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The Character Of Reverend Hale In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

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No matter how relentless someone can be, acts of atrocity in moments of hysteria can have a large impact on them. This impact can make them change their habits of practice and perception of what is right and wrong. A change in a character’s view of his role could be for better or worse, and on some occasions multiple changes can occur. In the novel, The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, Reverend John Hale is introduced as a methodical and precise authority figure. He is summoned to Salem to look over and help ascertain witchcraft in the supposedly afflicted girls. However, as the story progresses, Reverend Hale begins to change his outlook on how he should handle the problem. Reverend Hale goes through two different changes throughout the …show more content…

Upon being called to Salem, Hale “felt the pride of the specialist whose unique knowledge has at last been publicly called for” (Miller 31). Hale is filled with pride as he is being recognized as a serious authority after previously finding false witchcraft in Beverly. In addition, he shows up to town with many books and he continues to comment on the contents of them whether asked or not. When Parris asks Hale what book he has, Hale replies with, “Here is all the invisible world, caught defined, and calculated. In these book's the devil stands stripped of all his brute disguises… Have no fear now--we shall find him out if he has came among us, and I mean to crush him utterly if he has shown his face!” (37). Hale’s confidence in himself and his knowledge is carried with the books. Hale strongly believes that he has everything he needs; and that if need be, he will defeat the devil and resolve this issue. His extreme confidence in himself shows when he conveys, “The Devil is precise; the marks of his presence are definite as stone, and I must tell you all that I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of hell upon her” (35-36). He declares this to make it clear that his word should be held over everything else. He lets the people know that they can not rush to the conclusion of witchcraft; and that there may be nothing of the devils work in town at all. This statement also shows how he was skeptical of witchcraft at

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259 Words | 2 Pages

At the beginning of the book, Reverend Hale was called upon to go to Salem, Massachusetts where he was assigned to help find witches because, he is an ordained minister who “feels himself allied with the best minds of Europe- kings, philosophers, scientists, and ecclesiast of all churches.” (Miller 34) This is a description of him that is used to show how he has a narcissistic personality and show that he is a man that believes that the word of God is the only way to truly prove one’s innocence. Towards the beginning of the book Reverend Hale comes into Salem with a stack of books he is struggling to carry. He says that the books are heavy because “They must be; they are weighted with authority”(34)

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705 Words | 3 Pages

When Reverend Hale first enters the story he is depicted as someone with great knowledge and authority. Proctor tells Hale on page 185, “I’ve heard you were a sensible man, Mister Hale - I hope you’ll leave some of it in Salem.” Hale is well known to people around Salem and he is known for possessing great knowledge. The people will listen to what Hale has to say, but know that his presence means that there is suspicion of witchcraft.

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273 Words | 2 Pages

Reverend Hale is the character that changes the most in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible because his feelings on witchcraft turns from full belief to unbelievable doubt, his thoughts on Proctor changes from thinking that he is evil to thinking that he is a good and honest man, and he switches from doing God’s work to doing the Devil’s. Reverend Hale makes a huge change on his claim of witchcraft. In the beginning of the play when Reverend is called to the town of Salem to see if the reason why Betty and Ruth are unconscious is due to witchcraft he brings with him many books. When Reverend Parris sees this he makes a comment that Hale responds to him explaining his expectations. This shows that Reverend Hale is focused on one thing, finding

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1055 Words | 5 Pages

Moreover, as Hale remains hidden from reality, blinded by the witch-identifying doctrines he is so well-versed in, his authority over others prevails. Attempting to discover witchcraft in the Proctor abode, Hale questions the couple’s Christian character, asking why they “are so absent” in church (64) and of their children, why “only two are baptized” (65). Following this line of reasoning, Hale is only able to think through the lens of his books, without any attention to the big picture of the trials. Moreover, Hale’s blind obedience carries on, as his teachings lead him to believe the Proctors are guilty, leading him to present this to the court under his existing

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806 Words | 4 Pages

When he first enters Salem it seems his head is held high with knowledge and determination, but he will not allow any conclusions to be made unless they are from his books that guide him through witchcraft cases. After Abigail reveals she did not see the devil, Hale immediately makes an accusation and suspiciously asks, “Why are you concealing? Have you sold yourself to Lucifer?” (Miller 1259). Because of Hale’s authority, Abigail becomes defensive and puts the blame on Tituba.

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He said, "I dare not take a life without there be a proof no immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it" (Miller 188). He did not want anyone to hang for a crime they did not commit, and he did not want any guilty conscience of it afterward. He started to realize that people are accusing others for their own gain, and when no one would listen, Hale quit the court. In Act 4, Hale tries to save people's lives by convincing them to confess. He doubts his own Puritan faith and pursues the falsely accused on his own.

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(35) This shows that Hale is so involved in his work that he could possibly end up accusing someone who was not guilty of witchcraft. Hale seems overly conscious about his own life and his duty to serve the people to find the devil in Salem; he doesn’t seem to like the idea that he himself could be wicked. This shows that Hale too, did not show himself to be truthful and courteous when it came to the

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655 Words | 3 Pages

Just arriving in Salem, Rev. Hale is already the center of everyone’s attention; he was going to be the hero who finds the witch and brings back the holiness of the town. Hale was determined to find the truth and felt that he had to know everything about a person before they were convicted. When talking to John and Elizabeth Proctor, he mentions,” … I find it hard to draw a clear opinion of them that come accused before the court.” (Miller 63).

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“... I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no mark of Hell upon her” (1.992-994). Hale here is saying that his Holy power may have to be enough answer for the people of the town. Only when the young girls of Salem began to go wild with their lie did Hale start to think that it was possible that he was wrong. He never realized that such a thing was possible, given how close he believed he was to God. So Hale went to court and talked with the accused, trying his best to ask for their confessions.

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The Reverend’s Loss. In a spiritual-judicial endeavor, a priest loses his sense of self, his piety, and his sanity. In ‘The Crucible By Arthur Miller’, when Reverend Hale first stepped into the light, he was very pious and very confident in his mission to eradicate witchcraft in Salem. Though as the play progresses Hale’s demeanor changes, communicating a sort of despair in the way he carries himself.

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1097 Words | 5 Pages

When Reverend Hale was first introduced into the play, it was that Reverend Parris had asked Hale to come down and assist in the pursuit of the evil that was devouring their small town whole. Hale was cautious at first in accepting situations that people believe have witchery involved. Considering he is recognized for his authority on witchcraft and the devil, Hale initially comes off as arrogant and authoritative. Although Hale never accused anyone of witchcraft, he just asked questions about it, he is more than ready to investigate and rid Salem of any demonic influences. In Act I, Hale arrives with his heavy books of authority.

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970 Words | 4 Pages

He begins to try to convince Proctor and others to sign documents saying they are witches so that they can go free. Hale has returned to Salem because he feels guilty for signing the death warrants of many innocent people as he says, "There is blood on my head!"(Miller 131). He pleads with the judges again to give him more time or to pardon them as there are orphans walking around Salem, and the judges seem to know they are wrong also. Reverend Hale's last attempt to save Proctor is to try to have Elizabeth convince Proctor to confess. Proctor strongly considers it but tears the confession paper up as he does not want to ruin his family name.

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560 Words | 3 Pages

In act 1 and 2 in the play ,The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the character Reverend Hale was introduced and learned what his role was. Reverend Hale was a man nearing his forties and was a high-status intellectual who was an expert in witchcraft (Miller 155). In this act Hale said that he believes there always will be someone with the devil(Miller 155). Hale was siding with the court in this act and signing death warrants along with believing in these accusations fully as shown in his visit to the Proctors when he said there is too much evidence to deny the Devil is in Salem (Miller 171). Also, Hale almost played as an interrogator when he was giving rapid fire questions to John about his Christian character and if he goes to church in his visit to the Proctor house (Miller 171).

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674 Words | 3 Pages

When he arrive in Salem, Hale enters with the confidence of a man who does not think he can do any wrong and has supreme wisdom over everyone else, “Have no fear now– we shall find him [the Devil] out if he has come among us, and I mean to crush him utterly if he has shown his face!” (37). In addition to this, the true nature of Hale’s failure to understand the complex climate of Salem at the time is made explicitly clear in the passage. He arrives with the notion that, with the help of the locals, he would eradicate any form of witchcraft quickly and with no difficulties. In this fervent desire to hunt witches, he becomes blinded by the bloodlust, so much so that he cannot fathom using critical and rational thinking in approaching the cases.

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525 Words | 3 Pages

To begin, When reverend hale went to salem he was very confident. Reverend Hale, knew a lot about witches and spirits. Hale took witchcraft very seriously, he believed there was actually something going on in salem. Next, Hale is determined to get to the bottom of what is going on. When hale gets to salem, he is very tired and has very little motivation.

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