The Crucible

A detailed Summary of The Crucible

In the play The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, the character of Reverand Hale undergoes a transformation, one more remarkable than that of any other character in the play. In the first act of the play, Hale is portrayed as an eager-eyed intellectual, whose expertise on witchcraft will finally be put to use in the town of Salem. Once he recognizes the hysteria in Salem , the realization sets in that witchcraft is nothing more than means of revenge in the small town. As his belief in witchcraft falters, so does his faith in the law and by the end of the play, Hale is begging the accused to lie to the court to save their lives. In the play The Crucible, Reverand Hale goes through a drastic transformation, from a firm believer in the power of witchcraft and the efficiency of the law becoming a broken man, overwhelmed by guilt and loss of faith in the court.

In Act I, Parris is anxiously awaiting Reverand Hale to discover the cause of his daughter Betty's illness. Hale is portrayed as an expert on the matters of witchcraft, a subject that would be rarely put to use during this or any time. He is considered by Parris and the rest of the community to be a knowledgeable and educated man on the topic of witc

concern with his family name and his precarious position in the community. Upon Hale's arrival, his extensive knowledge about witchcraft can finally be put to use.

In Act IV, Hale is so overwhelmed with guilt that he is pleading for the remaining accused to just admit to witchcraft. He recognizes lying is a sin, but rationalizes that life is more valuable and important. "Cleave to no faith when faith brings blood. It is mistaken law that leads you to sacrifice. Life is God's most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it"(1159). After the disaterous court proceedings, Hale has completely dismissed the idea of actual Satanic work in the town of Salem and is now solely focused on saving as many lives as possible. It is very ironic that himself, a preacher, is asking people to disobey God and asking people to lie, but he rationalizes that saving peoples' lives is more important than his own personal morals. "I have sought a Christian way, for damnation's doubled on a minister who counsels men to lie"(1159). The guilt of signing away numerous innocent to death has taken its toll on Hale, and now he seeks to do everything in his own power to end these proceedings in Salem before anymore innocent die. He is now trying to make the best of a bad situation by saving the last few who can be saved, even if this means lying to the court.

Reverand Hale comes

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Approximate Word count = 947
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English