The Crucible Tragic Hero Essay
Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible as a classic tragedy, including a tragic hero. Traditionally, from The
Crucible, John Proctor is the character who best represents the definition of a tragic hero. Below is the
basic analysis:
Noble
Fatal Flaw
Fall from high to Low (reversal)
Recognition
Accept consequences with honor
John Proctor is a respected landowner in Salem.
He had an affair with Abigail. His pride makes him
put his reputation before the truth.
His wife is accused, and then, he is accused.
He nearly confesses and then chooses not to confess
because he can still do the right thing, even though
he has not done the right thing in the past.
He accepts death over lying.
Prompt:
Consider the elements of the tragic hero and The Crucible. Which other character besides John Proctor
in The Crucible fulfills the requirements of a tragic hero? Write an essay in which you address the
question and argue how your chosen character fulfills the requirements of tragic hero. Support your
position with evidence from the text.
Who is your character ? _______________________________________
Noble (how seen in the
community)
Fatal Flaw
Recognition
Accept consequences with
honor
State a theme of the play to connect your character to. _________________________________________
o
Essay Structure: (each bullet is a sentence)
Introduction: (3 sentences)
o Introduce three elements of a tragic hero.
o Acknowledge that John Proctor is the traditional tragic hero of The Crucible, and make a
strong claim that your character can fulfill the requirements of tragic hero as well.
o End with a thesis identifying how your character fulfills the requirements of tragic hero,
and connect it to a theme.
1st Body paragraph (6 sentences)
o Compose a topic sentence, not a plot-based topic sentence.
o State your character’s fatal flaw.
o Give one sentence about how he/she is at the beginning of the play.
o Support it with an example from the text (cite this).
o Write another sentence about how he/she changes by the end of the play (how the fatal
flaw leads to his/her downfall).
o Support it with an example from the text (cite).
2nd Body paragraph (5 sentences)
o Provide a transition sentence, not a plot-based topic sentence to
o Write a sentence about your character’s recognition.
o Support it with an example from the text (cite).
o Compose another sentence about how your character’s acceptance.
o Support it with an example from the text (cite).
3rd Body paragraph (5 sentences)
o Write a transition sentence that connects back to your theme.
o Explain how your character’s fatal flaw fits with your theme.
o Support with a sentence, or paraphrase, from part of the text that really demonstrates this
(cite).
o Explain how either your character’s recognition or acceptance fits with your theme.
o Support with a sentence, or paraphrase, from part of the text that really demonstrates this
(cite).
Conclusion: (3 sentences)
o Restate the main idea of your essay (what you have proved) in different wording.
o Expand on the importance of the topic beyond The Crucible. Perhaps connect to
McCarthyism and beyond.
Use MLA format