Examples Of Heroism In The Crucible

When Reverend Hale first Appeared in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, he was very different from the person shown at the end of the play ...At first Hale believed that he was to be helpful and that he was doing the right thing, but by the end of the play he was stuck trying to fix his horrifying mistake, weighed down by the guilt from the lives of those killed.

In Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, many characters change throughout the story. One that stands out is Reverend John Hale. In the beginning he believes the false accusations of Abigail and the other girls. After listening to John Proctor and Mary Warren he realizes their story is more believable. It broke him to know that he was at fault for 19 innocent deaths. This experience changes him from being a confident man, who believed in the law and the witch trials to a humble and hurt man.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller was modeled after the Puritanical society during the Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692. Innocent people, such as Rebecca Nurse and Elizabeth Proctor were falsely accused and condemned of witchcraft. The aftermath of the trials affected the children, cattle, crops, and the reputations of the accused. Because reputation in the Puritan society was highly valuable, change in tolerating viewpoints other than their own was unlikely. Change, however, demonstrates character development. Characters such as John Proctor, Reverend Hale, and Mary Warren show development throughout the play in which Hale acknowledges his mistakes, Proctor sacrifices his reputation and honor, and Mary deteriorates into a weaker character.

First, John Proctor shows his goodness, by refusing the physical advances of Abigail, who wishes to continue their love affair. He states to her, “Abby I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for

Arthur Miller, a prominent twentieth century playwright, is well-known for his play The Crucible. The play opens in the Puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. The Puritan religion is against dancing and singing because the Puritans believe these are sensuous activities. The Puritans also believe that Satan tempts human beings to carry out his work. Fear and hysteria strike Salem over the belief that the devil is in the town because Parris’s niece, Abigail Williams, was found dancing in the forest with other girls and Parris’s servant; and soon after two young girls fall sick. The town suspects the girls of witchcraft; however, Parris does not want to believe witchcraft is the cause of the trouble in Salem; so he calls in Reverend

Reverend Hale is the character that changes the most in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible because his feelings on witchcraft turns from full belief to unbelievable doubt, his thoughts on Proctor changes from thinking that he is evil to thinking that he is a good and honest man, and he switches from doing God’s work to doing the Devil’s.

He begins to try to convince Proctor and others to sign documents saying they are witches so that they can go free. Hale has returned to Salem because he feels guilty for signing the death warrants of many innocent people as he says, "There is blood on my head!"(Miller 131). He pleads with the judges again to give him more time or to pardon them as there are orphans walking around Salem, and the judges seem to know they are wrong also. Reverend Hale's last attempt to save Proctor is to try to have Elizabeth convince Proctor to confess. Proctor strongly considers it but tears the confession paper up as he does not want to ruin his family name. Hale, defeated, weeps in prayer as Proctor is sent to hung.

In the book Crucible written by Arthur Miller took place in 1692. Some may believe that Reverend Hale is not to blame for all the deaths of innocent people in Salem.The only reason Reverend Hale is involved in this case, is because he is pushing his limits to get the truth. Also, to not let any guilty doers off the chain, for the reason that they will keep repeating their dirty crimes. There has been many witch trials taken place in salem, of which many people have been accused and persecuted.

Reverend Hale's character changed from believing in witches and saving their souls from the devil to saving their lives from a lie. At some point, he realizes that the church can be used for evil too. The cause of this is from interrogating the people of Salem of witchcraft. At the end of the story John Hale opposes the court one hundred percent. Hale realizes that he was wrong, so he tries to amend his wrong doings by saving the people he condemned."I am not worth the dust on the feet of those who have hanged."(Miller 1345). At the end, Reverend Hale is very happy and holy. John Proctor doesn't seem to fully accept Hale's advice on the confession. This does not mean that Hale did not have a good idea to keep Proctor alive, it means that John Proctor values his pride above his

In act 1 and 2 in the play ,The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the character Reverend Hale was introduced and learned what his role was. Reverend Hale was a man nearing his forties and was a high-status intellectual who was an expert in witchcraft (Miller 155). In this act Hale said that he believes there always will be someone with the devil(Miller 155). Hale was siding with the court in this act and signing death warrants along with believing in these accusations fully as shown in his visit to the Proctors when he said there is too much evidence to deny the Devil is in Salem (Miller 171). Also, Hale almost played as an interrogator when he was giving rapid fire questions to John about his Christian character and if he goes to church in his visit to the Proctor house (Miller 171). In the beginning acts, Hale was trusting the court more than John and was a big part of handling warrants of the accused individuals along with having much confidence in himself, his knowledge of witchcraft, and knowledge of witches in Salem.

In Arthur Miller's "The Crucible," Abigail Williams, Judge Danforth, and John Proctor are responsible for the witch trials. Not only is Abigail one of the characters responsible for the witch trails, but she is the one who instigated the witchcraft fervor within Salem. John is one of the characters responsible for the trails because he has an affair with Abigail. Lastly, Judge Danforth is one of the characters responsible for the trails because he convicts many people, and he leads them to their death without fully examining all the evidence that is put in front of him. Ultimately, all three of these characters are responsible for the witch trials due to their individual failings.

The Crucible had so many lessons and purposes throughout the play, but only three main things stood out: Weakness, Courage, and Truth. Which all had huge impacts in the play.

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. Beware, Goody Proctor---cleave to no faith when faith brings blood. It is mistaken law that leads you to sacrifice. Life, woman, life is God’s most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the 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. Will you plead with him? I cannot think he will listen to another.” Reverend Hale pleads with Goody Proctor “ Let him give his lie.” Hale no longer believes in the witch trials. Everything Reverend Hale came to Salem for now no longer means anything to him. By this point Reverend Hale, among others, has become fed up with the pretense and falseness of ‘The Salem Witch Trials’ and wants nothing more than for it to be over. (page 84, act four, Miller, Arthur The Crucible: A Play in Four Acts, Viking Press 1953) “ HALE, quickly to Danforth: Excellency, it is enough he confess himself. Let him sign it, let him sign it.” Reverend Hale begs Judge Danforth to be

Throughout the play The Crucible, there are several transformations among characters. One strong transformation is that of Reverend Hale. Hale epitomizes a very dynamic character. Throughout all of the drama in Salem, Hale changes drastically from a man with intentions to free the world from the clutches of satan to a person who realizes the Salem witch trials were all based on lies and tomfoolery.

Pride has no good outcome. Pride is not a virtue that brings about peace, love, and prosperity. It is a selfish emotion that promotes injustice by claiming superiority over others. Being the result of an unstable theocracy, religious extremism, and a flawed village; The Salem Witch Trials were vulnerable to letting arrogant figures rule them. In his play, The Crucible, Arthur Miller presents the consequences pride produces through his most authoritative characters Hale and Danforth, who consequently lead the trials to its disastrous fate.