Placing the Blame on Hale The town of Salem, Massachusetts was a quiet, uneventful town for quite some time. When accusations of witchcraft began circling certain members of the community, Reverend Parris called in outside help. Reverent John Hale came from Beverly, the next town over. He strongly believes that everyone has a good side, though that belief sometimes alters his perception of people. Though his attempts to help were noble, he could have prevented over fifty deaths by staying out of Salem. Hale becomes the primary cause of the witch hunts because he’s overly trusting, kind, and often rushes to solve complex problems in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. As a general rule, Hale believes most of what he’s told, without questioning the truth of it. Not long after coming to Salem, Hale begins questioning members of the community about witchcraft. To Abigail, he asks, “Did you call the Devil last night?” (481 Miller), to which she replies, seemingly fearfully, “I never called him! Tituba, Tituba…” (481 Miller). To the reader, it’s rather obvious that Abigail is attempting to blame Tituba for her suspicious actions. Parris interrupts, asking, “She called the Devil?” (481 Miller), and Hale begins to shift his suspicion, saying, “I should like to speak with Tituba.” (481 Miller). Nearly immediately after Hale has another person to focus his questioning on, he accepts Abigail’s story and moves on. Hale could have avoided this by noting the name, but continuing to
He is holds his head high above others, slightly cocky, assuming himself a high, respected position as soon as he enters Salem. He firmly trusts solely his skills to be the savior of the village. Hale also shows to be assured of the habitation of the Devil when he demands answers from a female slave Tituba in spite of no solid proof and her constant denials: “Have you sold yourself to Lucifer?” (156). He continues to pound at her: “Women, have you enlisted these children with the Devil?” (156). Hale’s relentless questioning exude the fact that he has already accused Tituba of witchery and is now attempting choke out an answer that will satisfy him. He disregards the facts presented in front of him and instead, allows his own ego of expertise to blind himself into arraigning an innocent
Upon analyzing the events of the crucible I have come to the conclusion that Reverend John Hale is to blame for the Salem Witch trials. The details that have led me to conclude this is that prior to Hale's arrival in Salem, the idea of a witch among them was merely speculation, however, Reverend Hale with his infatuation of the supernatural secured the idea of a witch in Salem. Even with Hale's presence in the town, people began to question him about weird behaviors that allude to witchcraft, such as the scenario where the Putnams began to ask him about his opinion about the unfortunate demise of all of goody Putnam's children and where Giles Corey begins to question him about his wife reading literature that is not the bible. Additionally,
In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, Reverend Hale’s attitude and beliefs are changed completely as the play progresses. After Reverend Parris is a witness to girls dancing in the woods and also when his daughter becomes very ill, he calls Rev. Hale to Salem. Hale’s job is to find any form of witchcraft and to get rid of it. Over the course of the play, Rev. Hale experiences a transformation in his beliefs from the beginning of the play to the end. Reverend Hale has three different emotions throughout the play. When Hale is introduced in the the beginning of the play, he is passionate and very confident about finding witchcraft and getting rid of it. In the middle of the play, Hale is frustrated and he does not know who to trust nor
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
Change is inevitable. Many humans fight it while others greet it with open arms and smiling faces. Most people change because of things that happen around, or to them. Negative or positive, the actions can dictate whether the individual changes for the worse or for the better. Reverend Hale in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is the perfect example of this. He changes drastically, yet gradually, throughout the entire play. Hale progresses from conceited due to his abilities, to hesitant because of the great negative impact the witch trials are beginning to hold, and finally, he becomes regretful because of his ignorance and the actions it caused.
She tells Hale that "the devil got hm numerous witches."(188). This leads her to exposing two people possibly involved in witchcraft. By hearing her say this, Parris feels safe to assume that Tituba physically saw the devil and whoever had swore to him. By accusing other people and giving specific names, she is responsible for them being sent to court. This led to more suspicion and more accusations.
In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible the witch trials in Salem were a devastating time. The entire community was in disorder and chaos because of personal vengeance. This included accusations of innocent town’s people being called witches, so they hanged and were jailed. Throughout the play certain characters help the rise of witchcraft as well as the disapproval of all the innocent people who were being convicted for no reason. Reverend Hale is a dynamic character whom comes to rid of the evil spirits in Salem, yet he later tries to end the trials. Hale realizes the accusations are false, attempts to postpone the hangings, and persuade the victims to lie conveys that he is a dynamic character and changes throughout the play.
The major influence was the time period in which The Crucible had taken place. "In 1692, Salem was filled with Puritans who saw the world as good vs. evil, ("The Crucible")." The people of the time were completely washed over by superstition that evil was coming for them and in that fear they made many decisions that in our current day would not be justified. Hale is one of the very many who were a victim of the "Claustrophobis Puritanical-code-of-conduct-fear-of-witches nonsense of Massachusetts in the 17th Century, ("The Crucible')." Hale had the mindset, like everybody else, that he needed to do whatever possible to save Salem from the evil thought to be in it when he get the girls to confess and
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.
Reverend Hale believes in his second thoughts of the devil not being such a thing, and sees that Abigail has been setting this all up and framing John Proctor to have his love. Pointing at Abigail, Hale says, “I believe him!...This girl has always struck me false!...”(Act III, 50) After Abigail over-exaggerates and makes the girls believe the devil is in their presence, and the people of the court believe them, Reverend Hale walks out in frustration. People of the court and town don’t know what else to believe because they always thought the girls were saying the truth about what they saw. Hale begins to see that a lot of people in the town of Salem, are corrupted in result of the witchcraft trials.
One of authority figure in The Crucible, was Reverend Hale. Hale went to Salem in response in need of a “spiritual doctor” to evaluate the town. The reason he was summoned was to diagnose if there was witchcraft was present, then come up with a cure by removing the “infected people”, and the people of Salem will not be satisfied until he does. In result to all the commotion of unnatural events taking in place in Salem such as: Tituba’s ability to conjure spirits from beyond the grave, dancing in the woods, the death of the seven children who belonged to Thomas and Ann Putman, Betty’s illness, the strange book that were in possession of Martha Corey, and so on. Hale starts to become
Spells, chants, potions? Dealing with the Devil? Selling one’s soul? Witchcraft is a life altering accusation that could lead to execution. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the talk of witchcraft is flowing throughout Salem, Massachusetts. Called to hunt for the Devil is Reverend John Hale, a master in witchcraft. Reverend Hale’s character changes dramatically as the sequences of events surrounding the Salem witch trials unfold.
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.
Throughout the play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, the character Reverend Hale takes the role of identifying witchcraft in Salem and getting rid of it by converting or removing the “infected,” if present. Hale is a “spiritual doctor” who only tries to do good while following his faith, he intends no harm. However, his purpose throughout the play is bigger than what is manifest, he resembles Miller’s paradox of theocracy: Salem was eventually torn apart because of the desire for a pure theocracy. Hale not only resembles the paradox, but he is also a morally ambiguous character because of his changes of view on justice and religion.
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.