as the result of a diabolical plot in the town against Christianity. He also challenges Danforth on procedural grounds by arguing that Giles Corey should be allowed to submit oral evidence of his wife's innocence in court. But Danforth angrily reminds Hale that, according to the proper procedure, all evidence must be submitted by way of an affidavit.

Unlike Danforth, Hale genuinely wants to get to the bottom of the matter, which is why he thinks it's so important that evidence challenging the credibility of accusations of witchcraft should be heard in open court. To that end, he pleads with Danforth to listen to evidence that the girls making these accusations are not telling the truth.

Though Danforth agrees to hear the evidence, he acts unjustly in demanding that the landowners who signed a petition in support of Rebecca Nurse, Martha Corey, and Elizabeth Proctor be questioned.

There are a number of things reverend Hale asks Judge Danforth to do. The first thing he requests is that the judge listen to the evidence Giles Corey is about to give in defence of his wife, Martha, who has been arrested. Reverend Hale tells the judge:

Excellency, he claims hard evidence for his wife’s defense. I think that in all justice you must -

The arrogant judge interrupts him here and says that Giles should present evidence. In the same breath, he reminds the Reverend of the fact that he is aware of what the procedures are.

Secondly, the reverend also beseeches the judge to give Mary Warren a hearing. She is there to testify about the girls' deceit and Abigail Williams' complicity in having Elizabeth Proctor arrested. Once again, the judge practically dismisses the reverend by raising his hand at him.

Reverend Hale's repeated intervention indicates that he, at this point, is starting to doubt the veracity of the girls' testimony. He wishes the court to listen to what he believes is the truth, but the pompous and supercilious Judge Danforth gives him no chance. Reverend Hale feels helpless and hopeless.

When John Proctor addresses the court to give evidence, Mr Cheever remarks that John ploughs on a Sunday, an apparently un-Christian act. Once again, Reverend Hale requests that Judge Danforth not judge John on such a feeble accusation. The judge, in his response is quite abrupt, saying: 'I judge nothing', which is, ironically, not true. 

Reverend Hale clearly wants the court to use reason and logic and not emotion, in its judgement. He tells Judge Danforth that the court should consider that not everyone accused is necessarily guilty of trying to topple Christ. Once again, the judge rejects his assertion, stating that uncorrupted men will not fear the court, which, once again, is ironic, for there is great fear for the court since all who have been punished thus far are actually innocent!

When John Proctor comes forward to present his deposition, Reverend Hale begs Judge Danforth to send him home to get a lawyer so that he can present his case professionally. At this point it is clear that the Reverend is overwrought with guilt, for he cries out:

Excellency, I have signed seventy-two death warrants; I am a minister of the Lord, and I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it.

I have this morning signed away the soul of Rebecca Nurse, Your Honor. I’ll not conceal it, my hand shakes yet as with a wound! I pray you, sir, this argument let lawyers present to you.

The judge deems this a personal affront and once again, dismisses the Reverend's request using a clever argument.

When Mary Warren accuses John Proctor after the girls once again put on a marvellous act of being attacked by the witches' spirits, the reverend again and again tries to intervene, but is dismissed with contempt. He is finally so disgusted that he denounces the proceedings and storms out of court.

Finally, when John Proctor has confessed, it is Reverend Hale, on his return, who asks the Judge that he postpone the hangings for a week and put up a notice in town that he seeks the villagers' confessions to show his mercy. However, the judge insists that he will continue for he, 'cannot withhold from them the perfection of their punishment'. Clearly, the judge is not going to be told what to do.

Reverend Hale's final request to the judge is that he lets John Proctor sign his confession, instead of asking him to implicate others as witches. This, in the end, is the only request that the judge does grant.

Both Reverend Hale and Parris ask Danforth to either postpone the hangings or pardon the accused. Hale realizes that the proceedings are out of hand, and while he originally left the court over it, he has returned to try and make it right. Hale realizes he had a hand in the hysteria. He has been unsuccessful at getting those accused to confess to save their lives.

Danforth refuses to pardon or postpone the hangings because he feels it will make him look foolish, and cause the community to question the previous hangings.

The Reverend Parris is a man obsessed by the idea that there exists a faction in Salem who wants to get rid of him. He is paranoid about his position and sees a threat against him in almost every corner. He has been struck by this delusional belief even before he came to Salem. The good Reverend therefore wishes to protect his status and will do everything in his power to side-track any suspicion against him.

After the Reverend had discovered his daughter, Becky, and his niece, Abigail Williams, dancing in the woods, his daughter fell into a deep fit. This lead to rumours of witchcraft being spread around Salem. Since the origins of this rumour were found to be in his own household (his slave Tituba had been implicated for encouraging the girls to indulge in the summoning of spirits), he was intent on deflecting all suspicion and rumour away from himself and direct it elsewhere.

It is for these reasons that the Reverend meddled in the court's affairs during the witch trials. He became a sort of lay-prosecutor and would advise Judge Danforth, whether he needed his input or not, to such a degree that the Judge at one point lost patience with him. The Reverend especially feared John Proctor, one of the leading citizens of Salem, since he had been incessantly criticised by him for being materialistic and using the parish to profit himself. Reverend Parris, therefore, pointed out all John's wrongdoings during the trial for he wanted Judge Danforth to find John Proctor to be found guilty of witchcraft. In this way, he would be rid of one of his fiercest opponents.

When John was arrested and imprisoned, Reverend Parris further beseeched the judge to get a written confession from John. This would then be publicly displayed so that others could see that the much-respected (and feared) John Proctor had admitted to being a witch. Such a publicly displayed confession would dishearten the Reverend's enemies and discourage them from challenging him any further.

Added to this, the Reverend had claimed that there had been threats against his person and the confession would provide him the protection he so desperately sought. He felt that a faction existed which was out to ruin him and he believed that John Proctor was its ringleader. With him out of the way, the faction would collapse.

The Reverend used the same reasoning with regard to Rebecca Nurse. She too, had been critical of him and was also John Proctor's good friend. It would please the Reverend tremendously if she were out of the way and confessed.

The desperate Reverend's plan, however, did not reach fruition, for neither John or Rebecca executed written confessions. John had initially declared his guilt and signed a confession (to Rebecca's horror) but then decided to tear it up to save his name. Both went to the scaffold, innocent, without giving the Reverend what he wanted.

It is acutely ironic that not long after the fever and disruption of the trials had died, the Reverend was voted out of office. He left Salem and was never heard of again.