What would happen if in the next twenty-four hours twenty innocent people were arrested and accused of committing a capital crime? Would all of the news be flooded with stories of the families? Would the streets of Washington D.C. be marched yet again? If the majority of the individuals being prosecuted were found guilty, would there be an uproar within the nation? What if no one spoke for these poor souls and everyone simply assumed they were guilty until proven innocent? In 1962, John Proctor was a man that felt the effects of a situation in which an innocent is wrongfully convicted, all too well. Within the lines of Arthur Miller’s Crucible, there is a time in which John Proctor, along with many others, could greatly benefit from Reverend
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Among the masses being convicted is Elizabeth Proctor, John’s wife. There are many women being accused of witchcraft that have an unlikeliness of being found guilty, especially Elizabeth, yet Reverend Hale refuses to look at the brutally honest claims made to stand in support of Elizabeth’s innocence. When Reverend Hale appears at the Proctor house and begins to question Elizabeth about witchcraft, both John and herself declared they do not believe in witches of the kind. Elizabeth makes the statement, “I cannot think the Devil may own a woman’s soul, Mr. Hale, when she keeps an upright way, as I have. I am a good woman, I know it; and if you believe I may do only good work in the world, and yet be secretly bound to Satan, then I must tell you, sir, I do not believe.” (Act Two) Under the intellectual observations of Reverend Hale, it should have been clear that if a person does not believe in a thing, then it should be nearly, if not completely, impossible for that person to be or do that particular thing. With this in mind, Reverend Hale should thus take action to see that Elizabeth and the others are not wrongfully …show more content…
It is not enough to only have disbelief, but Reverend Hale also needs to be aware of the solid ground he is standing on. The accusations may come from what seems to be a reliable source, but there is still the issue that none of these action can be proved. This does raise the question of whether or not religious beliefs should be intermingled with justice. For the sake of distinguishing the two, there has to be ground rule. In faith there is the understanding of the unknown through blind belief, but in justice there is action through the evidence that cannot be reputed. Within the Crucible, Reverend Hale briefly touches on this matter when he states, “You are God’s instrument put in our hands to discover the Devil’s agent among us. You are selected, Tituba, you are chosen to help us cleanse our village. So speak utterly, Tituba, turn your back on him and face God-Face God, Tituba, and God will protect you.” (Act One) In this Reverend Hale points out that these accusations will be based on what Tituba is being told by God. The actions of a Greater Power will be argued until the ends of the earth, but the fact remains that there is no physical proof that this being exists. Without the credentials proven, the statements of these convictions are nothing more than hearsay. The absence of the accusers evidence is not the presence of
Among the masses being convicted is Elizabeth Proctor, John’s wife. There are many women being accused of witchcraft that have an unlikeliness of being found guilty, especially Elizabeth, yet Reverend Hale refuses to look at the brutally honest claims made to stand in support of Elizabeth’s innocence. When Reverend Hale appears at the Proctor house and begins to question Elizabeth about witchcraft, both John and herself declared they do not believe in witches of the kind. Elizabeth makes the statement, “I cannot think the Devil may own a woman’s soul, Mr. Hale, when she keeps an upright way, as I have. I am a good woman, I know it; and if you believe I may do only good work in the world, and yet be secretly bound to Satan, then I must tell you, sir, I do not believe.” (Act Two) Under the intellectual observations of Reverend Hale, it should have been clear that if a person does not believe in a thing, then it should be nearly, if not completely, impossible for that person to be or do that particular thing. With this in mind, Reverend Hale should thus take action to see that Elizabeth and the others are not wrongfully …show more content…
It is not enough to only have disbelief, but Reverend Hale also needs to be aware of the solid ground he is standing on. The accusations may come from what seems to be a reliable source, but there is still the issue that none of these action can be proved. This does raise the question of whether or not religious beliefs should be intermingled with justice. For the sake of distinguishing the two, there has to be ground rule. In faith there is the understanding of the unknown through blind belief, but in justice there is action through the evidence that cannot be reputed. Within the Crucible, Reverend Hale briefly touches on this matter when he states, “You are God’s instrument put in our hands to discover the Devil’s agent among us. You are selected, Tituba, you are chosen to help us cleanse our village. So speak utterly, Tituba, turn your back on him and face God-Face God, Tituba, and God will protect you.” (Act One) In this Reverend Hale points out that these accusations will be based on what Tituba is being told by God. The actions of a Greater Power will be argued until the ends of the earth, but the fact remains that there is no physical proof that this being exists. Without the credentials proven, the statements of these convictions are nothing more than hearsay. The absence of the accusers evidence is not the presence of