When I first read about the end of John Proctor's life, I felt somewhat vindicated. Even though he's the main tragic hero of the play, he initiated the whole sequence of miserable events by cheating on his wife. This made Abigail falsely interpret love for her and eventually, pull a prank which would result in others getting blamed for witchcraft. At that point, the situation spirals out of control with mob mentality dictating official court decisions and innocent people being killed for 'consorting with the Devil'.
If I had somehow landed in his position, I would confess to being a witch. It might not be the moral solution to the problem, but at least I would emerge alive and be able to take care of my family. Proctor ignores the fact that his children have been left to some nearby farmers and that he is their only chance of living with a parent again. He just obsesses with self pity about his reputation, and deludes himself into thinking he's doing everyone some great favor by willingly heading off to the gallows. In reality, even if he becomes a saint in his last few hours of life, the village's structure has already collapsed and only a few people will remember him as a good, reputable citizen.
This also ties into how an individual's identity is his most important possession. One of my favorite teachers claimed earlier today that society affects external actions, while his inner feelings are comprised mainly of guilt and shame for being so easily swayed. Apparently, this doesn't apply to John Proctor, because although he debunks his concealed sins, society's hysteria never seems to touch him. He sees things for what they are very clearly from Act I to his untimely death, yet it takes him much too long to realize the errors of his ways and attempt to diffuse the situation. As people are being sentenced death left and right during this time, he can be perceived as the careless villian of this early American piece.
I agree that John Proctor's noble action will go to waste. Integrity is meaningless if no one acknowledges or appreciates it.
ReplyDeleteI still see John Proctor as the antagonist and tragic hero. Even though he does intiage the entire sequence of events in the play, he stays around to own up to his actions. While Abigail on the other hand, runs away from the entire situation grapling before her.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Proctor was too absorbed with his goal to keep his reputation. However, I think he's the protagonist. To me, Abigail was just too evil to even be considered as the protagonist.
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