Character Analysis Of Reverend Hale In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Truth is oftentimes glazed over or obscured by the sweet words of the manipulator, and the journey to discover it is painful in the mental aspect by challenging one’s mindset or morals. To those who have faith in truth, however, it can be a savior shining a light onto the path of righteousness. In the play The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, the eloquent lies of a single girl by the name of Abigail expands into full-blown witch trials where minister Reverend Hale is brought in to examine the markings of those tainted by the Devil. Within his time spent in the ominous village of Salem, the lies exposed to him begin to query his life-long standings of the Bible and God. As he further uncovers the truths, Hale’s role in the Salem Witch Trials undergoes a dramatic transformation from a certain accuser, to a precarious bystander, to the defender of the tried.

Reverend Hale is an expert in witchcraft and all that is supernatural. He has come to practice his art by finding witches and expelling the presence of Lucifer from Salem as told in his introduction starting at the bottom of page 30. He believes as the church believes that witchcraft is a forbidden crime and must be exterminated, even if it means hanging people he does not wish to hang. When the accusations and rulings start to become unjust, he starts to see that his previous beliefs are wrong and that the court as well as the town has gone mad so he leaves the court as seen on page 111. He begins to feel responsible for this and tries to defend those that he knows are good people. When the court starts to not even listen to him, he begins to convince people to confess just so that they should save their lives.

Society and religion often define morals, but as they evolve, one might gain a new worldview, which in turn changes their actions. Playwright Arthur Miller includes a character that undergoes such a transition in his work “The Crucible”, an allegory to McCarthyism. Reverend Hale, a Puritan minister living through the Salem Witch Trials, is challenged by the developing events in the town. Throughout the four acts, he must evaluate his actions and motivation, to determine if he is acting morally. Reverend Hale’s change from a man with absolute confidence in the theocracy to a man who believes life is more important than God’s will reveals that he is motivated by his morality.

In The Crucible, there are many complex characters who shift throughout the play. Reverend Hale was one of the most complex of these characters. Hale’s changes were a direct result of the trials. Because of this Hale’s changes can be traced through his actions and motivations. Throughout the play, Reverend Hale was changed by his faith, his knowledge of the truth, and by his guilt.

Furthermore, if you step away from something you can see it from a new perspective. As the play progresses, Reverend Hale starts to slowly get disconnected from the courts and the trials and has time to

In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, it is clear that Reverend John Hale of Beverly is the character that undergoes the most dramatic transformation and is a perfect example of how a well-respected, strong willed man can be changed due to deceit and lies. His reputation and control in the play moves between two extremes as the events continue- shifting from confident accuser to helper of the accused.

      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.

The Salem witch trials were a time period in which there was mass chaos and very little reason. In, “The Crucible,” by Arthur Miller, there were an elect group of people that overcame this hysteria of the trials. Among the people of reason arose, Reverend Hale, who displayed both sides of the hysteria. Reverend Hale is a dynamic character as he transforms from a character following the strict law and causing the deaths of many, to a character that understands the ridiculousness of the trials.

Reverend John Hale is the minister who is called in to investigate the witch trials in The Crucible. At first he believes them, but later he returns to the town to try and stop the trials. Deputy Governor Danforth is the judge at the witch trials. He is dedicated to removing all witches. He rules by the law and will not allow exceptions or anyone to try to undermine his court.

Wayne Dyer, an American philosopher, author, and motivational speaker once stated “when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Reverend John Hale changes his viewpoints throughout The Crucible multiple times based on the current events around him. Arthur Miller, the author of The Crucible, uses this book to focus on the historical events occurring in Salem during the Salem witch trials, which occurred from February 1692 to May 1693. Miller utilizes ethos, logos, and pathos through his writing of The Crucible to convey the changing viewpoints and emotions of the morally ambiguous character, Reverend John Hale.

Quickly after Mr. Hale’s arrival in Salem, the situation regarding witchcraft escalates. Mr. Hale gets sucked into the middle of something which didn’t impact his life personally in the first place. As rumors of the devil spread around, more names known to be “seen” with him are mentioned in the court. Mr. Hale takes it upon himself to visit the houses of those who are accused of involvement in witchcraft. “No— no, I come of my own, without the court’s authority. Hear me. I know not if you are

Throughout history, the presence of fear has driven people to do and become the unthinkable. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, a fear-stricken town turns against one another in a literal witch hunt where only few dare to speak out and risk their own prosecution. The town’s conflict not only shapes how the story turns out, but also shapes what the characters become. One of the most significant character changes in the play takes place in Reverend John Hale, who was once a proud man, eager to find witches, but then later became a remorseful one, desperate to save the accused. It is through his actions, his statements, and the other characters’ views on him that this gradual change is shown.

This short essay will delve into character analysis of two characters from The Crucible by Arthur Miller. I will be discussing a few qualities of Reverend Hale and John Proctor, and also arguing why I believe that John Proctor is the tragic hero of the story.

Arthur Miller’s The Crucible emphasizes different human flaws and their dangerous impact on Salem in 1692. By analyzing the effects of arrogance, blind faith, and guilt, Miller creates the dynamic character Reverend Hale. As Hale struggles with overcoming his own flaws, he transforms from a zealous man focused on gaining respect into the voice of reason amidst the chaos and corruption of the court. Throughout his character development, Hale challenges the authority figures of Salem as he becomes more skeptical, fights against his own Puritan ideals and accepts his role as a tragic figure.

The tragic events of the Salem witch trials tested the morality of several individuals, who abided to a government based on religious intolerance and limitation. Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” highlights the detrimental effects of the religious court, and the impact Puritan societal norms had on its citizens. Reverend Hale, a protagonist in the play serves as a balance between morality versus and the religious conformity that took place within society. His transformation throughout the play demonstrates his true intention in doing what is right and abiding by the correct ideals, instead of following the damaging priorities enrooted in the theocratic system. Throughout “The Crucible,” Reverend Hale transfers from adhering to a theocracy to prioritizing the true value of life, revealing his maintenance of a strong moral code.