Is The Crucible, by Arthur Miller really a tragedy? In my opinion, if people get hurt and the whole community falls apart - then it is a tragedy. For one reason or another, it can be said that the blame for this tragedy lies with the entire Salem community. Many different emotions and even specific characters are brought into the play and each one holds part of the blame "therefore bringing down the entire of the community and causing people to turn against each other and all principles they once believed in.
John Proctor, however, stood up for his pride and principles. It is obvious that he would rather sacrifice his life in order to keep his sense of personal dignity. "I have given you my soul, leave me my name. . ."" Although John Proctor may not have been a man free from all sins, I believe that he was a man who would do anything to save the name of himself, his family and his friends. He eventually acquired a "profound respect for the human being and a devotion to his rights and destiny-. .
Maybe Proctor's strong will to protest caused the whole tragedy to continue on for a longer period of time. Maybe if he hadn't engaged in adultery, he wouldn't have had such a guilty conscience that he felt he had to go and stand before the court for his wife. Maybe he stood up for her to prove that he still loved her and in hopes of regaining some of her trust back. It just depends on what angle you look at it from.
Even though the blame for this tragedy lies on the shoulders of the entire community of Salem, I do believe that Abigail and the girls initiated the tragedy with all their talk about spirits and the devil during the opening act. Then, they deny everything in the courthouse, even after Mary Warren confessed that the whole story was a lie. In the end she manipulated Danforth and the court and convinced them that they were only involved with witchcraft because of Mary Warren.