible'
Merina Vaughn
Mrs. Henry
English III Honors
26 January 2013
Heroism: The Tragic Features F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of novels and short stories, once said, “Show me a hero and I’ll write you a tragedy.” There is a fine line between a hero and a tragic hero. All heroes emerge from tragedies. A person who presents bravery and courage despite certain circumstances is considered a true hero. Many people have once called someone a hero sometime in their lifetime. Many heroes vary from comics to historic figures, even people in every day life. On the contrary, nobility, an error in judgment or a flaw, realization of that flaw, and communal pity are all traits of a tragic hero. Therefore, John Proctor in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, George Milton from the novel, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, and Mel Gibson all fit the role of tragic heroes in diverse ways. To begin, there was a moment in history where mass hysteria and witchery were present. These times were known as the Salem witch trials. The play, The Crucible represented supernatural times while providing a story of a tragic hero. The Crucible was written as a play in reaction to McCarthyism, a controversy in the fifties. In the …show more content…
Not only is John accused for witchcraft, but other people in the town who were clearly guiltless were as well. John would rather die for his clear reputation than sign his name to lies, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies” (Miller 240). Also, he is proving to the court that he is willing to sacrifice his life to prevent the innocent townsmen from being hung. John directly admits to committing adultery and no longer wants to consider himself a hypocrite. This enables him to accept his sins and free himself in a way that determines his overall fate. Preserving his name, Proctor is hanged as his name lives
Mrs. Henry
English III Honors
26 January 2013
Heroism: The Tragic Features F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of novels and short stories, once said, “Show me a hero and I’ll write you a tragedy.” There is a fine line between a hero and a tragic hero. All heroes emerge from tragedies. A person who presents bravery and courage despite certain circumstances is considered a true hero. Many people have once called someone a hero sometime in their lifetime. Many heroes vary from comics to historic figures, even people in every day life. On the contrary, nobility, an error in judgment or a flaw, realization of that flaw, and communal pity are all traits of a tragic hero. Therefore, John Proctor in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, George Milton from the novel, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, and Mel Gibson all fit the role of tragic heroes in diverse ways. To begin, there was a moment in history where mass hysteria and witchery were present. These times were known as the Salem witch trials. The play, The Crucible represented supernatural times while providing a story of a tragic hero. The Crucible was written as a play in reaction to McCarthyism, a controversy in the fifties. In the …show more content…
Not only is John accused for witchcraft, but other people in the town who were clearly guiltless were as well. John would rather die for his clear reputation than sign his name to lies, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies” (Miller 240). Also, he is proving to the court that he is willing to sacrifice his life to prevent the innocent townsmen from being hung. John directly admits to committing adultery and no longer wants to consider himself a hypocrite. This enables him to accept his sins and free himself in a way that determines his overall fate. Preserving his name, Proctor is hanged as his name lives