The True Tragic Hero: John Proctor of the Crucible A tragic hero is a noble man who makes a fatal mistake. The hero's downfall is the result of his choices leading to a punishment that surpasses the crime. “The difference between Proctor and Willy Loman is enormous; the former is the typical tragic hero who is rebellious to the end, the latter is trapped in submission and lives a lie” (McGill 4). John Proctor is one of the main characters in The Crucible. he is married to Elizabeth Proctor and they live in Salem. In Arthur Miller's famous play, The Crucible, John Proctor represents a classic tragic hero because he is a respected man of noble stature, he is torn due to his fatal flaw and his downfall is the result of his choices. The Crucible, John Proctor is well known in the city of Salem. “John Proctor was not simply a farmer but a man of considerable wealth derived from several sources: inheritance, farming, renting, running taverns, and business ventures” (McGill 5). The Proctors obtain their wealth from many sources, which has led them to be very high up in the social class. “Miller refers to Proctor as a farmer, notes that he has followed the family tradition of tinkering with inventions, and constantly implies that he and his friends represent an inferior social element to the Putnams” (McGill 5). Throughout The Crucible John Proctor is constantly faced with the problem of preserving his good name. “Before then his good name was preferred to the truth, now it is preferred to life itself” (Popkin 7). John Proctor's reputation is very important to him and he constantly tries to maintain his status in Salem. When it comes to the trial he chooses to give up his life rather than tarnish his... middle of paper......ctor represents all the elements, so he is a true tragic hero. Works Cited Bergeron, David M. "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller and Nathaniel Hawthorne: Some Parallels. "English Journal (1969): 47-55. Google Scholar. Network. February 26, 2014. Bloom, Harold. Arthur Miller. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. Print. Bloom, Harold. Arthur Miller. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2003 Print.McCollom, William G. "The Fall of the Tragic Hero." College English 19.2 (1957): 51-56. JSTOR. 05 March 2014. McGill, Jr. "The Crucible of History: John Arthur Miller's Proctor." The New EnglandQuarterly 54.2 (1981): 258-64. JSTOR. Network. 05 March 2014. Popkin, Henry. "Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"" College English 26.2 (1964): 139-46 . JSTOR.Web. March 05, 2014.Siebold, Thomas. Readings on Arthur Miller. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven, 1997. Print.