The Crucible - Character Flaws

Character Flaws

What exactly is a flaw? Is it simply just a mistake, a fault? Well, considering the times of a Puritan society, a flaw is no less than a sin. In the words of Reverend Hale himself, "Theology, sir, is a fortress; no crack in a fortress may be accounted small." In The Crucible we see many people who have developed flaws over their life. What really makes a human if you don't have some after all? But considering the massive fortress of theology, some have contributed many more "cracks" then others. I write today to deliver my argument on whom the biggest crack in the fortress is. Keep in mind I am not ranking them by who is at fault, but by the severity of their flaws.

John Proctor is one of few who lack pride, while he was once a lustful man, he returned to his Christian virtues and confessed his sins, "But I wilted, and, like a Christian, I confessed. Confessed!" Out of all of the characters that I will list, John may actually be the only one to have a heavenly virtue, the virtue of humility. While most of the characters never repent throughout the play, John openly admitted to his sin, a sure sign of humility. Despite how he had role in the start of the witch trials, I believe that his flaws are lacking compared to the others

Throughout the play, Reverend John Hale exhibited a lot of pride. Especially so towards the start of the play, " I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of Hell upon her," he says, in strong belief that his word is definite. But some may say that Pride is his only flaw, and continuing into Act 4 we can see that he begins feeling guilty for his actions, shouting, "There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head!!" It is because of this fact that I believe Reverend Hale to be the man with some of the lease faults throughout the play.

Only once did Mary Warren show any major form of sin. This was later on during the play when she decided to capitalize off of her new position at the high court, "I'll not be ordered to bed no more, Mr. Proctor! I am eighteen and a woman, how-ever single!" Pride became her main flaw, and the fact that she never really owned up to her mistakes makes her flaws only slightly more significant. A smaller flaw would be her constant fear around being blamed, in which we can see in the stage direction notes throughout the play.

Mr. Putnam was by far not the greatest man in the play, let alone in a society itself. We know as a fact that, "he regarded himself as the intellectual superior of most of the people around him." From a bit written by the author, we also knew that he was after Proctor's land from an interaction in Act 1. These two facts lead me to believe that, while Putnam was no good man, his only two major flaws were Pride and Greed. This was a relatively small number compared to some others, not to mention that his flaws were only prevalent in minor parts.

Pride has definitely been a shared flaw amongst many of the men in the play, and this statement holds true for Judge Danforth as well. "And do you know that near to four hundred are in the jails from Marblehead to Lynn, and upon my signature? … And seventy-two condemned to hang by that signature?" From this sole fact he believes that he has gained an immense amount of reputation and power as a Judge. And because of his pride, he was blinded into believing that his choice was the only right one, ignoring all of the evidence he was given. Judge Danforth had quite a large "crack" in the very fortress he fights for.  

While Reverend Parris had just one major flaw, he reeked of it. Parris' greed was a very prominent flaw in his character role, "But Parris came, and for twenty week he preach nothin' but golden candlesticks until he had them," preaches John Proctor. Parris would stop at nothing in order to protect himself and get what he wanted. We see more of his flaws show in Act 4 when he argues against John Proctor in order to protect his name. 

The final person, and the one who has the most faults, is none other than Abigail Williams. For she is the one to hold the most flaws out of any of the characters. Abigail was lustful, greedy, envious, and wrathful. She lusted for John in the first act, "John - I am waitin' for you every night." Envious of Elizabeth in the second and third act, so much envy that it turns into wrath as we learn how Abigail is trying to get rid of Elizabeth and steal John away in the process.

Concluding, all of the characters that were discussed had flaws, but Abigail by far had the most and worst flaws out of any of the characters listed. Despite this fact, it was a combined effort that brought Salem's fortress of theology down to nothing but rubble.