Essay On Reverend Hale In The Crucible

In Arthur Miller’s, The Crucible, it’s very obvious there’s tension and resentment. Talks of evil and talks of unfairness surround the book. Although some characters are at fault for the evil, some try to help, even if they don’t seem to at first. One example of a character like this is Reverend Hale. He starts out as a character you probably won’t like, but as the play continues, you slowly become more accustomed to his way of thinking and what he wants overall. In the beginning, it’s very obvious that Reverend Hale is a bit full of himself. As he’s introduced to the play, it says, “He feels himself allied with the best minds of Europe-Kings, philosophers, scientists, and ecclesiasts of all churches” (Miller 1148). By stating this, it shows that Hale believes he may be better than others because he’s been called to Salem for his special skills. Hale deems himself above all as the result. When Reverend Hale enters Parris’ home with heavy doctoring books, he explains how they are heavy because “they are weighted with authority” (Miller 1149). In this particular example of Hale’s large ego, he helps to explain how his studies
In this act, Reverend Hale seems to be less full of himself, and more hesitant. He talks about how he has a difficult time drawing “a clear opinion of them that come accused before the court,” because he doesn’t know the people of their town (Miller 1169). As he’s questioning the Proctors, it can be inferred that he has the revelation that although his skills are well-developed, maybe he needs more experience with the people of the court and Salem. Overall, it’s clear that Hale may be doubting his skills due to his lack of knowledge on the townspeople. This recognition makes the reverend hesitant. In this performance, it’s almost as if it seems Hale couldn’t change anymore than he already has, but he surprises us once