Reverend Hale Changes In The Crucible

Helen Keller, a disabled rights activist, American author, and lecturer once said “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” This quote relates to The Crucible by Arthur Miller by showing how a dynamic character changes throughout the story of the Salem witch trials. During this story, the character who goes through the most change is the character Reverend Hale. Through Reverend Hale’s change from a narcissistic holy man to a humbled, guilt-ridden man, Arthur Miller illustrates the realization of regret changing a man.

At the beginning of the book, Reverend Hale was called upon to go to Salem, Massachusetts where he

At this point in the story, fourteen people had been accused and arrested for witchcraft allegations, all of these people were sentenced to be arrested by Reverend Hale and after that sentenced to be hanged. While talking to John Proctor, a man who is skeptical of the false accusations, Reverend Hale says to John “Man, remember, until an hour before the Devil fell, God thought him beautiful”(68) This is a reflection of how Reverend Hale can not deny any accusation because, as an ordained minister he is obligated to follow every bit of the Bible which states that anyone can change due to the Devil. As we see Reverend Hale progress as a character we see him progress to moving away from the Bible for evidence. Prior to the conversation he had with John, he was talking to Goody Proctor, John’s wife who is considered a very godly woman. Hale is talking about potential allegations of witchcraft in the Proctor household, Goody Proctor is offended by this, so Reverend Hale says “Goody Proctor I do not judge you”(64) This statement he makes shows how despite him thinking so highly of himself in the beginning, he is not here to judge someone considered lower than him by