One of the main characters in the play is Reverend Hale, a knowledgeable man, who has been called to Salem because of his knowledge witches. At the trials he is there to illicit confessions and to make people testify in the court. In the beginning of the play, Hale is on the side of Abigail. He believes in the witches and believes the crazy notions that Abigail and the girls are telling him and the court. In Act III of the play, after listening to Mary Warren and John Proctor, he is convinced otherwise. He tells Danforth at one point, “Excellency, I have signed away 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 (45)”. As he begins to distrust Abigail and believe that Proctor is telling the truth, he starts to feel guilty and demand more proof of the accusations. This is the change that occurs in Hale. He quits the court and walks out deciding he will not condemn anymore innocent victims. When he realizes the fault of the court and his guilt begins to take a toll he returns in Act IV, trying to convince the accused to confess to save their lives. When he returns he shouts to Danforth, “there is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head!! (57)”. He blames himself for the convictions of the accused. Once he has returned though, the decisions are no longer in his hands and it is too late. He is defeated in the sense that he cannot save anyone’s life, but he is a changed man.