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The Crucible - John Hale

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.


Essays Related to The Crucible - John Hale

1. The Crucible - Characters and Themes

... begins, he hesitates to expose Abigail as a fraud because he worries that his secret will be revealed and his good name ruined. In a sense, The Crucible has the structure of a classical tragedy, with John Proctor as the play's tragic hero. Honest, upright, and blunt-spoken, Proctor is a good man, but one with a secret, fatal flaw. His lust for Abigail Williams led to their affair (which ... Miller's own time. Major Themes Buy Study Guide Authority and Dissent There are many levels of authority within the world of the Crucible. Early on, the Reverend Parris is the sole authoritative voic...

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2. The Crucible

... those that will not confess, but John refuses to have it posted and will not accuse anyone else of witchcraft. With newfound courage, he joins the brave Rebecca Nurse and goes to his ruin. Hale continues to beg Elizabeth to call him back but she will not take this painfully acquired "goodness" from him. The play closes with Hale crying. The Crucible, first produced in New York ... at the Martin Beck theater on January 22, 1953, received less acclaim that ... Miller's two previous works. The term witchcraft had been used frequently in American political discussions so the play had great...

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3. The Crucible

... Miller wrote a play "THE CRUCIBLE" which parallels the Salem witch trials to the McCarthy communist hearings. The theme of the book is that in order for humanity to prosper and survive personal integrity must be maintained. The people of Salem believed that they are the "chosen people" so when things go wrong it is easiest for them to accuse the antichrist. Reverend John Hale who is a specialist on the topic of witches ... Miller wrote a play "THE CRUCIBLE" which parallels the Salem witch trials to the McCarthy communist hearings. The theme of the book is that in order for humanity to p...

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4. The Scarlet Letter

... novels and dramas have dynamic characters as the protagonists. A dynamic character is one who is modified by the actions through which he or she passes and the consequences he or she experiences. In The Crucible, John Proctor and John Hale are the protagonists. John Proctor is a farmer and a village commoner who similarly is faced with an inner turmoil. Proctor has committed the crime of adultery. He has absolutely no intentions of ... joining in the witch trials unless his pregnant wife has ... ...

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5. The Crucible What is the significance of Act 2 pages 50 - 55 to the play?

... and have no worries about them getting back together. We see the religious theme developed in this scene because on page 55, when Reverend Hale is visiting the Proctor's at night. Reverend Hale asks Elizabeth if she knows all of the 10 commandments. When John is asked to repeat the commandments to Reverend Hale he misses out the commandment about adultery. Elizabeth has to remind him of this commandment ... scenes that build up tension usually lead to a climax. Act 2 pages 50 - 55 builds up the tension in the conversation between John Proctor and Elizabeth and then when Reverend Hale ar...

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6. Fear is the Primary Motivating force in The Crucible

... started to lie for the first time that somebody was no longer afraid of the repercussions and considered themselves to be above one of the most fierce rules around. This is the focal point of The Crucible and it is from Abigail Williams" inability to tell the truth or respect authority that the fear of others develops. An example of this is the fear of John Proctor who is forced ... to be forever under the judgement and apprehension that Abigail will tarnish his good name ... it must be hard for people to trust or like him. One of the only characters in The Crucible whose fears are ent...

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7. Courage in the Crucible

... survive due to multiple acts of courage, although he loses his life during one last, noble feat. Lastly, Reverend Hale, the intellectual, nave witch-hunter, and Elizabeth Proctor, John's supremely virtuous, but often cold wife, make many courageous decisions, whether they know it at the time or not. Sometimes courage goes un-recognized until afterwards, often only upon reflection. Giles Corey's wisdom, courage, ... to Salem when Parris calls him to examine his daughter Betty, who falls into a strange trance after Parris catches her and the other girls dancing in the forest with Tituba, a...

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... a severe searching test or trial. This definition applies to the play in that the society is a theocratic society. The witch trials eliminated undesirable persons from the society just as a crucible eliminates unwanted metals from the mixture. In the Crucible there are many characters that undergo changes and some that do not. Some characters that undergo changes are Reverend Hale and John Proctor and some characters that do not change are ... Danforth. One of the first characters that went through a change in the story was Reverend Hale. An adjective that describes Hale in the beginnin...

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9. Crucible

... changing, and also by showing what type of people they turned out to be in the end after the crucible experience was all said and done. The three characters that I am going to examine are Abigail, Hale, and John Proctor. But as it is the case with most characters in this book, each of the three main characters had a goal they wanted to accomplish or a set motivation in ... the beginning. Abigail was the teen-aged niece of Parris, who first suspected witchcraft upon the girls. Once Abigail ... , well-educated man who is looked upon as the expert in this situation. Hale came to this town ...

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10. The Crucible

... his doings with Abigail and then gets arrested, and the witch trials finally reach their conclusion. Elizabeth was John Proctor's wife and becomes pregnant during the trials. She has been accused of witchcraft but the court did not pursue the accusation. Towards the end of the trials Elizabeth tries talking John into confessing. John agrees but refuses to say anything else. Hale is a minister, and also an expert on witchcraft ... it. He is caring, up tight, anxious, and a motivated person. He wants people to confess and also to testify against each other. During the trials he becomes co...

  • Word Count: 1315
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  • Grade Level: High School

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