Reverend Hale's Authority In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

The famous renaissance man, Leonardo Da Vinci once said, “Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence”. Ruling Salem in the 17th century, a theocracy, or government run by religious leaders, inhibited separation of the Puritan church and state laws. As a result, the most devout Christians experienced surges in authority because they were the most obedient to the theocracy and its goal of purifying Salem. Therefore, those who were obedient were rewarded, whereas ne'er do wells and other impure people were either corrected or removed from society. Allowing no room for error from its residents, the theocracy even installed “a two-man patrol” (4), appointed to ensure cooperation and righteous behavior. Thus, devotion and loyalty to the theocracy resulted in a heightened influence over the proceedings in Salem. In Miller’s The Crucible, Reverend Hale experiences a shift from blind obedience, to conscious disobedience against the corrupt system ruling Salem; however, Hale’s authority continually diminishes, until he eventually loses all of his influence.
Due to his vast knowledge in the topic of witchcraft, Hale shows blind obedience when he gets called upon to act as the

Moreover, as Hale remains hidden from reality, blinded by the witch-identifying doctrines he is so well-versed in, his authority over others prevails. Attempting to discover witchcraft in the Proctor abode, Hale questions the couple’s Christian character, asking why they “are so absent” in church (64) and of their children, why “only two are baptized” (65). Following this line of reasoning, Hale is only able to think through the lens of his books, without any attention to the big picture of the trials. Moreover, Hale’s blind obedience carries on, as his teachings lead him to believe the Proctors are guilty, leading him to present this to the court under his existing