Act IV and "Echoes Down the Corridor"

The question that needs to be asked is whether or not this ending is a tragedy or not. Act four starts three months after Proctor’s initial accusation of witchcraft. Proctor was given two options: confess to witchcraft by signing his name to a written confession or to hang with his name intact (somewhat). At this time, the court has hung multitudes of innocent people, and there are many would only deem it fair that the remaining be hung as well, even though they are knowingly sentencing innocent people to their deaths. Reverend Hale is aware of this, and he has returned to the town to convince the accused to confess to witchcraft so that they may protect their lives. This is where the question of tragedy lies. Is it tragic that these innocent people ruin their lives because they confessed to “running with the Devil,” or is it brilliant that they were able to live? Proctor would evidently argue that he would rather protect what little remained of his good name. Reverend Hale begged Proctor to choose life, but Proctor was not going to let his own name be run through the dirt any more than it already had from his affair. In a final attempt to appeal to Proctor, the court brings out Elizabeth, who is pregnant, for him to see just minutes before his sentencing. Elizabeth pleads with him to protect his life and to stay by her side. After all, he has a kid that will be born in six months. Proctor gives in for a moment until he is told that he must sign a confession that will be posted on the church doors. He sees this as a public condemnation, so he chose to “still have my name.” Is it tragic that Proctor died for an act that he did not commit, or is it brilliant that he was consistent with his morals and did not deteriorate his name? I think that was meant to be up to the interpretation of the reader; otherwise, Miller would have given a more concrete ending. I feel as though Miller wanted an ending that would be left up to interpretation, but there were too many unresolved conflicts. That being said, “Echoes Down the Corridor” is an attempt to quickly wrap up the hanging pieces, an attempt, in my opinion, that failed due to its lack of background and clarifications.