Reverend Hale The Crucible Analysis

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Reverend Hale, one of the main characters in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”, is definitely the true tragic hero of the play, even more of than John Proctor, who ends up nobly dying for a cause. Arguably, many people will lean towards John Proctor and his death for the topic of the Tragic Hero, but Reverend Hale loses much more; his internal faith and understanding. Reverend Hale comes to Salem, as the village is in need of spiritual healing. His first mention gives me a feeling of boldness and respect, as Reverend Parris says, “I have sent for Reverend Hale of Beverly...let him look to medicine and put out all thought of unnatural causes here” (Miller 9).

Reverend Hale is known for exceeding mastery in the “invisible world” (Miller 33), he
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Reverend Hale, a man who has been in the court and has witnessed the convictions, questions the credibility of the court officials and the court itself in Act III and exposes some of the true feelings of the theoretic law in Salem, when he pleads to Danforth, “there is a prodigious fear of this court in the country” (Miller 98). Reverend Hale is even conscious about the cruel and unusual accusations, and he explains to his excellency, Danforth, that “[he has] signed seventy-two death warrants; I am a minister of the Lord, and I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it” (Miller 99). Reverend Hale even progresses this thought further, arguing against Danforth, explaining how he has “signed away the soul of Rebecca Nurse” (Miller 99-100), and how “this argument let lawyers present to you” (Miller 100), siding with Proctor and his claim of Mary Warren knowing the fraudulence of Abigail and the …show more content…
Reverend Hale, summoned to Salem for this particular crucible, finally finishes his supposed Christian duty, and speaks to everyone in the dungeon before some of their eventual hanging. Danforth, surprised that Hale returns after storming out of the court in Act III, asks him, “why have you returned here?” (Miller 131), and to Hale’s disdain and disgust, replies with sarcasm, but finishes his remark with seriousness, “there is blood on my head...can you not see the blood on my head[?]” (Miller 131), acknowledging Danforth that he’s responsible for most of the executions, torture, and sorrow of his friends in the Salem dungeon. Reverend Hale truly believes this, and when talking to Elizabeth Proctor, he explains how if John Proctor’s life is taken, “I [will] count myself his murderer” (Miller 131). Unfortunately, despite all of his effort to sustain righteousness and justification in the Salem trials, John Proctor refuses to publicly confess his sins, and Elizabeth Proctor refuses to plead with him, which leads to his hanging, the guilt of his death resting heavily on the conscious of Reverend

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