John Proctor Sacrifice In The Crucible

In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, John Proctor takes the moral high ground as a tribute to those around him- not for himself-making it the right decision. By letting himself be hanged, Proctor stays true to his character in that he protects his friends and family, reconciles with the judge within his heart, and leaves those who have done him wrong regretful of their actions.
John Proctor wasn't against lying itself, he was against allowing the dead to be robbed of their due respect. While it pains him, he wants his life more than he wants to save his soul, he’d “let Rebecca go like a saint; for me [John Proctor] it is fraud!” (138, Miller). Proctor had accepted that he wouldn’t die for his values and was ready to live his life as a liar since by Puritan standards, he can not get into Heaven given his affair. He's not as morally valued as people like Rebecca Nurse, so the idea of signing a confession that would confirm them as witches to the village is something he can’t do.Some may say, that his hanging will not change who hangs, making it
pointless. However, the purpose of his hanging was to do right by those who have already hanged, and it fulfills just that. Therefore, he picks the choice that will grant him emotional acceptance by himself.
Forgiving himself, for his affair wouldn't have been possible unless he had self-punishment.
Elizabeth tells him she does "not judge you [him]. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you [him]." (Miller, 55), yet he still feels guilt over his actions. He doesn't believe that he's ever going to be forgiven by Elizabeth and it torments him, the slightest suspicion by Elizabeth enrages him since he insists that he's an honest man. Yet by the end of the play, he accepts himself to be a liar, realizing it is only by death that he can accept Elizabeth's forgiveness. However, there are those that claim that it would’ve been better resolved if he had lived and tried to work it out. In fact, Elizabeth also felt responsible for the affair and thought “no honest love could come to me [her]” (137, Miller); they wouldn’t be able to move past the incident with both of them claiming blame and deluding themselves as to what really
happened.
People who have committed the grave crimes of the Witch Hunts against Proctor and the other accused, all come to the realization that they've committed a grave mistake. He chooses death because their guilt will let him die in peace. Parris, a man he's always had a conflict with, attempts to right his wrongs, proposing that if he were Danforth he would "Postpone these hangings for a time." (127, Miller). Proctor knows in the way the Parris insists on a confession that he's trying to justify the murders that have already taken place. Since he sees Parris' and Hale's desperation to right their wrongs, he dies in peace knowing that justice will come to them when they can’t get into Heaven. The idea of never sinning is engrained into the hearts of the Puritan people, but John Proctor's choice to hang isn't just for his morals like some may say. He decided to hang because he couldn't stand condemning the dead who have hanged before him for the same crime, not because he couldn't live life as a sinner. Once he accepts that he is damned his internal conflict over the affair is resolved, since his hanging is a form of self punishment that he needs to realize that Elizabeth has forgiven him. However, those who have done him wrong will always be tormented by their wrongful actions, giving him a sense of peace knowing that they will face punishment for their wrongs.