CHARACTER REFLECTION

Reverend Hale, a minister in the Massachusetts town of Beverly is an expert in identifying

witchcraft. He is a wise and intelligent man. Hale sees himself as a scientist and a
philosopher, who is a therapist of the soul. At the beginning of the play his character is rather
innocent, taking for granted that the world is black and white and that he, with his expertise,
can tell the difference between the two. By the end of the play his outlook has changed
considerably. Unlike the other priests, his insistence on getting to know the facts makes it
impossible for him to overlook the evidence indicating that those condemned of witchcraft in
Salem were innocent. Being a reverend, Hale is the only official who attempts to question the
court’s decisions. He isn’t a rebel, nor does he want to overthrow the court, but he wants
justice to be served to those who deserve it. Hale's 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.