The Crucible Hale Character Analysis

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From the start of the play, Hale arrives with good intentions and investigates the new development of witchcraft in Salem in order to expel the devil. When Parris requests Hale to come to Salem, it “is a beloved errand for him” because he is eager to prove his skill and is determined to accurately interpret what is happening in the town (Miller 30). His desire to rid Salem of witchcraft causes him to be highly regarded in Salem because of what he is trying to accomplish. Hale also believes that he is doing God’s work, but his findings actually result in many people being arrested for trial. Likewise, when asking John Proctor and his wife questions
Giles 2 in Act II, Hale demonstrates his beliefs about witches and his faith: “No man may longer doubt the powers of the dark are gathered in monstrous attack upon this village” (61). During the witch trials, witches were believed to be true, and Hale
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Once all of the accused are arrested in Salem, Hale finally understands that what he is doing is wrong and that the people arrested are innocent. Hale is compelled to tell the imprisoned people that they should lie and confess that they are witches when in reality they aren’t; Hale thinks this because he knows that killing the so-called “witches” is immoral. In the end, Hale identifies his regret, and he reverts to more of an un-Godly way: “I have sought a Christian way, for damnation’s doubled on a minister who counsels men to lie” (122). Yet again, Hale understands his mistakes and is required to learn from them, and he asks forgiveness at the end of the play. Therefore, Hale is looking for the imprisoned people to escape a death sentence, but his morals would be compromised if he did so. The foil that Reverend Hale creates between the social norms of the 17th Century and the natural logic of human beings contributes to the meaning of the