John Hale: A Tragic Hero
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible symbolises the events that took place in the 1950s known as the, “Red Scare”. This event is what inspired Miller to write The Crucible. In a creative fashion, this was Miller’s way to criticize the paranoia surrounding the overly conservative American government. Using his greatest weapon, the pen, Miller was able to compose the historical character, John Proctor, in the spitting image of Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero (Posses a nobility, fatal flaw, a reversal, recognition, and accepting consequences with honor). Even though that John Proctor is the obvious choice for the tragic hero in The Crucible, John Hale also fulfills this definition, which exhibits the need for moral honesty to counterbalance socially expected principles, especially when those principles are based on intolerance, hysteria, and reputation. …show more content…
There is some truth in this description of Mr. Hale. He does indeed have an extensive of witchcraft, is a profound witch hunter, and does have good intentions as seen here, “His goal is light, and goodness and its preservation” (Miller 844). However, Hale knows little to nothing about the people of Salem. In turn Hale gets pretty arrogant and cocky stating, “Have no fear now-we shall find him out if he has come among us, and I mean to crush him utterly if he has shown his face!” (Miller 845). This is Hale’s fatal flaw which ultimately leads to his downfall when he goes to the Proctors’ house without the court knowing to try to get to know who the Proctors really are. When John Proctor gets convicted this is the point where Hale’s confidences just gets demolished. He says, “I denounce these proceedings, I quit this court!” (Miller
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible symbolises the events that took place in the 1950s known as the, “Red Scare”. This event is what inspired Miller to write The Crucible. In a creative fashion, this was Miller’s way to criticize the paranoia surrounding the overly conservative American government. Using his greatest weapon, the pen, Miller was able to compose the historical character, John Proctor, in the spitting image of Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero (Posses a nobility, fatal flaw, a reversal, recognition, and accepting consequences with honor). Even though that John Proctor is the obvious choice for the tragic hero in The Crucible, John Hale also fulfills this definition, which exhibits the need for moral honesty to counterbalance socially expected principles, especially when those principles are based on intolerance, hysteria, and reputation. …show more content…
There is some truth in this description of Mr. Hale. He does indeed have an extensive of witchcraft, is a profound witch hunter, and does have good intentions as seen here, “His goal is light, and goodness and its preservation” (Miller 844). However, Hale knows little to nothing about the people of Salem. In turn Hale gets pretty arrogant and cocky stating, “Have no fear now-we shall find him out if he has come among us, and I mean to crush him utterly if he has shown his face!” (Miller 845). This is Hale’s fatal flaw which ultimately leads to his downfall when he goes to the Proctors’ house without the court knowing to try to get to know who the Proctors really are. When John Proctor gets convicted this is the point where Hale’s confidences just gets demolished. He says, “I denounce these proceedings, I quit this court!” (Miller