John Proctor's Moral Ambiguity In The Crucible

Be careful--the result of being an individual in a uniform society could possibly lead to death. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller relates the Salem witchcraft trials to the modern acts of McCarthyism being practiced. He uses specific events and characters in the play to describe what occurs in both situations. One of the characters Miller uses to describe his ideas is John Proctor. Miller uses Proctor's moral ambiguity to express his views of how individualism is nearly impossible in such corrupt, tyrant-like societies.

One reason Miller writes the play is to magnify the foolish actions of modern day society and how it fails to learn from history's mistakes--in this case, how people are found suspicious because of their individualism. The play
Proctor is known as the most individualistic character of the play for many reasons, including his committing and admitting to adultery, his false confession to witchcraft, his retraction of the confession, and his futile efforts to save others (although they probably look down on him because of the now well-known affair). He has a few reasons for considering a false confession to witchcraft; his life and his feelings of not being holy enough to die as a martyr. When he says: "I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is a fraud. ... I am no good man ...," Proctor shows that he felt he was not a good enough man to die as a martyr and be proclaimed as one after his death (236). Proctor's indecisive morals make him individualistic and, therefore, the tyrant-like, Puritan society convicts and kills the poor man. If he did admit to witchcraft, the society probably will not accept him for his moral ambiguity, yet he is not sure if he will be accepted in death by God, either. Even Proctor cannot figure out how he stands morally after all of these events take