Arthur Miller, a prominent twentieth century playwright, is well-known for his play The Crucible. The play opens in the Puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. The Puritan religion is against dancing and singing because the Puritans believe these are sensuous activities. The Puritans also believe that Satan tempts human beings to carry out his work. Fear and hysteria strike Salem over the belief that the devil is in the town because Parris’s niece, Abigail Williams, was found dancing in the forest with other girls and Parris’s servant; and soon after two young girls fall sick. The town suspects the girls of witchcraft; however, Parris does not want to believe witchcraft is the cause of the trouble in Salem; so he calls in Reverend …show more content…
Miller describes Hale as conceiving of himself like a young doctor on his first call. Hale arrives n Salem overflowing with confidence and carrying big, heavy books. When Parris comments on the weight of Hale’s books he replies, “They must be, they are waited with authority.” Hale means that the books have all the answers to Salem’s problems. Hale is overflowing with confidence because he has never experienced failure. He does not think he will have any trouble ridding Salem of its troubles. When Hale starts his investigation of Salem he begins to believe witchcraft could be responsible. When Parris tells Hale about the night he found the girls dancing in the forest, and Hale tells Parris that he wants to talk to those girls. Once Hale starts asking the girls what happened in the forest, they think they might hang for witchcraft. Because they think they are in danger of being hanged, the girls begin to beg forgiveness from God and confess to Hale who they saw with the devil. Hale believes he has cured Salem’s problem, “Glory to God!. It is broken, they are free!” Hale exclaims. Hale believes he has cured the problem so quickly because he came in to Salem with so much confidence and he did not believe he could