one thing--his sense of personal dignity."(Miller, Tragedy and the Common Man). Both.
men portray this trait and die to preserve their pride. At the end of "The Crucible,".
Proctor pleads "How may I live without my name?" He chooses death over a life with a.
tainted reputation. Willy also dies in hopes of improving his dignity. In Act II, Willy.
reveals his desires to win back Biff's respect by committing suicide. During one of his.
illusions, he says " Ben that funeral will be massive that boy will be thunderstruck, Ben,.
because he never realized I am known!" (Miller, Death of a Salesman). Another.
characteristic that Miller identifies as one of a tragic hero is a flaw; "an unwillingness to.
remain passive in the face of what he conceives to be a challenge to his dignity."(Miller,.
Tragedy and the Common Man). This flaw is evident in Proctor when his dignity is.
challenged by Danforth and his efforts to persuade Proctor to confess to witchcraft. .
Instead of remaining passive and acquiescing to Danforth's demands, John Proctor argues.
that signing his name is unjust and unnecessary. He states, "God knows how black my.
sins are! It is enough!"(Miller, The Crucible, Act IV). In "Death of a Salesman," Biff.
attempts to make Willy realize that the ideals he set for himself are false and that he is.
ordinary like the rest of the world. For example, Biff proclaims "Pop! I"m a dime a dozen.
and so are you!"(Miller, Death of a Salesman, Act II). Willy conceives this as a challenge.
to his dignity, and instead of remaining passive he retorts, "I am not a dime a dozen! I am.
Willy Loman, and you are Biff Loman!"(Miller, Death of a Salesman, Act II). Miller.
declares that the willingness to die for ones dignity and the unwillingness to remain passive.
when ones dignity is challenged are both traits of a tragic hero, and both traits are.
demonstrated by both John Proctor and Willy Loman.
To be considered a tragedy, Miller insists that the play's final result "ought to be.