Julian Cohen
Mrs. Davies
9/4/13
Modern American English

“The Simple Genuine Self”

The Crucible, a play, by Arthur Miller dramatizes the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692. John Procter, the protagonist of the play, never allows others to comprise his true authentic self. John Procter heroically represents “the simple genuine self” in a place where others are compromised by society. John Procter’s defiance to submitting to the pressures of Danforth and the court in order to preserve his name and the lives of others exemplifies how he heroically represents a “genuine” individual.
During the late seventeenth century in Massachusetts, prominent men within communities sought to demonize widowed women creating a medium to which they could acquire their deceased husbands land. In other words, accusing a woman of witchcraft was an effective way to obtain more land at the cost of a human life. The rise of witchcraft and the notion of an individual conspiring with the devil displayed the extent to witch men sought to control parcels of land. When the court informs John Procter that his admission of guilt must be made public he becomes furious, as that would destroy his reputation within the community. Subsequently, he denies his previous admission of guilt to Danforth and the court deciding to die rather then put his name to shame in the public sphere. At the end of the play, we see John Procter in a highly dramatic state torn between signing the document and