The Crucible

write an essay in which you discuss the significance of this speech with regard to the themes of social authority,truth and what consitutes proof or evidence as depicted in the crucible

Hale:Nurse, though put hearts break, we cannot flinch, these are new times, sir. There is a misty plot afoot so subtle we should be criminal to cling to old respects and ancient friendships. I have seen too many frightful proofs in court-the Devil is alive in Salem, and we dare not quail to follow wherever the accusing finger point![...] [R]emember, until an hour before the Devil fell, God thought him beautiful in heaven. the crucible, act 2
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I’m sorry, this is a short-answer literature forum. We are unable to complete student writing assignments. I have provided you with Gradesaver’s analysis on Authority and Dissent below.

Authority and Dissent

There are many levels of authority within the world of the Crucible. Early on, the Reverend Parris is the sole authoritative voice in Salem, as the minister and a graduate of Harvard College. He is supplanted by the arrival of Reverend Hale, who derives his authority from books and learning, which are then further supplanted in turn by the courts and its officials. Meanwhile, individualists like Proctor and Giles Corey rankle under these layers of authority – Proctor had long rejected Parris's preachings, and Corey made the authority of the law work for him as a constant plaintiff. But being an outlier is seen as dangerous in this society. Indeed, dissent against official authority is akin to being an anarchist at best and an agent of Satan at worst. Proctor and Corey are the two most modern figures in the play for their willingness to push back against the extreme authority of the courts. For this, however, they also suffer greatly.

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http://www.gradesaver.com/the-crucible/study-guide/themes