Power has passed into the hands of others and as the accusations extend Hale starts to doubt the law. "There is a misty plot afoot so subtle we should be criminal to cling to old respects and ancient friendships- (Miller 71). After hearing about Rebecca's arrest Hale is outraged and defends the witch trials. .
Over the course of the play, Rev. Hale shows a transformation. Listening to John Proctor and Mary Warren, he becomes convinced that they not Abigail are telling the truth. In the climactic scene in the court in Act III Hale changes sides towards the people who were opposing the witch trails. But now it was too late " the trials no longer seem under his control but rather in those of Danforth, who has no interest in seeing its proceedings exposed as a fraud. Danforth also orders Proctor's arrest against Hale's opposition. Hale denounces the proceedings and declares that he is quitting the court.
Throughout the play and Act IV, Hale attempts to turn the tide but fails and this causes Hale to lose confidence and becomes a broken man. As his belief in witchcraft weakens, so does his faith in the law. In Act IV, it is he who tries to make the accused witches to lie, to confess their sins' in order to save their own lives. Although Hale recognizes the evil of the witch trials, he responses to the trials by surrendering instead of defiance. He insists that survival is the highest good, even if it means that a person has to lie to save their life "something that the truly heroic characters can never do.
"Let you not mistake your duty as I mistook my own. I came into .
this village like a bridegroom to his beloved, bearing gifts of high .
religion; the very crowns of holy law I brought, and what I touched .
with my bright confidence, it died; and where I turned the eye of my .
great faith, blood flowed up- (Miller 132).
At the end of Act IV, Reverend hale attempts to convince Elizabeth Proctor to force her husband into confession.