Arthur Miller is a talented and well-known playwright. Over the years, he has produced many plays; each addressing different issues, time periods, and historical events. Two of his most well known works are Death of a Salesman and The Crucible. Miller states in his essay "Tragedy and the Common Man" that "the feeling is evoked in us when we are in his life, if need be, to secure one thing – his sense of personal dignity." He goes on to say that "the underlying struggle is that of the individual attempting to gain his "rightful" position in his society." This is Miller's personal definition of a tragic hero. Although set in different centuries, and societies, what allows these two plays to be similar is the presentation of a character who is ready to do just that, lay down their life in pursuit of personal dignity. Both Will Loman, in The Death of a Salesman and John Proctor of The Crucible are willing to sacrifice their lives for the sole reason of dignity, and self-righteousness. This, in itself, provides an explanation of them as tragic heroes.
             In order to decipher and define Will Loman and John Proctor, one must first truly understand a brief description of each story. The Crucible is set in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. The town is rampaged by accusations of witchcraft among the townspeople. The story is generated around John Proctor and his wife, Elizabeth. During an investigation, each turn of event is rooted in lies told by a teen mistress of Proctor's, Abigail. Elizabeth tries to protect and save John, while he does the same for her. John Proctor is eventually sentenced to death by hanging. He refuses to confess to his accusations, because after all, they are false. He has too much pride in himself and his name, and is eventually killed.
             Equally important, the plot of Death of a Salesman allows us to understand more about Willy Loman as heroic. Willy Loman lives ...