The Crucible Group

Question:

loramyers
loramyers

Why does Hale counsel Elizabeth to persuade John Proctor to lie?

Rev. Hale seems to insist that Elizabeth persuade John to confess.

Rate question:

Posted by loramyers on Tuesday January 27, 2009 at 4:29 PM and tagged with act iv, the crucible.

Answers:

  1. pmiranda2857
    pmiranda2857 Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    By Act IV of the play, Reverend Hale has returned to Salem with one intention, to save as many people who are condemned to die, as possible.  The only way that he can save these people, many of whom he feels responsible for helping to have condemned, is to convince them to confess to witchcraft.

    John Proctor, a man that Reverend Hale initially does not trust and actually finds to be lacking in his Puritan faith, comes to realize that he is an honest man, a  sinner, but not guilty of witchcraft.  He is being used by the court, which Hale recognizes as corrupt.

    Saving John Proctor's life is very important to Reverend Hale, he feels compelled to beg Elizabeth to convince her husband to confess and save his life.  Hale believes that Proctor should be willing to say anything to save his life.  He must lie and admit to witchcraft in order to be saved from the hangman's noose. 

    Since John and Elizabeth have been reunited and are expecting another child, Hale believes that Elizabeth has the best chance of making John want to live, to lie in order to save his life, because he wants to have another chance with his wife and family.  

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/crucible/act-iv-scene-2-summary-ana...

    Rate answer:

    Posted by pmiranda2857 on Tuesday January 27, 2009 at 4:33 PM

  2. mshurn
    mshurn Teacher
    College - Freshman

    eNotes Editor

    Reverend Hale is a man of good conscience. He comes to Salem to determine if witchcraft was being practiced there, and if so, to save souls and drive out evil. He brings numerous books about witchcraft with him and believes in what they say. Hale has good intentions.

    As the play unfolds, Hale becomes more and more convinced that the trials are a terrible tragedy and that some in Salem are using the court to achieve their own ends. In Act III, Hale quits the court in anger and despair when he realizes that he cannot stop the hangings.

    At the conclusion of the play, Hale returns to Salem, a broken man, still trying to correct the injustice. He tells Elizabeth to use her influence to make John lie in order to save his own life. Hale says that John's life is most sacred above all and should not be sacrificed. Hale feels responsibility and tremendous guilt for the other good souls of Salem who have died. In his dramatic scene with Elizabeth, he tries hard to save at least one, even at the personal expense of counseling someone to lie.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/crucible/characters
    http://www.enotes.com/crucible/summary

    Rate answer:

    Posted by mshurn on Tuesday January 27, 2009 at 4:44 PM

  3. shannonsuddath
    shannonsuddath Teacher
    College - Freshman

    eNotes Editor

    Hale believes that God condemns liars less than those who die for pride.  The salvation of Proctor's name is less important to Hale than Proctor, which is something he cannot understand.  Hale feels that there is blood on his hands and hopes to prevent further bloodying with the names of John Proctor, Martha Cory, and Rebecca Nurse who refuse to lie to preserve their life.

    Rate answer:

    Posted by shannonsuddath on Tuesday January 27, 2009 at 6:28 PM

  4. bandgeek93
    bandgeek93 Student
    High School - 11th Grade

    " He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it away from him! "

    Basically he will die for what his pride gave him. He is standing up for what he wants to and that is good enough for Elizabeth to accept. She is willing to let him go knowing he has his pride with him. 

    Rate answer:

    Posted by bandgeek93 on Wednesday October 28, 2009 at 2:45 PM