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Reverend Hale Character Analysis

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reverend hale character analysis essay

reverend hale character analysis essay

The Crucible

Arthur miller, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions, reverend hale quotes in the crucible.

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"The Crucible" Character Study: Reverend John Hale

The Idealistic Witch Hunter Who Sees the Truth

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In the midst of chaos, with accusations flying and emotional outbursts all around him, one character from Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" remains calm. This is the Reverend John Hale, the idealistic witch hunter.

Hale is the compassionate and logical minister who comes to Salem to investigate claims of witchcraft after young Betty Parris is struck with a mysterious illness. Though it is his specialty, Hale does not immediately call out any sorcery. Instead, he reminds the Puritans that protocol is better than rash conclusions.

By the end of the play, Hale shows his compassion, and though it is too late to save those accused in the witch trials, he has become an endearing character to the audience. Hale is one of playwright Arthur Miller's most memorable characters: He is a man who means well but was misguided by his fervent belief that witchcraft was rampant in the colonies.

Who Is Reverend John Hale?

A specialist in seeking out Satan’s disciples, Reverend Hale travels to New England towns wherever rumors of witchcraft are present. He might be thought of as a Puritan version of the FBI agents in the classic TV drama, “The X-Files.”

Reverend Hale has some salient, and mostly sympathetic, characteristics:

  • He is a young minister dedicated to vanquishing witchcraft, but he is also somewhat naive.
  • He has a critical mind and strong intelligence, particularly in the study of his specialty.
  • He is compassionate, calm, and willing to fully dissect any allegations of witchcraft prior to drawing definitive conclusions.
  • He does not get caught up in the fervor of Salem's witch hunts but keeps a level head.
  • He approaches the "witch problems" with logic (or at least what he believes is scientific).

At first, the audience might find him to be just as self-righteous as the play's villain Reverend Parris . However, Hale seeks out witches because, in his own misguided way, he wants to rid the world of evil. He speaks as though his methods are logical and scientific when, in fact, he uses wives' tales and mythology to root out so-called demons.

Why Hale's "Devil Line" Didn't Get Laughs

One of the more interesting lines from the play is when Reverend Hale is speaking with Parris and the Putnams. They claim that witches are in Salem, but he contends that they should not jump to conclusions. He states, "We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise." 

Arthur Miller notes that this line "never raised a laugh in any audience that has seen this play." Why did Miller expect Hale's line to generate laughter? Because, to Miller, the concept of the Devil is inherently superstitious. Yet, to people such as Hale, and apparently many audience members, Satan is a very real being and therefore the joke about superstition fell flat.

When Reverend Hale Sees the Truth

Hale's change of heart, however, stems from his intuition. Ultimately, in the climactic third act, Hale feels that John Proctor is telling the truth . The once-idealistic reverend openly denounces the court, but it is too late. The judges have already made their deadly ruling.

Reverend Hale is heavy with guilt when the hangings take place, despite his prayers and impassioned protests.

  • Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible': Plot Summary
  • The Crucible Themes
  • The Crucible Overview
  • 'The Crucible' Characters
  • Character Study of Reverend Parris of 'The Crucible'
  • Abigail Williams of the Salem Witch Trials
  • 'The Crucible' Character Study: Judge Danforth
  • The Role of Witch's Cake in Salem
  • 'The Crucible' Quotes
  • History of Witches Signing the Devil's Book
  • Tituba and The Salem Witch Trials of 1692
  • 'Crucible' Character Study: Elizabeth Proctor
  • Biography of Elizabeth Parris, Accuser in the Salem Witch Trials
  • 'The Crucible' Character Study: Rebecca Nurse
  • Crucible Character Study of Abigail Williams
  • Salem Witch Trials Timeline

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The Crucible: Reverend Hale Character Analysis

By: Fatih   •  Essay  •  468 Words  •  December 8, 2008  •  4,566 Views

Essay title: The Crucible: Reverend Hale Character Analysis

Reverend Hale's character is dramatically changed throughout Arthur Miller's play: The Crucible. In the very beginning of the play, Hale appears strong and resolute. He is seen as all knowing, even holy. As the play progresses, Hale's own insecurities prompt the citizen's slow descent of reverence for him.

In Act One, Hale arrives in Salem to try to resolve the problem surrounding the sleeping girls and witchcraft. His arrival stirs up the town, and they are all honored to be in his presence, and he knows it.

Parris: Mr. Hale! Oh! It's good to see you again! (taking some books) My, they're heavy!

Hale: They must be; they are weighted with authority.

Here, Reverend Hale is very self-confident, and is very much enjoying the respect he is given in Salem.

By Act Two, Reverend Hale has somewhat settled in Salem, and the town still shows him much reverence and respect. They trust him as a voice of authority, primarily because he serves on the court. He is however, far more personable than the other judges presiding.

Hale: I am a stranger here as you know. And in my ignorance I find it hard to draw a clear opinion of them that come accused before the court. And so this afternoon and tonight, I go from house to house---I come now from Rebecca Nurse's house-----

Elizabeth: Rebecca's charged!

Hale: God forbid such a one be charged. She is, however—--mentioned somewhat. (Act 2)

Hale's kindness is one of his most endearing traits, and it is why most citizens of Salem trust him. Alongside his religious fervor, Hale was possibly the most respected man in Salem.

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COMMENTS

  1. Reverend Hale Character Analysis: [Essay Example], 542 words

    Reverend Hale Character Analysis. The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, is a powerful play that explores the Salem witch trials through the character of Reverend John Hale. Initially depicted as a confident and knowledgeable expert on witchcraft, Hale is driven by a genuine desire to protect the community from evil and uphold the values of ...

  2. Reverend Hale

    Character Analysis Reverend Hale. Reverend Hale's faith and his belief in the individual divide him. Hales comes to Salem in response to a need. He is the "spiritual doctor" summoned to evaluate Salem. His job is to diagnose witchcraft if it is present, and then provide a necessary cure through conversion or by removing the "infected ...

  3. Reverend Hale Character Analysis in The Crucible

    Reverend Hale Character Analysis. A minister in the nearby Massachusetts town of Beverly, and an expert in identifying witchcraft. An intelligent man, Hale sees himself as a scientist and philosopher, a kind of physician of the soul. At the beginning of the play he's something of an innocent, taking for granted that the world is black and white ...

  4. 'The Crucible' Characters: Meet Reverend John Hale

    This is the Reverend John Hale, the idealistic witch hunter. Hale is the compassionate and logical minister who comes to Salem to investigate claims of witchcraft after young Betty Parris is struck with a mysterious illness. Though it is his specialty, Hale does not immediately call out any sorcery. Instead, he reminds the Puritans that ...

  5. Reverend Hale Character Analysis

    Reverend Hale Character Analysis. Reverend John Hale is a young, smart man close to being in his forties. His main purpose in Arthur Millers's play, The Crucible, is to try to help and save Salem and its witch trials. Rather than witchcraft, Hale quickly realizes that the only true evil in the town is its people.

  6. Reverend Hale Character Analysis Essay

    Reverend Hale is a dynamic character whom comes to rid of the evil spirits in Salem, yet he later tries to end the trials. Hale realizes the accusations are false, attempts to postpone the hangings, and persuade the victims to lie conveys that he is a dynamic character and changes throughout the play.

  7. Reverend Hale Character Analysis

    Reverend Hale Character Analysis Essay. Truth is oftentimes glazed over or obscured by the sweet words of the manipulator, and the journey to discover it is painful in the mental aspect by challenging one's mindset or morals. To those who have faith in truth, however, it can be a savior shining a light onto the path of righteousness. ...

  8. Reverend Hale Character Analysis

    Reverend Hale Character Analysis Essay. 621 Words; 3 Pages; ... Reverend Hale is a dynamic character whom comes to rid of the evil spirits in Salem, yet he later tries to end the trials. Hale realizes the accusations are false, attempts to postpone the hangings, and persuade the victims to lie conveys that he is a dynamic character and changes ...

  9. Discuss Reverend John Hale's character development in The Crucible

    By the end of the play, Reverend Hale is a jaded, guilt-ridden man, who regrets helping the court and is focused on saving innocent citizens' lives. Hale initially appears as an eager and erudite ...

  10. Reverend Hale Character Analysis in The Crucible

    Reverend Hale. John Hale, the intellectual, naïve witch-hunter, enters the play in Act I when Parris summons him to examine his daughter, Betty. In an extended commentary on Hale in Act I, Miller describes him as "a tight-skinned, eager-eyed intellectual. This is a beloved errand for him; on being called here to ascertain witchcraft he has ...

  11. Character Analysis Of Reverend Hale The Crucible

    Character Analysis Of Reverend Hale The Crucible. Reverend Hale, from the play The Crucible, is a dynamic character who was involved in determining the guilt of convicted witches in the Salem Witch Trials. The Crucible, a play by Arthur Miller is based on the true events that occurred in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1953.

  12. Reverend Hale Character Analysis

    Reverend Hale is a dynamic character whom comes to rid of the evil spirits in Salem, yet he later tries to end the trials. Hale realizes the accusations are false, attempts to postpone the hangings, and persuade the victims to lie conveys that he is a dynamic character and changes throughout the play.

  13. The Crucible Reverend Hale Essay

    One dynamic character in The Crucible by Arthur Miller that changes significantly is Reverend John Hale. Reverend Hale is a dynamic character because of the major changes he goes through during the play. In the beginning of the play Mr. Hale wants to find all the witches, and wants them to confess because he thinks they are a sign of the devil.

  14. The Crucible Reverend Hale Character Analysis Essay

    The Crucible Reverend Hale Character Analysis Essay. The crucible symbolizes a trial of good and evil based on the scientific definition of measuring how pure something is. The outcome being to single out the bad people from the good. Reverend Hale acts as a guilt-ridden figure seeking redemption for his wrongdoings.

  15. The Crucible: Reverend Hale Character Analysis

    Reverend Hale's character is dramatically changed throughout Arthur Miller's play: The Crucible. In the very beginning of the play, Hale appears strong and resolute. He is seen as all knowing, even holy. As the play progresses, Hale's own insecurities prompt the citizen's slow descent of reverence for him.

  16. Reverend Hale Character Analysis

    Reverend Hale Character Analysis Essay. Truth is oftentimes glazed over or obscured by the sweet words of the manipulator, and the journey to discover it is painful in the mental aspect by challenging one's mindset or morals. To those who have faith in truth, however, it can be a savior shining a light onto the path of righteousness. ...

  17. Reverend Hale Character Analysis Essay

    Reverend Hale Character Analysis Essay. Reverend John hale was a minister from Beverly and witnessed Massachusetts' first execution of convicted witch, Margaret Jones of Charlestown in 1648. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is about a group of teen girls convicted in 1692 Salem, Massachusetts for performing spiritual rituals around a fire; Which ...

  18. John Hale Character Analysis

    John Hale Character Analysis. Reverend John Hale from Beverly, Massachusetts was summoned to Salem, a town full of supposed witches, manipulative children, a corrupt government, and depraved leaders, yet he takes on an impossible task of saving the wicked from themselves. Playwright Arthur Miller's 1950's play, The Crucible, displays static ...

  19. Essay on Reverend Hale

    Reverend Hale. The Crucible written by Arthur Miller is a play that takes place in the sixteen nineties during the famous but tragic witch trials. Reverend Hale who is a minister and an expert of the demonic arts and witchcraft is sent from East Hanover to Salem where there is a spreading fear of witchcraft. When Hale arrives in Salem he finds ...