John Hale in the Crucible

How is it possible for one to be so benevolent, yet still stimulate so much controversy and even death? In Arthur Millerr's The Crucible, we see Reverend Haler's naivety, altruism, and sincere nature that leads him to have too much faith in humanity and cause many issues throughout the play.

At the beginning of The Crucible, we can see Reverend Haler's altruistic nature, and his desire to help people, a hidden characteristic because of the manipulation he falls for and the aggressive interrogations he does at the beginning of the play. His eagerness to solve problems can sometimes have consequences. Hale is first summoned to Salem by Reverend Parris, so he can examine his daughter, Betty, to determine if she has been afflicted. Before Hale examines Betty, he wants to be sure that Parris is willing to listen to his advice. He tells Parris, We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise; the marks of his presence are definite as stone, and I must tell you all that I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of Hell upon her (Miller 12). Hale is taking his job seriously and wants to make sure that everyone else is as well. He is not just doing this for money or selfish reasons, but rather uses his skills to help people. After Hale arrives, Abigail accuses Tituba of witchcraft to clear her name, and as a result, Tituba receives an interrogation from Hale to find out if she is telling the truth and to help Tituba if she is. He tells her to, Take courage, you must give us all their names.

How can you bear to see these children suffering? Look at them, Tituba-look at their God-given innocence; their souls are so tender; we must protect them, Tituba; the devil is out and preying on them like a beast upon the flesh of the pure lamb...God will bless you for your help (17) Hale wants to help the innocent children he thinks have been afflicted, and by recognizing their innocence when talking to Abigail, it is his attempt to trying to help them. Later on, Hale goes to the Proctors home to question them himself before they appear in court, so he does not jump to conclusions about their innocence. When he concludes that they are innocent, he tries to help them. He says, God keeps you both; let the third child be quickly baptized, and go you without fail each Sunday into Sabbath prayer; and keep a solemn, quiet way among you (30). Hale tells the Proctors to try to appear more Christian so no one will question them and their faith. Compared to other characters such as Reverend Parris and Abigail , Hale is not in it to help himself, and he is genuinely trying to help people. Reverend Hale arrives in Salem in response to Reverend Parrisr's cry for help and although some of the accusations he made may have ended up hurting people, he dedicates his life to his faith and helping people.

In the middle and end of the play, we can see Reverend Haler's naivety toward the court which later leads to internal conflict and severe consequences. Before Hale jumps to any conclusions, he goes to visit the Proctors to see for himself if he thinks they are innocent. He tells them, ''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 (31). Hale is acknowledging the fact that his judgment may be clouded due to the bias of the people whom he is getting information from; therefore, he must make his own decisions. Hale is speaking to Proctor when Elizabeth is being taken away under the charge of witchcraft. Hale pleads, Charity, Proctor, Charity”what I have heard in her favor I will not fear to testify in court. God help me, I cannot judge her guilty nor innocent I know not. Only this consider the world goes mad, and it profits nothing you should lay the cause to the vengeance of a little girl (26). Hale believes that Goody Proctor will be released, but realizes he is wrong and the trust he has within the court fades. Francis Nurse is concerned about the future of his wife after she is charged with witchcraft, and Hale tells him the court make the right decision. He tells Nurse, "Believe me, Mr. Nurse, if Rebecca Nurse be tainted, then nothing's left to stop the whole green world from burning. Let you rest upon the justice of the court; the court will send her home, I know it (31). When Hale says this, it proves that he fully trusts the court. He thinks they will release the innocent and punish the guilty. Coming into Salem, Hale has full trust in the justice system and that they will do their job, however, as the trial progresses, he begins to realize that the court can have alternative motives.

By looking at Reverend Hale at the end of Tthe Crucible, we can see the sincere guilt he has for the innocent people dying. The longer Hale is in Salem, the more aware he becomes of the corruption within the court. Hale is in the vestry room of the Meeting House where an examination is going on when Abigail pretends that Mary Warren, the Proctorr's maid, is sending sends a freezing wind through the courtroom and is sending her spirit out in the shape of a bird to hurt her. The judge believes Abigail and arrests Proctor and Corey. Hale is outraged by her obvious lies and even goes as far as to quit histhe job. He exclaims, I denounce these proceedings! I quit this court! (57). Hale devotes his life to his job and to quit and announce witchcraft as fraud proves he is a sincere and honest man. This is ironic because many of the other characters in the play do things solely to helping themselves, while Hale is just looking out for other people. After Hale has been gone for some time, he returns to Salem to try to fix what he feels as though it is his fault. He tells Danforth, Why, it is all simple. I come to do the Devil?s work. I come to counsel Christians they should belie themselves. There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head! (62). Hale feels responsible for the executions because as they expect in the situation, he feels culpable for the situation. After Proctor is arrested and sentenced to a hanging because of being found guilty, Hale tries to convince Goody Proctor to persuade John to confess, so he does not die. He tells Goody Proctor, I would save your husband?s life, for if he is taken I count myself his murderer. Do you understand me? (63). Hale wants so desperately for Proctor to confess because he blames himself and does not want another death on his hands. Hale believes too much in the honesty of the court and leads him to be guilty.

After studying Reverend John Hale in depth, one can come to the conclusion that although he may have caused a few problems throughout the play, he still always had goodwill. Hale truly believed he was doing the right thing, but is easily manipulated. This is prevalent in our society, when one has too much faith in people, allowing them to be easily taken advantage of.How is it possible for one to be so benevolent, yet still stimulate so much controversy and even death? In Arthur Millerr's The Crucible, we see Reverend Haler's naivety, altruism, and sincere nature that leads him to have too much faith in humanity and cause many issues throughout the play.

At the beginning of The Crucible, we can see Reverend Haler's altruistic nature, and his desire to help people, a hidden characteristic because of the manipulation he falls for and the aggressive interrogations he does at the beginning of the play. His eagerness to solve problems can sometimes have consequences. Hale is first summoned to Salem by Reverend Parris, so he can examine his daughter, Betty, to determine if she has been afflicted. Before Hale examines Betty, he wants to be sure that Parris is willing to listen to his advice. He tells Parris, We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise; the marks of his presence are definite as stone, and I must tell you all that I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of Hell upon her (Miller 12). Hale is taking his job seriously and wants to make sure that everyone else is as well. He is not just doing this for money or selfish reasons, but rather uses his skills to help people. After Hale arrives, Abigail accuses Tituba of witchcraft to clear her name, and as a result, Tituba receives an interrogation from Hale to find out if she is telling the truth and to help Tituba if she is. He tells her to, Take courage, you must give us all their names.

How can you bear to see these children suffering? Look at them, Tituba-look at their God-given innocence; their souls are so tender; we must protect them, Tituba; the devil is out and preying on them like a beast upon the flesh of the pure lamb...God will bless you for your help (17) Hale wants to help the innocent children he thinks have been afflicted, and by recognizing their innocence when talking to Abigail, it is his attempt to trying to help them. Later on, Hale goes to the Proctors home to question them himself before they appear in court, so he does not jump to conclusions about their innocence. When he concludes that they are innocent, he tries to help them. He says, God keeps you both; let the third child be quickly baptized, and go you without fail each Sunday into Sabbath prayer; and keep a solemn, quiet way among you (30). Hale tells the Proctors to try to appear more Christian so no one will question them and their faith. Compared to other characters such as Reverend Parris and Abigail , Hale is not in it to help himself, and he is genuinely trying to help people. Reverend Hale arrives in Salem in response to Reverend Parrisr's cry for help and although some of the accusations he made may have ended up hurting people, he dedicates his life to his faith and helping people.

In the middle and end of the play, we can see Reverend Haler's naivety toward the court which later leads to internal conflict and severe consequences. Before Hale jumps to any conclusions, he goes to visit the Proctors to see for himself if he thinks they are innocent. He tells them, ''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 (31). Hale is acknowledging the fact that his judgment may be clouded due to the bias of the people whom he is getting information from; therefore, he must make his own decisions. Hale is speaking to Proctor when Elizabeth is being taken away under the charge of witchcraft. Hale pleads, Charity, Proctor, Charity”what I have heard in her favor I will not fear to testify in court. God help me, I cannot judge her guilty nor innocent I know not. Only this consider”the world goes mad, and it profits nothing you should lay the cause to the vengeance of a little girl (26). Hale believes that Goody Proctor will be released, but realizes he is wrong and the trust he has within the court fades. Francis Nurse is concerned about the future of his wife after she is charged with witchcraft, and Hale tells him the court make the right decision. He tells Nurse, "Believe me, Mr. Nurse, if Rebecca Nurse be tainted, then nothing's left to stop the whole green world from burning. Let you rest upon the justice of the court; the court will send her home, I know it (31). When Hale says this, it proves that he fully trusts the court. He thinks they will release the innocent and punish the guilty. Coming into Salem, Hale has full trust in the justice system and that they will do their job, however, as the trial progresses, he begins to realize that the court can have alternative motives.

By looking at Reverend Hale at the end of Tthe Crucible, we can see the sincere guilt he has for the innocent people dying. The longer Hale is in Salem, the more aware he becomes of the corruption within the court. Hale is in the vestry room of the Meeting House where an examination is going on when Abigail pretends that Mary Warren, the Proctorr's maid, is sending sends a freezing wind through the courtroom and is sending her spirit out in the shape of a bird to hurt her. The judge believes Abigail and arrests Proctor and Corey. Hale is outraged by her obvious lies and even goes as far as to quit histhe job. He exclaims, I denounce these proceedings! I quit this court! (57). Hale devotes his life to his job and to quit and announce witchcraft as fraud proves he is a sincere and honest man. This is ironic because many of the other characters in the play do things solely to helping themselves, while Hale is just looking out for other people. After Hale has been gone for some time, he returns to Salem to try to fix what he feels as though it is his fault. He tells Danforth, Why, it is all simple. I come to do the Devil?s work. I come to counsel Christians they should belie themselves. There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head! (62). Hale feels responsible for the executions because as they expect in the situation, he feels culpable for the situation. After Proctor is arrested and sentenced to a hanging because of being found guilty, Hale tries to convince Goody Proctor to persuade John to confess, so he does not die. He tells Goody Proctor, I would save your husband?s life, for if he is taken I count myself his murderer. Do you understand me? (63). Hale wants so desperately for Proctor to confess because he blames himself and does not want another death on his hands. Hale believes too much in the honesty of the court and leads him to be guilty.

After studying Reverend John Hale in depth, one can come to the conclusion that although he may have caused a few problems throughout the play, he still always had goodwill. Hale truly believed he was doing the right thing, but is easily manipulated. This is prevalent in our society, when one has too much faith in people, allowing them to be easily taken advantage of.

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