the crucible
the crucible essay
Rev. Parris and Rev. John Hale are both important characters in the story. These two characters can easily be compared and contrasted. There are some commonalities between the two in the story. Both men are lead male figures in the town, but they were also ministers in the Puritan faith. This was important during this time period because of the beliefs of the time period. And the obvious one if you read the book, is that both are main characters in the story.
One area the two characters contrast is, their personality traits. John Hale is an honest person and tries to give everyone One of the more interesting lines from the play is when Reverend Hale is speaking with Parris and the Putnams. They claim that witches are in Salem, but he contends that they should not jump to conclusions. He states, "We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise." Arthur Miller notes that this line "never raised a laugh in any audience that has seen this play." And why should Hale's line generate laughter. Because, at least in Miller's reckoning, the concept of the Devil is inherently superstitious. Yet, to people such as Hale and many audience members, Satan is a very real person and therefore the Devil's work should be identifiable.
His change of heart, however, stems from his intuition. Ultimately, in the climactic third act, Hale feels that John Proctor is telling the truth. The once-idealistic reverend openly denounces the court, but it is too late. The judges have already made their deadly ruling. Rev. Hale is heavy with guilt when the hangings take place, despite his prayers and fervent protests. However, he was still considered a "good man", as a person rather than being an ideal Puritan citizen. He was very honest, moral, loyal to his friends and family, and was generous. The major difference between the two are good citizen vs. good person.
Rev. Parris and Rev. John Hale are both important characters in the story. These two characters can easily be compared and contrasted. There are some commonalities between the two in the story. Both men are lead male figures in the town, but they were also ministers in the Puritan faith. This was important during this time period because of the beliefs of the time period. And the obvious one if you read the book, is that both are main characters in the story.
One area the two characters contrast is, their personality traits. John Hale is an honest person and tries to give everyone One of the more interesting lines from the play is when Reverend Hale is speaking with Parris and the Putnams. They claim that witches are in Salem, but he contends that they should not jump to conclusions. He states, "We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise." Arthur Miller notes that this line "never raised a laugh in any audience that has seen this play." And why should Hale's line generate laughter. Because, at least in Miller's reckoning, the concept of the Devil is inherently superstitious. Yet, to people such as Hale and many audience members, Satan is a very real person and therefore the Devil's work should be identifiable.
His change of heart, however, stems from his intuition. Ultimately, in the climactic third act, Hale feels that John Proctor is telling the truth. The once-idealistic reverend openly denounces the court, but it is too late. The judges have already made their deadly ruling. Rev. Hale is heavy with guilt when the hangings take place, despite his prayers and fervent protests. However, he was still considered a "good man", as a person rather than being an ideal Puritan citizen. He was very honest, moral, loyal to his friends and family, and was generous. The major difference between the two are good citizen vs. good person.