Reverend Hale

When Hale first visits Salem he is a self-assured, intelligent man, confident of his abilities and judgement. He is portrayed as:

Over the course of the play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Reverend Hale has changed dramatically from the start of the play to the end. At first, Hale is convinced that he is an expert of witchcraft and the truth is found in his books. He also comes into Salem putting his faith into the court. As the play goes on, Hale questions his belief because he realizes that many people are being convicted without definite evidence. In the end of the play, Hale has no faith in the court. He realizes many people innocent people have died through the courts rulings and therefore he can not be a part of it. Hale’s character has changed significantly throughout the

The Crucible written by Arthur Miller is a play that takes place in the sixteen nineties during the famous but tragic witch trials. Reverend Hale who is a minister and an expert of the demonic arts and witchcraft is sent from East Hanover to Salem where there is a spreading fear of witchcraft. When Hale arrives in Salem he finds the entire town in total chaos. At the beginning Hale is adamant in believing that they’re where witches and that nothing but good could come of his being there. Near the end when the truth has been exposed, Hale with so much blood on his head pleads : ‘‘ I come to do the Devil’s work. I come to counsel Christians they should belie themselves. There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on

In this act, and with much consideration (adverb phase #2), Reverend Hale seems to be less full of himself, and more hesitant. He talks about how he has a difficult time drawing “a clear opinion of them that come accused before the court,” because he doesn’t know the people of their town (adverb phrase #3) (Miller 1169). This is only one of Hale’s problems as the play keeps moving along. Act three brings more complications and hesitance from Hale. Proctor’s wife has now been seized and taken to court, along with others accused of witchcraft. During these court sessions, Reverend Hale is beginning (gerund #2) to realize that the court really is unfair (noun clause #1). For example, even though evidence is given by Giles Corey (adjective clause #2), the judge refuses to accept (infinitive #2) it and simply asks for more evidence (Miller 1195). Now, Hale is starting to become frustrated. He’s also beginning to realize that he has made some aberrations (noun clause #2). When John Proctor is sentenced to be hanged for witchcraft, Hale respondes to the prejudice court by declaring , “I denounce these proceedings! I quit this court!” (Miller 1213), and proceeds to walk out of the courthouse. This is only the beginning of Hale’s

Reverend Hale was a complex character whose changes could be observed through his actions and motivations. Hale shifted from being a devote Puritan to abandoning his faith entirely. He went from fully believing in the trials to damning them and becoming consumed by guilt because of them. Hale’s complexity adds to the play by showing how intense the trials were and how even the most devote were

      Reverend Hale is another character that changes during the course of "The Crucible." Upon his entrance in the midst of Act I, he is depicted as a strong, knowledgeable intellect. His intelligence seems to leave no room for compassion. This is evident by his interrogations which took place during Act III, the Trial, as well as the biographical information provided in Act I of "The Crucible." However, his emotions do come out in Act IV. He appears sympathetic and kindhearted while begging the women in prison to confess to save their lives.

Hale is a minister of Beverly a nearby town of Salem. He comes to Salem after hearing about witchcraft. He has studied the act of witchcraft extensively. He wants to heal the town of Salem and its people of witchcraft and the devil. He starts to question the court. Hale questions Abigail. Why was Abigail dancing in the woods (155)? It is towards the end of the play that Hale really starts questioning everything. He questions his own ability. He questions the court. He even questions his faith in God.

“Hale began to be tormented by doubts early in the proceedings” (overview). It was not until his wife was accused to be a witch, did Hale begin to realize the inconsistency with the accusations being made against certain people. Seeing John Proctor arrested for witchcraft and finding out Abigail was a fraud also raised uncertainty. Most of the reputations of the people being accused did not match up with the evil acts they were said to have done. The true reasoning behind all accusations became clear. It was all just for vengeance. As Hale said, “I am a stranger here, as you know. And in my ignorance, I find it hard to draw a clear opinion of them that come accused before the court” (Act 2). He was acknowledging that he was not very familiar with the town, therefore, it is hard for him to be able to know if the accusations are valid or just another form of revenge. This made him question all the final decisions he has made. Realizing he ended the lives of many innocent people lay a heavy burden on his shoulders. It helped Hale change for the

Hale’s pride shows through his ability to detect “witchcraft”. He wants the people convicted of witchcraft to confess. He feels he is responsible because he begins to kill innocent people instead of tracking down the source of witchcraft. He thinks of himself

Furthermore, Reverend Hale was pushed to change also. Hale came into Salem a stranger, but knew how to fix the problem the town endured. He never questioned that God had a plan and always thought that something was either good or bad, with no gray area in between. This thinking is challenged when Elizabeth, a pure person, is accused and then later when John confesses. He knows that these people are honest and leaves the court for a period of time. In the end, Hale is a desperate man, and even though knowing there is no witchcraft present, he urges John to admit that he is not the one that should be punished. He has to question all the rules he has lived by his whole life and pursue something he knows is incorrect. In essence, Reverend Hale is pushed to his limits and is turned into a man that will be permanently in suspicion of any standards he ever thought were true.

Finally, Hale shows how he sticks up for what’s right at the end of the story when John Proctor is put on trial for witchcraft. When Hale goes against the court, he also is trying to save John from being hanged. During the trial Hale defensively says, “I believe him! This girl has always struck me false” (Miller 1311). This shows how Hale is sticking up for what’s right by helping an honest man. In act IV Hale tries to save John again by

Parris is the first of many in Salem to “catch” Hale’s overconfidence. Because of Hale’s influence, Parris begins to become the most fervent witch hunter in Salem. Act 1 serves as a very effective introduction of Hale and the themes related to him, as it shows how quickly confidence can spread and threaten a community.

Hale’s character arc is defined by the contrasting path he takes from the other authority figures in Salem, as he is originally a man of closeminded

In Act 1, Hale’s devotion to carrying out God’s law reveals his sense of obligation in eradicating the diabolic disturbances in Salem, despite the negative impact it may have on its citizens. Prior to entering the town, the Reverend’s motives lie in defeating the Devil, believing that this valiance will bring preservation to the Puritans. Although “his goal is light,” he believes the people of Salem have been “called upon to face what may be a bloody fight with the Fiend himself” (36). Despite wanting to face off with the devil, Hale stands strong in his belief that this will restore peace and prove to be beneficial. Consequences aside, his heavy

Another pivotal development in the plot of the play is the reactions of Mr. hale to the happenings in Salem. He is a man of integrity, although at times misguided and overzealous, he is willing to change his mind when confronted with the truth. Despite this admirable trait, he lacks the moral conviction to act against proceedings that will condemn innocent people to death. He comes to realize that John Proctor is