Examples Of Hale's Transformation In The Crucible

Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, presents a theme that demonstrates how characters change throughout the storyline. The dramatic changes of the characters show how people in late 1600’s managed to get through the accusations of witchcraft and moreover how the accusers and or condemners were able to handle the chaotic event. Miller’s play helps one understand what the Salem Witch Trials did to people’s emotions and mentalities. People demanded one to be hung or burned if the person sinned unless they confessed, turned back around to God, and blamed others for their sin. In The Crucible, with Hale’s transformation Miller is emphasizing that humanity will always seek redemption, the truth will triumph the lies, and people will constantly try

Hale becomes a sensible man in act IV as he says, “Life, [Elizabeth], life is God’s most precious gift; no principle, however glorious may justify taking of it. I beg you, woman, prevail upon your husband to confess. Let him give his lie. Quail not before God’s judgement in this, for it may well be God damns a liar less than he that throws his life away for pride” (132). Hale wants Goody Proctor to convince her husband to confess so that he could be redeemed. Furthermore, Hale goes to the point of denouncing the court to be forgiven but it is too late. It is very unusual of him to denounce the court but he does it anyway, “I denounce these proceedings, I quit this court!” (120) because he is a prestigious man who thought of the court as the high regime. Nearing the end of the book, Hale realizes that he has been deceived by the cunning Abigail and all of the people he saw to were going to be hung. Then again, before he realized his mistake and asked for redemption he was confident that he knew these people were victims of witchcraft, “Excellency, I have signed seventy-two death warrants; I am a minister of the Lord, and I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it” (99). Hale is a very confident minister but he slowly transforms into a sensible man and realizes that he has been signing innocent people off

When Hale realizes he signed off innocent people’s names to be hung he feels remorseful because it is in his nature to feel that way, “Life, woman, life is God’s most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify taking it” (132) and if he did not feel remorseful, his character would be completely different. Hale is a wonderful character because he tried to sway Elizabeth to make Proctor confess just so he can live, “I beg you, [Elizabeth], prevail upon your husband to confess…for it may well be God damns a liar less than he that throws his life away for pride” (132). Hale indicates no matter whom the person or what the situation is, a wrongdoing can become right. Finally, Hale endlessly tries to switch Elizabeth’s mind till the last page of the booking showing how much he cares about everything that can become right in his ability such as, “Woman, plead with him! Woman! It is pride, it is vanity. Be his helper! What profit him to bleed? Shall the dust praise him? Shall the worms declare his truth? Go to him, take his shame away!” (145). Hale should inspire his readers to do what is right. It is in the nature of a human being to make things