The cruciable
The cruciableJohn Proctor had a “sharp and biting way with hypocrites.” A hypocrite represents a person who pretends to be what he or she is not (Webster’s New World Collegiate Dictionary). Proctor tries his hardest to keep his wife’s innocence safe. He may seem to be a nice man, but he does a lot that changes his appearance making people realize that he is a fraud.
John Proctor’s hidden transgression of hating hypocrisy causes him a great deal of madness. Thus, Proctor’s hate of hypocrisy leads to belief that this may not be true from the events Proctor has taken place in. He broke the “social moral laws” of having sex with someone other than he is devoted to, or other than his wife, Elizabeth. The day Proctor was in the woods he said, “he saw the girls dancing, but did not see any form of witchcraft.” Later, Proctor is in court and is accused of practicing witchcraft. This is not good for Proctor at all because this action makes him a hypocrite instead of hating hypocrites. Though Proctor is a hypocrite himself, he protects the ones whom he loves.
John Proctor says, “Why, I—I would free my wife, sir,” to protect his wife because he has some respect for his wife. John protects his wife in all the ways he can to get her out of his life in the safest way for her. Proctor says, in protection of his wife, “In her life, sir, she have never lied. There are them that cannot sing and them that cannot weep—my wife cannot lie. I have paid much to learn it, sir.” Whether or not Proctor is telling the truth, he wants Elizabeth to live the rest of their life instead of joining or fighting for the right to live or die. He realizes he has portrayed his wife and others of the town, but he keeps his moral integrity.
“Do that which is good, and no harm shall come to thee.”(Proc. 95) This statement doesn’t make much sense coming from Proctor because it seems that whatever Proctor chooses to do it gives him more danger in his life or more harm to himself. Though, Proctor is kind in some parts of the novel, he shows a great deal of suspicion and madness to others. Proctor doesn’t blame anyone but Abigail for his wrongdoings with her. He mainly states that she was a simple house servant, but was also a whore and Abigail being a whore changes everything and Proctor had no part of the short-term relationship. Proctor ignored Abigail and denies that anything ever happened. John states, “Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby.” John only talks directly to Abigail telling the truth and that there’s never anything between them.
Many people of the town of Salem, MA had respect of John Proctor, but many also feared him. Why they feared him, the novel didn’t directly point out. But, in fact, the novel did show many instances in which showed fear and non-respect towards John Proctor. His wife showed the only real respect towards John, as his wife, even though John portrayed his life of his wife’s to Abigail. To me, John Proctor was a fraud.