John Proctor as the tragic hero of The Crucible by Arthur MillerIn the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, John Proctor fits the Greek definition classic of a tragic hero. Aristotle, one of the great Greek philosophers, teachers and writers, said that one of the most important aspects of a tragedy was the tragic hero. He defines the tragic hero as a noble person who passes from a state of fortune and happiness to a state of total misery. The character's tragic flaw causes this change. Aristotle said that witnessing the character's fall triggered an emotional release, which left the audience relieved because they had empathy with the character, but not upset because the fall was the The character's own fault. Throughout the ages, there have been a plethora of tragic heroes, but none fit the classical Greek definition better than John Proctor. One of the characteristics of the tragic hero that John Proctor possesses is that he is a man of stature. This is evident from the beginning of the piece in the exposition about Proctor. The author says: “He was a good man, powerful in body, temperate and difficult to lead” (20). He goes on to say that he possesses “a quiet confidence and a hidden, unexpressed strength” (21). He is well respected in the community and Mr. Parris, the town reverend, goes so far as to say that he has "followers" (30). Additionally, at the end of the play, Parris and Danforth want to post on the church door his confession of being in league with the devil because "it's a heavy name" (141). They believe that since Proctor is such a respected member of the community, his confession will restore the people's confidence in the court and inspire others to confess...... middle of paper ......d of his past sin this god punishes men for their sins. He viewed his conviction for witchcraft as punishment for his sin. He did not confess because he realized that confession would be a lie and that lying is a sin for which God would punish him. In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, the character of John Proctor exemplifies the qualities of the classic Greek tragic hero. He is a man of physical and mental stature and is well respected in the community. He suffers from the tragic flaw of sin, the sin of adultery, which he committed with Abigail. He also learns from his mistakes and will not be encouraged to do evil, such as returning to Abigail or confessing to being a wizard. Work Cited Miller, Arthur. The Crucible: a scenario. New York: Penguin Books, 1996. Source consulted The Crucible Project http://204.165.132.2:90/crucible/main3.htm