Proctor would rather giveaway his life and die with pride. Her central role remains static throughout the play. When this happened he publicly proclaimed his guilt and confessed, calling Abigail Williams a whore, but his admission was too late and could not stop everything that Abigail had already set in motion. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. He has to decide between life and death. Also after reputation is Judge Danforth, the presiding judge at the witch trials who trades in the lives of many for the respect of being a reputable judge in Boston. by someone he thought of always as truthful, Mary Warren, after she was pressured by all the He cares about his reputation of not only him as a Proctor, but his children too. Characters such as Rebecca Nurse and Giles Corey who had prevailing moral values remained righteous till the end. I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! The rest of the blame can be laid onto Danforth, he may not have truly realized that the girls were false, but rather let the trials end with Proctors hanging he wanted more. He has an affair with Abigail Williams, a 17-year-old girl who desires to have John and wants him so desperately. 2 When Proctor reveals to the court his true relationship with Abigail What does he reveal about his own character and his own motive? Although he is willing to admit to the crimes. Because I cannot have another in my life. Honest, upright, and blunt-spoken, Proctor is a good man, but one with a secret, fatal flaw. This made people more cautious of their own reputations. Despite my prideful ways, I would call myself a sinner. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Why does John Proctor care about his reputation? Proctor is a very respected person in the Salem village, but when the witch trials occur some people would think otherwise. Latest answer posted April 17, 2020 at 1:25:04 AM. He then finally admits to having an affair with Abigail. Proctor had an affair with Abigail, but he had the opportunity to sign a paper confessing in order to help the innocents. John is consumed by guilt trying to decide if he should tell the truth about, When faced with a moral dilemma, a self-serving individual will very likely choose the option that is most beneficial to their self-interest, while some individuals may waver in between whats right and wrong, and a small handful of individuals who possess an inner moral fortitude will stand by their values even if it means risking their lives. Because I cannot have another in my life! (IV.iii) John isnt the one to lie because of being known as a great man to the village and wants society to believe that Johns not willing to lose the good name earned and the only one ever going to be earned in a, Abigail is dedicated to be the only woman in Proctor 's life. His lust for Abigail led to their affair, and created Abigails jealousy of his wife, Elizabeth, which sets the entire witch mess in motion. eNotes Editorial, 13 June 2018, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/does-john-proctor-care-about-his-name-why-does-he-162667. All of this was represented by his name. Her heart is full of pain and distrust. Abby gains great authority in Salem and her word is believed against others. Which is the most effective way to prevent viral foodborne illnesses? He fears it because it is a great sin for lechery and adultery, and give up his good name. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime. Only then does he realize that it is too late, that matters have gone too far, and that not even the truth can break the powerful frenzy that he has allowed Abigail to whip up. In the play, The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller has a theme about reputation and respect. One's good name and reputation were a lot more important in 17th-century Salem than they are today. Having a reputation, the basic theme of this book, has a great amount of importance in The Crucible. She tried to indirectly kill his wife and be with him, forced the other girls to go along with her and accused a large amount of people. For the most part, it follows a man known as John Proctor. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Through this event Miller touches on the values present in the puritan village of Salem. Although The Crucible is fictitious, the story depicts the historical information of the Salem witch trials, and blends them with fictitious characters to create a very realistic plot and conflict in the story. Accessed 8 Nov. 2022. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Why is John Proctor concerned about his reputation? Such an admission would ruin his good name, and Proctor is a proud man who places great emphasis on his reputation. Rebecca Nurse and, eventually, John Proctor, choose to protect their integrity. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The reason that John Proctor decides to confess in Act IV is that he does not want his wife and their child (Elizabeth is pregnant) to be left without a husband and father. Abigail Williams accuses innocent people so she wont get accused of witchcraft. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. John is supposed to be the guy everyone in the town looks up to. Their relationship is emotionally strained. He tells this to the court so they know Abigails motivation for wanted Elizabeth dead. And it is my face, and yours, Danforth! Keeping integrity also takes a lot of strength and loyalty. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Abigail is Johns mistress and he regrets the relationship he had with her. He signs his written acknowledgement, and, just as Judge Danforth is about to take it from him, he withdraws and crumples up the document. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Tell him I have sent for Reverend Hale of Beverly, and Mr. Hale will surely confirm that. John is a farmer. Near the end of the play, he is asked to sign a document confessing to witchcraft. Why does John at first decide to confess? Ultimately, Proctor realizes that the only way to put an end to the vicious cycle is to refuse to sign the confession, and therefore protect his name, knowing full well that he will hang because of his refusal. John Proctor was the connection between that for when he forced Mary to promise on her life that the dancing was the practice of witchery and to explain it in front of the court. John is a candid, frank, but somewhat arrogant man. []You drank a charm to kill John Proctor 's wife []." Her heart is stone cold dead. Proctor has a choice to make. Protagonist John Proctors choice to preserve his reputation despite knowing Abigail was a fraud early in the play can be both seen as self-preserving or preserving his values. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. How do you win an academic integrity case? How does John Proctor's character change from the beginning of The Crucible to the end of the play? eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. This explains why he tears up his signed confession in anger: "I have given you my soul; now leave me my name!". Our unfortunate protagonist finds himself in a desperate situation. They say a rose by any other name is still a rose, but in 1692 Salem, people did not believe this at all. Let him look to medicine and put out all thought of unnatural causes here. John cries out to the judge: I blacken all of them when this is nailed to the church the very day they hang for silence! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil (Miller 171). John Proctors attempt to maintain his good reputation caused his death in the end of The Crucible. fix the problem he was in charge of causing, he had to prove that Elizabeth was truthful and I have confessed myself! from University of the Western Cape, South Africa. I will not have it said my name is soiled! The entire plot of the novel is moulded by the repressive Puritan society. As he puts it, () A man will not cast away his good name. Over the course of the first two acts, it is revealed that Abigail used to work for the Proctors but had an affair with John; she was kicked out when Elizabeth confronted John with her suspicions and he confessed. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs (144). Miller wrote this play as a response to the political environment in which he lived. A fire, a fire is burning! He was deeply attentive on not allowing anyone to know about his affair with Abigail Williams. 3 How does John Proctor care about his reputation? The lies Abby told greatly benefitted her reputation as a saint although it damaged her, Why Does John Proctor Have A Good Reputation. It helps the viewer see Proctor in a positive light. However, ultimately he sacrificed his reputation by telling the court he committed adultery. B.A. What was the everlasting funeral in the Crucible? And John Proctor rather die than admit to something hes never done. In The Crucible, Proctor has several reasons for ripping up his confession. Unsurprisingly, his relationship with Elizabeth remains strained throughout the majority of the play. In the end, Proctors pride forces the truth out and in way saves his soul from damnation because he is doing the honest thing by not giving the court his signature. There are many characters in this book, but the ones that convey these qualities are, Reverend Parris, Abigail along with John Proctor. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. When Proctor reveals to the court his true relationship with Abigail What does he reveal about his own character and his own motive? We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. He felt there was no need for them to use him to get other people to follow in his steps and lie. There Be none. As you can see from this quote is is very concerned that people might think his daughter is bewitched. What did John reveal to Abigail in the Crucible? He clearly knows that his confession will condemn the very people he wants to protect, so he cannot give the court the satisfaction they seek. His wife, Elizabeth insisted on him telling the court that the girls were lying. One of the most prevalent values shown is reputation. Latest answer posted May 20, 2021 at 8:29:55 PM. Proctor's decision to sacrifice himself is justified because he protected the reputation of those who died and risked being arrested to save his wife . The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Why does he reveal it? Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Yet, Elizabeth is hurt by the fact, Proctor had a right to not want his name up on the church doors. John telling the court he was guilty ruined his reputation, which made all hell break loose. However, he realised his life is worth nothing if his good name is tainted. It was his most priceless asset. Some characters that are an example of preserving reputation are. This is proven from her hiding the truth and convincing the girls, On page 146 John Proctor is having a conversation with Abigail Williams in town, alone. His confession to witchcraft guarantees him life, while his refusal will mean certain execution. He hopes to replace his wifes suspected guilt with his own guilt and bring down the dismissed servant in the process., Throughout the novel The Crucible, Arthur Miller describes how being put thought the Salem witch trials of 1692 brought out the true essence of various characters. The community of Salem is all John knows. When you have a good reputation in a small town, it's easier to get a fair hearing. Had John Proctor spoken more kindly to his wife, it can logically be assumed Elizabeth may have told the truth and countless innocents (and John Proctor), I have known her and Danforth, stunned, replies with, Youyou are a lecher (102). "We vote by name in this society, not by acreage." - John Proctor, Act One. John is consumed by guilt trying to decide if he should tell the truth about, John Proctor is a tormented individual. Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar! (pg. In my opinion I think I have a self-esteem that picks me apart from anyone else in this community, especially compared to the Putnams which obey beyond belief. He explains to the court that Abigail is involved with his crime, adultery. (Miller 18) Betty is telling Abigail and, My name is John Proctor, I am the husband of Elizabeth Proctor and he father of my three boys. Why is John Proctor concerned about his reputation? When John Proctor reveals his true relationship to Abigail? Proctor knows that some people are suspicious of the whole witch hunts, and would rather die doing the right thing then sin again and convict others. Miller clearly shows how morals are more important than almost everything and readers relate to John through this because they too have high standards for their morals. I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus! Overwhelmed by his conviction and despair, John Proctor cries out from the very depth of his soul when Judge Danforth asks him about his retraction: Because it is my name! The irony in this situation is that when he tried to fix his mistakes he ended up dooming What secret does Proctor reveal about himself and Abigail? I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! As the story develops, John also gets influenced. In act 3 of The Crucible, why does Reverend Hale change his story about witchcraft? I have given you my soul, leave me my name! It is enough! (1332). Parris says, No - no. "I cannot speak but I am doubted, every moment judged for lies, as though I come into a court when I come into this house!" - John Proctor, Act Two. Why does he refuse to put his name publicly on the document knowing that he will hang as a result?" 1. 5 Why does Proctor see his confession as deeply ironic? The name of John proctor could be considered his most prized possession. Some people believed him because they had fear of communism. In his final act, John Proctor still wants to save his name, but for personal and religious reasons, rather than pride and fear of the public's opinion. I am Christian yet feel dissatisfied with the way Rev. This is understandable because reputation was tremendously important in Salem, where public and private moralities were one and the How may I live without my name? At the same time, why does he see his confession as deeply ironic? John doesnt want to lose that good name but has to do whatever possible to get society to believe what is really going on and maybe get the truth out of the lies. Why does Proctor see his confession as deeply ironic? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Latest answer posted April 01, 2021 at 3:01:06 PM. Pride keeps John Proctors sin of adultery a secret, keeps John Proctor from confessing his sin in front of the court in fear of ruining his reputation and Proctors pride interferes with his good judgement. He feels he does not deserve to stand next to Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey, and this almost causes him to save himself by confessing to lies., There are other characters in the play that face death for standing up to the cruelty in Salem, but the most detailed is Proctor. Several characters in The Crucible face a tough decision: to protect their reputation or their integrity. Girls dancing. However, when one is not careful, trying to maintain a good reputation can be exactly what gives a bad one. When his own life is directly under threat, Proctor was initially ready to give up his reputation (values) in order to save his life. 1 When John Proctor reveals his true relationship to Abigail? Most of the characters did it so their name would be clean and instead of having a bad name and being a witch. Parris runs our church. After the trials began, John realized that he could out Abigail and make everyone see her for what she was (a liar) and put an end to many innocent deaths by confessing to his adultery and proving Abigail was only extracting revenge on his wife Elizabeth Proctor. Can the Constitution be changed by the president? By confessing to consorting with the Devil, Abigail frees herself from guilt in the eyes of Salem. John Proctors sin of adultery greatly contributes to the struggles Proctor faces in the play, The Crucible. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. He eventually makes an attempt, through Mary Warrens testimony, to name Abigail as a fraud without revealing the crucial information. He will not allow his name to go down into ignominy and be tarnished. John Proctor faces death due to accusations of witchcraft and trying to overthrow the court.