Aristotle once stated that a tragedy in simply "a piece of writing that inspires both pity and fear in the mind of the audience"(Aristotle). Pity and feat is sometimes accomplished by combining the element of fate or the action of free will to a character within the play. According to Joseph Wood Krutch, Arthur Miller is a pluralistic writer; hence both Death of a Salesman and The Crucible can be seen as plays in which the central figure is both a victim of some force like society and a victim of himself.

Abigail's cousin, who is the daughter of Parriss, the minister, falls ill and there is a panic about witchcraft. John Proctor, who is married, formerly had an affair with Abigail, becomes her victim, Abigail and the other girls involved in the "so-called" witchcraft begin to accuse people of witchcraft to seek revenge and Abigail accuses John's wife, Elizabeth of being involved with witchcraft. Eventually, while attempting to save his wife, John is accused. In the end John refuses to confess and is executed, along with several others, and his wife remains in jail and pregnant. Abigail has run away after stealing her uncle's money and eventually becomes a

Both Willy Loman and John Proctor fell victims to themselves and to their societies. They both were offered opportunities to avoid their outcomes, but they both fell victim and ultimately fell in consequence. Krutch states that it was "not a demonstration of the workings of social determinism, but as a study of the effects of moral weakness and irresponsibility"(Krutch). Both Willy and John centered their lives on their weaknesses instead of looking for the positives. They both wanted to fit in with society and in doing so fell "victim of society, but...also a victim of himself"(Krutch).

According to Arthur Miller's, Tragedy and the Common Man the "presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing- his sense of dignity"(Miller). John Proctor was in an attempt to protect his dignity after he has an affair with Abigail. In doing so fell victim to both himself and to society. He could not control Abigail's lies or what society viewed, but he could have controlled his own actions, and in not going so, lead himself to his own execution. John could have chosen to remain faithful to his wife. Instead, he fell victim to himself and resulted in both his wife's and his own persecution. In an attempt to prove his wife innocent of an accusation of witchcraft, the com

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Approximate Word count = 880
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)