John Proctor: Hero or Stooge?

A hero is defined as a person who has distinguished courage or ability, admired for their brave deeds and noble qualities. John Proctor definitely shows these characteristics. Most people would consider him to be a stooge because he had an affair with Abigail and set the whole witchcraft trial in motion but, what they don’t understand is that everyone has flaws. Despite the fact that he cheated on his wife Elizabeth, and that he doesn’t attend church that often, he was a good man. He stood up for what he believed in and was a leader in his community. He told Abigail that he no longer wants anything to do with her, which lets us know that he regrets what he did. He feels guilty for cheating on Elizabeth, which is why he confesses at the end of the play. He knows that he has broken one of the ten commandments, and he must pay for his sin, one way or another. He was willing to confess of witchcraft, knowing he had nothing to do with it, just for the sake of his marriage and soon to be family. Although he bailed out on signing the document, he did it for a good cause. He wanted to save his name. even though he had sinned, he didn’t want to die with a bad reputation, especially since he had a child on the way. He wanted to be remembered as a good, courageous man who was a leader in his community, and in my opinion, he did just that!