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Post by lemoise35 on Oct 8, 2011 16:23:32 GMT -5
From Act One to Act Three Reverend Hale experiences a personal transformation. A seemingly positive character in Act One, he is the person who, in a sense, started the witch trails by speaking to Tituba and trying to help her purge herself of the Devil. At first, Hale is onboard with persecuting witches, not in it for personal gain, he truly believes he is helping the town of Salem. In Act Two, Hale tries to help Proctor and his family, letting them know that Elizabeth's name was mentioned in court. By Act Three, however, readers see a change of heart in Hale. Now that practically everyone in the town has been accused of being a witch and many are dying for what he started, Hale quits the court (seen on page 120) realizing the town of Salem has taken the idea of witchcraft too far. Though he is still a positive character in Act Three, he is more positive in the eyes' of the readers than in the eyes' of the citizens of Salem. What specific actions taken by the people of Salem do you think lead to Hale's transformation? Is Hale setting a good example by quitting the court or do you think he should have stayed to fight for what he believes in and let the townspeople know what's going on is wrong (especially since he has a lot of power as a Reverend)?
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Post by elsulmo38 on Oct 9, 2011 10:31:59 GMT -5
I think that the enormous amount of people that were being hanged was too much for him, causing his change of opinion about the witch trials. Also, the fact that it is basically impossible to defend yourself once you're accused. We see this on page 98 when Hale says "But it does not follow that everyone accused is part of it" and on page 99 "Hale: I have signed seventy two death warrants; I am a minister of the Lord, and I dare not take a life without there be proof so immaculate". I think that he feels guilty and realizes the absurdity of the trial, causing his transformation.
I don't think he is setting a good example by quitting the court, because he was the only voice of reason in the court, who questioned the witch trials. He has a lot of power and I think he could have changed the court's opinion or the town's, if he had persisted a little more.
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Post by dagalla35 on Oct 9, 2011 12:10:03 GMT -5
It is interesting that as he undergoes a personal transformation, he seems to go through a simultaneous positional transformation, where his power and influence starts to diminish. In Act One, people seem to cherish his word, acting as if his words cannot be false. Unfortunately, this was while he genuinely supported and believed in witchcraft, meaning his great influence would be a major cause of Salem being thrown into chaos and panic. As he begins to see the logic in Proctor's arguement and the unreasonable actions of the court in Act Three, he occassionaly starts to express his opinion against witchcraft, like when the girls were acting like they were being attacked by Mary's spirit, and Hale said to Danforth, "You cannot believe them!" (112, 114 or 115 in normal books) However, by this time, Danforth seems to completely ignore him, still believing in the girls' ruse and siding against Proctor. This signifies how when Hale begins to go against the consensus, his power is suddenly lost. Ironically, Hale's original influence and power, coupled with his belief system, had the capacity to cause the most harm, and when he attempts to fix the crisis he caused, he suddenly lacks the power to do so.
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Post by baknapp35 on Oct 9, 2011 13:18:37 GMT -5
I don't believe that Hale succumbed to such a drastic personal transformation, because throughout the entire play, he is the protagonist compared to Parris, who is clearly the antagonist. Hale is a naive and somewhat ignorant character, but he absolutely a genuine man of god and trying to help the community. I believe that his actions throughout the play do not reflect a drastic personal transformation, but rather demonstrate his genuine personality. In Act II Hale advises Proctor that times are changing and it is important to be in the consensus and go to church (64-65). Also after Elizabeth is taken away Hale says he will testify for her in court (78). In Act IV, Hale returns to offer the accused salvation and tries to convince Elizabeth to talk Proctor into confessing (132). Hale genuinely wants to help the people of salem while Parris, on the other hand, wants proctor to confess in Act IV so he will not be in personal danger and it will lower the likelihood of rebellion (132). I think that Hale's loss of power towards the end of the play simply exemplifies not a transformation of character, but the fact that ignorant, but good people can sometimes harm the situation, rather than improve it.
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Post by dacui38 on Oct 9, 2011 21:01:16 GMT -5
I'd like to view Hale's transformation as one of empowerment, realizing the truth, and eventually losing faith and silent opposition. As the people before me have put eloquently, Hale is empowered by the witch trial, giving jurisdiction over this crisis. However, he truly believes in the witches and follows his own ideals into persecuting people. However he soon questions these ideals and the witch hunt altogether, losing his naivety or "innocence". Soon even Hale becomes powerless to stop this frenzy, which I am sure he realizes, and he quietly retreats and instructs Proctor to congress on page 132, although he knows that Proctor is innocent. This shows Hale has lost faith in the system he once fervently pursued and is another example of how this crisis grew exponentially beyond imagination, so much that even Hale could no longer control it.
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Post by saseitz38 on Oct 10, 2011 0:40:22 GMT -5
It is very ironic in Act II when Hale expresses that "the Devil is alive in Salem, and [they] dare not quail to follow wherever the accusing finger points! (Miller 71). Despite this comment, the naive reverend turns a blind eye to Abigail, the ruthless accuser who started it all. He becomes so enthralled by the idea of witchcraft in Salem that he completely overlooks the validity of the accusations. However, truth finally slaps Hale across the face when he realizes that there is hardly any truth at all left in Salem. Fingers are pointing every which way and it is almost impossible to tell honesty from deceit. Hale acknowledges that "private vengeance is working through this testimony" (Miller 114) and that some people must lie in order to save themselves or others. Now out of the consensus, Hale feels threatened. He has transformed from a man of conviction to one of great uneasiness.
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Post by bepindi35 on Oct 10, 2011 10:32:43 GMT -5
i find it refreshing when Hale realizes the truth of what is happening in Salem and while i am glad that he has concurred his naivety and has become aware of the real evil lurking in Salem it upsetting because through out the play he was a well respected man and at this turning point his is no longer in the consensus because the new consensus is that the girls are right and everyone they believe a witch must be one because the devil is loose in Salem, and once Hale is no longer in the consensus he is no longer listened to and has lost all of his former power
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Post by wicary35 on Oct 10, 2011 11:46:22 GMT -5
I think that Hale's quitting the Church does set a good example for the townspeople and shows his new found inner turmoil. He lived his life by the books in an attempt to root out evil and witchcraft and when he actually begins to have his beliefs confirmed they are proven wrong. When he quits the court he loses all of his power and respect within the consensus, but gains self respect. By act four he has returned to work praying with those who are about to be killed and even though the town is suspicious of him it shows how strong he is. Even when his beliefs were proven wrong he stayed strong and did not turn away from God.
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