Ms. McDermott
American Lit 5th hour
7 November 2013
Who is to Blame In late August 1692, nineteen people (and two dogs) hanged for witchcraft and one was pressed to death. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play about how innocent people were killed by false accusations. This play takes place in Salem during 1692. Reverend John Hale arrives from another city n MA to solve the problem about witches in Salem. Reverend John Hale is very intellectual and a naive witch-hunter. Hale is to blame for the killings in Salem because he made many false accusations, had power but did not want to ruin his reputation, and he did not speak up. Hale made many accusations and that lead to people dying just for no reason. Its true Hale did make accusations but so did everyone else, Abigail Williams and the girls blame Tituba of witch crafting. However, Hale signed for people’s deaths and Hale accuses Proctor and questions his religion and his Christianity. Hale accuses John Proctor, “Twenty-six time in seventeen months, sir I must call that rare”(Miller 167:487-488). Hale accused Proctor for being bad Christian because has not been to the church for a long time. Hale is responsible for the murder of John Proctor because Hale’s accusation led to Proctor going to jail and left John Proctor hanging and Hale could not do anything to stop it. After Tituba was also accused, “you have sent your spirit out upon this child, have you not? Are you gathering souls for the devil?”(Miller 156: 918-919). Hale alleged Tituba for getting Betty sick with her witch crafting skills. Therefore, Hale is responsible because Tituba did not want to get hung so, she confessed and went to jail. After Tituab’s confession Abigail and the girls started blaming people. That’s why Hale is to blame because he made accusations and that led to people dying. Rev. John Hale misused his power and he lied to protect his reputation. Although that is true, Danforth and Reverend