Customer center

We are a boutique essay service, not a mass production custom writing factory. Let us create a perfect paper for you today!

Example research essay topic: Reverend Hale Witch Trials - 1,153 words

NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote

In Arthur Millers famous play, The Crucible, he tells the story of the notorious Salem witch trials. During this mayhem and tragic turmoil, the people of this small Salem village are faced with false accusations, lies, and sins conducted either for the survival of their own lives or harm others. In a crisis such as this were all the evidence is invisible and the only witness to testify is the victim, all that the people are left with is their own principles, morals and faith. Unfortunately some are forced to depart from their strongest beliefs and others completely lose their sense of right or wrong with the strong psycho systematic energy that created this entire catastrophe.

Three characters in Millers play who abandon their ethics are, Mary Warren whose whole personality turns upside down, John Proctor who contemplates between the importance of his family and his good name, and Reverend Hale who battles with himself whether to do what his job says or do what he know as right. Mary Warren is a girl who is confused with her own inner uncertainties throughout this play. At the start of the play she is perceived to be a very shy girl who will never speak her mind as shown when Proctor sends her home and she responds with, "I'm just going home" (21). As the play continues and as Abigail influences her, Mary begins to break this self induced mold and does what she wants. Mary Warren, along with many other girls gets caught up in the hype of getting all the attention and exercising power by provoking and stubbornly continuing these "witch trials." Finally John Proctor, the rationalist, shows that when people like Rebecca Nurse and Elizabeth Proctor who are the saintliest of people are accused of being witches, something must be wrong. Mary Warren has a difficult decision to make and a tough time realizing proctor is right but she finally realizes that her whole way of life has become full of injustice.

However, she is scared to confess to Abigail and her friends and tell them of her conscience. Finally Mary decides to speak out against Abigail and the others for their false accusations and said that Abigail, "tried to kill me numerous times" (57). Yet as she does this heroic act of confessing their sin, Abigail pretends that Mary is also a witch using the poppets against her. Mary is now faced with yet another grueling internal conflict: to do what she knows is right and probably die for it, or to return to her old ways. Mary succumbs to Abigail's "hypnosis " and accuses John Proctor of forcing her to lie. She tried but failed to go the right way.

John Proctor a common farmer and village man similarly is faced with an inner dilemma apart from the witch trials, this was that he had committed adultery with Abigail Adams. He had no intentions of joining in the witch trials until his Goody Proctor was named by Abigail as a witch involved. After his wife got involved but was eventually set free due to the fact that she was pregnant, he feels that he can't accept this. Proctor is a good and noble man and because of this he believes at first he can't be hanged and die a martyr when he has this sin blooming over him every waking moment. John later says to Elizabeth that, "My honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am no good man.

Nothing's spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before" (136), and rather confess then die for something he flat out didn't do. However, as John confesses, he cannot allow Danforth to make it officially documented. As Danforth asks him why John answers with a cry, "because it is my name. Because I cannot have another in my life... How may I live without my name? Have given you my soul; leave me my name (143).

John feels strongly about having a good name and not dying with a bad one. Proctor weighs both sides of his situation and realizes that he must not make another mistake. He therefore, sets himself to death, not for his own sake, but rather for the sake of the others. As John dies Liz weeps saying, "He have his goodness now.

God forbid I take it away" (145). Proctors conflicts barely delt with any thing of the actual trials, instead the choice he made to be hung was based on the build up and concentration of shame built up from his sin on lechery. Another internal conflict is evident in Reverend Hale who initiates these problems. At first Reverend Hale is sure about his belief that there are witches and feels that he is carrying out the desires of God himself. Yet as the play moves on and Hale sees all these honest and good people being sentenced and executed he realizes he has fallen from Gods way. He contemplates whether to do what he is sent to do and listen to Danforth, or to listen to his own conscience and denounce these proceedings as unjust and wrong.

Hale decides to help out all the people wrongly accused by encouraging them to confess and save themselves. He says this to the people as he tries to get them to confess in order to save themselves, "I come to do the devils work. I come to counsel Christians they should belie themselves... can you not see the blood on my head (131). Hale overcomes his conflict by following the truth he knew of in his heart.

Yet he is a bit hypocritical by counseling people to, "prevail upon your husband and confess " (134) and says, "God damns a liar less than he that throws his life away for pride" (135) and convinces people to lie which is against his religion and considered a moral sin. He decides that allowing all these innocent people to be acquitted of and invisible, improvable crime would only make him the devils advocate. These three characters all had fell away from what they knew was wrong at one time or another but the important thing was their decision to stay true to themselves or continue a life against all Christian beliefs. Either way, they still caused a large amount of damage during the period of time they sinned. This is why it is important to recognize the damage that can be done when you dont follow your heart and principles of life, because once you ask for forgiveness it will be given but the damage will always be remembered. One saying that fits the events in this story perfectly is the commonly used saying, forgive but not forget.

As for those who take the easy way out, such as Mary Warren, they will eventually get the punishment they deserve because every action has an equal and opposite reaction.


Free research essays on topics related to: witch trials, internal conflict, reverend hale, false accusations, mary warren

Research essay sample on Reverend Hale Witch Trials

Writing service prices per page

  • $18.85 - in 14 days
  • $19.95 - in 3 days
  • $23.95 - within 48 hours
  • $26.95 - within 24 hours
  • $29.95 - within 12 hours
  • $34.95 - within 6 hours
  • $39.95 - within 3 hours
  • Calculate total price

Our guarantee

  • 100% money back guarantee
  • plagiarism-free authentic works
  • completely confidential service
  • timely revisions until completely satisfied
  • 24/7 customer support
  • payments protected by PayPal

Secure payment

With EssayChief you get

  • Strict plagiarism detection regulations
  • 300+ words per page
  • Times New Roman font 12 pts, double-spaced
  • FREE abstract, outline, bibliography
  • Money back guarantee for missed deadline
  • Round-the-clock customer support
  • Complete anonymity of all our clients
  • Custom essays
  • Writing service

EssayChief can handle your

  • essays, term papers
  • book and movie reports
  • Power Point presentations
  • annotated bibliographies
  • theses, dissertations
  • exam preparations
  • editing and proofreading of your texts
  • academic ghostwriting of any kind

Free essay samples

Browse essays by topic:

Stay with EssayChief! We offer 10% discount to all our return customers. Once you place your order you will receive an email with the password. You can use this password for unlimited period and you can share it with your friends!

Academic ghostwriting

About us

© 2002-2024 EssayChief.com