Reverend Hale The Crucible
Usually, when someone is accused of a crime, those found guilty are disciplined accordingly, and those found innocent are let free, but the polar opposite occurred during the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. People suspected of witchery were determined innocent if they admitted guilt, and those who did not surrender were punished as witches. “The Crucible” is a play based on the true events of the Salem Witch Trials, with some discrepancies. When witches were thought to be present in Salem, Massachusetts, Reverend John Hale was summoned from a nearby town to determine whether a group of teenage girls were truly conjuring witches or just having fun. As Hale tried to unveil all of the lies and resolve the truth, he completely changed as a character.
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Although Hale was beginning to think independently, the process was tedious, for he continued to believe the Devil was transparent in Salem. Hale explained, “This is a strange time, Mister. No man may longer doubt the powers of the dark are gathered in monstrous attack upon this village. There is too much evidence now to deny it” (Miller 68). Reverend Hale still clearly believed that the Devil was present in Salem, yet logic started to take hold, due to the fact that he was not as adamant about the presence of witches as before. Hale began to think for himself by gathering his own research and evidence about who was lying and who was telling the truth, instead of automatically believing what the town, the girls, and the judges said. Hale declared, “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. And so this afternoon, and now tonight, I go from house to house” (Miller 67). Reverend Hale was tired of receiving information from secondary sources, and so he took it upon himself to go throughout the town and ask his own questions. Instead of using ignorance like the rest of the town did, Hale used logic and common sense to impact his decision. Hale contemplated the evidence he collected and gradually began to doubt the truthfulness of the girls’ story. Similar to what occurred in Act III, Hale thought and decided autonomous of the court, and dissimilar to what happened in Act III, Reverend Hale avoided taking action and remained a silent bystander. Although Hale was beginning to use practicality, he was not yet prepared to voice his opinions in court. Given these points, Reverend Hale changed throughout the play by transforming from pretentious in Act I to using rationale instead of relying on
Although Hale was beginning to think independently, the process was tedious, for he continued to believe the Devil was transparent in Salem. Hale explained, “This is a strange time, Mister. No man may longer doubt the powers of the dark are gathered in monstrous attack upon this village. There is too much evidence now to deny it” (Miller 68). Reverend Hale still clearly believed that the Devil was present in Salem, yet logic started to take hold, due to the fact that he was not as adamant about the presence of witches as before. Hale began to think for himself by gathering his own research and evidence about who was lying and who was telling the truth, instead of automatically believing what the town, the girls, and the judges said. Hale declared, “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. And so this afternoon, and now tonight, I go from house to house” (Miller 67). Reverend Hale was tired of receiving information from secondary sources, and so he took it upon himself to go throughout the town and ask his own questions. Instead of using ignorance like the rest of the town did, Hale used logic and common sense to impact his decision. Hale contemplated the evidence he collected and gradually began to doubt the truthfulness of the girls’ story. Similar to what occurred in Act III, Hale thought and decided autonomous of the court, and dissimilar to what happened in Act III, Reverend Hale avoided taking action and remained a silent bystander. Although Hale was beginning to use practicality, he was not yet prepared to voice his opinions in court. Given these points, Reverend Hale changed throughout the play by transforming from pretentious in Act I to using rationale instead of relying on