Arthur Miller Essay

The point being made is that John knows it is his fault and the consequence of it is he won’t let go of her because he knows the truth about the arrest. He is reassuring her that nothing is going to happen to her. ‘You will not go! ‘ (Act 2 pg 63) Proctor knows that this is all a mistake but knowing it is his. Proctor argues with Mr Cheever that she is innocent and the courts are wrong. Proctor is running out of options he will do anything, even confess about his relationship to get her back. John knows that he is the only one to save his wife and he told her so. For this reason, John is a man of his word. In the previous Act he said ‘I will bring you home’ (Act 2 pg 63). We have known John to be a man of his word when he says to Abigail that he will cut off his hand and that he will bring Elizabeth back. He stopped what he said before, subsequently he is going to bring Elizabeth back knowing what he said to his wife, he knows Elizabeth has faith in him ‘Oh, John, bring me soon! ‘ (Act 2 pg 63). So John has to prove to the judge that his wife is innocent and Abigail accused her just to get John back so Elizabeth can’t have him. Previously the audience know that John is a man of his word and proof of this is what he is doing. John is so sure that he is going to persuade Danforth that he doesn’t need a lawyer. ‘I am no lawyer’ (Act 3 pg 74) John’s confidence is leading him to save his wife then again being a man of his word. He has no care, even if he his going to go prison, he has try and save his wife. Options are running out for John. He has told the court about his affair with Abigail and said to Danforth that his wife will never lie. ‘That woman will never lie’. (Act 3 pg 74) He completely has faith in his wife, but if his wife will deny of the affair then John will be arrested on charges of contempt of court. Firstly John said that he would go to court, exactly what he said he will do. Proctor said he will admit to adultery saying his wife will never lie; he has absolute faith in her. As a result Elizabeth told her first ever lie because John isn’t worth sacrificing. The audience see that Elizabeth does still love him. Also the audience see that John is entirely a man of his word. John is an ordinary man because he has committed sin! His wife is in prison because of him; hence it is his duty to save her. Proctor is neither an ordinary man nor a saint. ‘I cannot mount like a gibbet like a saint†¦ ‘ (Act 4 pg 113) A saint is someone who is near to pure and has done something very important in order to change the world. He is angry with the court for saying he is evil but knows that they are the evil ones and it doesn’t make a difference if he lies. John has done something good but it isn’t quite there- spiritually developed. John could confess to be a witch. In addition it does not matter to him because he has done the worst sin there is compared to lying but he has to sign the papers. ‘†¦ sign your testimony†¦. ‘ (Act 4 pg 113) John does not want to sign the papers because of his name and for his children. John is an ordinary man because he wants his life but knows the cost of what he wants and stops himself because he wants to see his children grow into men. ‘I want to live. ‘(Act 4 pg 110). So basically which man does not want his life? Evidently he is an ordinary man; he does not want to die. The audience know John is an ordinary man but a changing ordinary man. John is churning in the crucible and nearly ready to be purified; John knows saving himself will cost another life, but he can put a full stop to it. John is a good man. John believes if he lives and others die for his life that is wrong. ‘I speak my own sins; I cannot judge another. I have no tongue for it. ‘ (Act 4 pg 113). This means that he can talk his own sin but not others or that he will not accuse others for his own life. Proctor thinks not for himself but his children. He needs to give them a good name. ‘I have confessed myself! †¦ no good penitence but it be public’ (Act 4 pg 114) and ‘leave my name! ‘ (Act 4 pg 115). Proctor says because his conscience says he doesn’t want a bad name for his children. He thinks that having his life means his children will have bad names and others will suffer. Also he doesn’t want sign his confession especially for the public. Proctor is a fully spiritually developed man. He has refused to sign the paper, meaning his spoken confession is not counted. This gave him time to think and when conscious, spoke up. ‘†¦ What others say and what I sign to is not the same! ‘ (Act 4 pg 115). Proctor knew or I shall I say he realised that his written confession would kill more people and only save himself. However if he dies, there’s a full stop to all this nonsense. Proctor died to save others. The audience finally see the changed man for what he really is. Miller influences the audience in the way he refuses to sign and knew exactly what the consequence was going to be. John sees the shred of goodness in him, saying that he is white and should be kept away from dogs. The white symbolises the goodness and the dogs are the court. The dogs are the evil people from mythology, if dogs guarding hell and should be away from goodness; white. The decision he made was to stop everything bad and he won’t go to hell because of what he has done. It makes John a good man, meaning his spiritual development is complete because he is dead and can’t change anymore. John Proctor should have his shred of ‘goodness’ because he has been churning long enough in the crucible pot. John Proctor is ready and purified and is a good man. He is finally, as I have mentioned, put a full stop to further deaths, being hung for witchcraft. This fact as it was proved in the Milgram experiment- where people would take another person’s life without giving a second thought and were told to go even further, until they would die, Proctor was that person and did not listen. Furthermore, John was a final seal and said no more names, deaths or accusations and they were stopped. The government in March 1712 after a solemn meeting declared a democracy in Salem. All were compensated with their land, money and a good name for beloved people who died tragically in the witch trials. The ways the audience see ‘The Crucible’, is concerned with spiritual development of John. He is linked to all key events in the play, and still Arthur Miller showed how a man changed and died to save a state, in order to save other people and the good name of Proctor.   1 Umer Hussain Essay- The Crucible. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.