While there is no way to define a flawed character, a flawed character tends to display one or multiple of the seven deadly sins. I based my ranking on how much they damaged and hurt other people around them, and also what they did to try and make up for it.
Reverend Hale is the least flawed within the group. Despite being the original antagonist, and coming to the town to investigate witchcraft, Reverend Hale was the most honest, and fair of all of the accusers, and didn’t come into Salem to cause chaos. Later on in the play, after realizing all of the turmoil within the village that he created, he goes out of his way to save as many people as he can. However, he also commits the deadly sin of pride. This is shown in the Crucible at “They must be; they are weighted with authority.” This is a prime example of Reverend Hale exhibiting pride by being boastful of himself and the books he is reading.
John Proctor is the sixth most flawed because he chose to go the selfish route, and protect his name, and reputation within the village, rather than to come out and stop this problem at the root when he had the chance. He displays two of the seven deadly sins, pride, and lust. According to the crucible “Hale, his eyes wide: Abigail Williams told you it had naught to do with witchcraft! Proctor: She told me the day you came, sir. Hale, suspiciously: Why - why did you keep this?” John Proctor knowingly kept Abigail’s lie a secret, because for his statement to be considered he would have to expose himself as an unholy individual.
Mary Warren is the fifth most flawed because she chose to keep their fraudulency to herself, out of fear for her well-being. Mary Warren’s lack of courage ends up backfiring multiple times during the play. She most often displays the trait of pride. According to the Crucible “Mary, as though infected, opens her mouth and screams with them. Gradually Abigail and the girls leave op until only Mary is left there, staring up at the bird, screaming madly. All watch her, horrified by this evident fit. Proctor strides to her.” After Proctor forces Mary to go to court and tell the truth, Mary attempts to do this, however, once she is put into danger of not being considered, she gets scared and returns to the original story.
Mr. Putnam is the fourth most flawed because, during the mass hysteria that has broken out, he uses this hysteria to help better himself and to fatten his pocket. According to the Crucible “He states that you coldly prompted your daughter to cry witchery upon George Jacobs that is now in jail.” Mr. Putnam forced his younger daughter to cry wolf on George Jacobs to have the chance to buy all of his lands once he has been charged with hanging. Not only is Mr. Putnam flawed enough to put his daughter in danger of execution for lying to the court, but he also puts an innocent man to death, thus forcing his daughter to have to live with that guilt as well.
Reverend Parris is the third most flawed because he chooses his notoriety rather than the lives of his ‘friends’. He displays two of the seven deadly sins, including pride, and greed. According to the Crucible ““Thomas, would ever wish so disastrous a charge laid upon me. We cannot leap to witchcraft. They will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house.” Reverend Parris was more than willing to point the finger at John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor, however when Abigail is accused, and his reputation is then under fire, he is willing to stop and try to stall. Reverend Parris doesn’t care about any of the other girls, or even Abigail, he is more concerned with his paycheck and name within the village.
Judge Danforth is the second most flawed because of his inability to look past his own bias, and would rather put 19 different innocent people to death to feed his already raging self-admiration. For that reason, he displays the first deadly sin, pride. According to the Crucible “Proctor, reaching into his jacket: She has signed a deposition, sir - Danforth, instantly: No, no, I accept no depositions.” During Act 3 when clear evidence is brought forward from the court Danforth immediately took it as a rebellion from his authority, and blatantly refused to see this accusation through.
Abigail Williams is the most flawed because she suffers from the most mental illness, and through her desperation to get john proctor, she dragged everyone around her down. Abigail displays four of the seven deadly sins, this includes pride, lust, gluttony, and wrath. According to the crucible “Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.” Abigail is speaking to the other girls who were involved in the witchcraft scandal. She is so desperate to get away with her condemnation of Goody Proctor, to the point where she puts these girls' lives at stake.
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