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Reverend Hale In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

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The outrageous Salem Witch Trials in 1692 was a chaotic and preposterous time-period. Innocent civilians were hanged for being supposed witches. In Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”, some characters go on believing all of the lies, however, some stand up and question the legitimacy of the evidence. Reverend Hale is a unique character that completely changes his outlook on the trials throughout the book. Hale, in his quest to free Salem from witchcraft, changes from an obedient and law-abiding man to a man that wants to save innocent lives and bring panacea to Salem. Arthur Miller begins by describing John Hale as a deft intellectual who specializes in the field of witchcraft and is completely devoted to God. Hale and his goal of, “light, goodness …show more content…

Specifically, when Hale realizes the sincerity in Proctor’s voice when he blames the entire scandal on Abigail, he begins to question his previous judgments. At that moment, Hale’s ideology switches from being a lawyer to a man who regrets making decisions based on spectral evidences. As soon as Elizabeth pleads that his husband has not committed lechery, Hale asserts, “I believe him! (Pointing at Abigail). This girl has always struck me false!” (119). Hale, at this moment, completely changes his case for this lunatic trial. He believes Proctor and goes against the court and against his beliefs of witchcraft for the first time. This shows that Hale is patient enough to listen to the defense and can be swayed easily because Proctor’s defense makes Hale go against the ultimate power of the court, Danforth, to recoup for his past wrongdoings. He fights for Proctor to the point where he leaves, which is astounding because the study of law and witchcraft is his life. After Danforth arrests Giles and Proctor of witchcraft, Hale quits the court and furiously exclaims, "I denounce these precedings! I quit the court!'"(126). He can no longer accept the false prosecutions Danforth continues to make. The accusations reach a point where even the lawful Hale can no longer ignore its foolishness. Through these actions, Hale proves his change from the two extremes of being for the court to

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In the year of 1692, 19 innocent people were forced to slowly walk towards a rope that in a matter of seconds would end their lives. These horrific events are something portrayed in Arthur Miller's play The Crucible. In Salem, Massachusetts, a mass hysteria violently spread the fear of witchcraft amongst the Puritan village. Reverend Hale, a so called “expert” in demonic arts, was brought in by Salem's most spiritual figure Reverend Parris to demolish any sign of witchcraft from his home. Yet, Hale is overall culpable for the tragedies that struck Salem because of his false accusations and narrow point of view.

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During The Crucible, a play by Arthur Miller, suspicious girls go dance in the woods and stir up talk of witchcraft in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. This leads to false accusations of witchcraft and innocent people getting sentenced to death, under Governor Danforth and Reverend Hale. Reverend Hale is the most dynamic character. He is motivated to do good and to get people to confess to their sinful ways and to come back to God, but gets caught up in false accusations and lies, and his guilt forces him to try to undo his actions; unfortunately, it is too late and many innocent people die. Reverend Hale is an expert in witchcraft from the neighboring town of Beverly, he comes to Salem in hopes to rid the town of witches.

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Hale acknowledges human’s mortality more so than Danforth who believes his word is the final say. Furthermore, Judge Danforth appears to only be concerned with having those who were jailed, confess to being witches whether they were or not. All those who do not confess to conspiring with the devil in his eyes are evil and those “who weep for [them, therefore] weep for corruption” (134). In contrast, Hale is desperate to save the innocent from their inevitable doom because he believes “life is God’s most precious gift” and “no principle [] may justify taking it” (122). He even encourages Elizabeth Proctor to “prevail upon [her] husband to confess” because “God damns a liar less than he that throws his life away for pride” (122).

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Reverend Hale’s confidence in the church has eroded to a doubtfulness in the sense of the church’s trueness and jurisdiction. This occurs in Act 4 when Hale believes that John Proctor is not a wizard due to past encounters, but he is still due to hang even through all the evidence that Hale has given the judge, Danforth. Hale pleads with Elizabeth Proctor, “Woman plead with him! What profit him to bleed? Shall the dust praise him?

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The witches are on the hunt for the innocent souls of Salem with Hale stating, “The Devil is alive in Salem, and we dare not quail to follow wherever the accusing finger points” (Miller 1251). Hale is determined to use God’s mighty hand against the “evil witches”. This shows that Hale is faithful to Abigail’s accusations against the common people of Salem. At first, Reverend Hale is eager to prosecute, but as more innocent people are condemned, his compliance turns into distaste. His dissatisfaction eventually turns into rage when Hale shouts, “I denounce these proceedings!”

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