John Proctor – a Tragic Hero in The Crucible

Hamartia is another characteristic of a tragic hero. Hamartia is defined as a fatal flaw in a character that leads to their downfall. This flaw can be anything such as anger, greed or pride. John Proctor’s hamartia was his pride which led to a series of unfortunate events, such as his affair with Abigail which then led to her accusing Elizabeth and then Proctor being arrested and put on trial. The audience must feel pity for the character in order for them to be classified as a tragic hero. This is very clearly seen at the end of the play when Proctor is hung and the audience is left in sorrow. Another component of a tragic hero is that they must have a complete reversal of