“I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay his hand upon my baby.”
Por qué es buena
The old like it not plus should turns a mother's fear into a cold, formal objection.
Registro
Formal
Úsala tú
I like it not that a stranger should question my son.
00:00 / 03:45
00:00 / 03:45
Hale Tests Proctor on the Commandments, Explained
The Crucible · 2014
Capítulo 14 de 29 · 3'45"
Hale is not investigating witchcraft here; he is weighing the Proctors' faith. Elizabeth says openly what she thinks of Parris — "I see no light of God in that man" — and Hale answers by naming the one commandment John cannot recite: adultery. The scene is a quiet interrogation under the guise of a visit.
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 1:14–2:41
❝ Monólogo · 11 frases John Forgets the Commandment
87s - 2:48–3:44
Hale's Polite Warning to the Proctors
56s
Hale Tests Proctor on the Commandments, explained
What happens
Reverend Hale visits the Proctor house to test their Christian faith. Elizabeth speaks her mind about Parris, claiming she sees 'no light of God' in him. Hale then asks John to recite the Ten Commandments. John runs through them but forgets adultery, and Elizabeth quietly finishes the list for him. Hale notes a 'softness' in John's record and leaves.
What's really going on
The visit looks like a religious examination and works like a trap. Hale asks the Proctors to recite the Ten Commandments, and when John recites them, one is missing: adultery. Elizabeth supplies it — "Adultery, John" — which tells Hale exactly where the fault lies. Hale has already pointed at it with a gentler phrase: "There is a softness in your record, sir." What makes the scene uneasy is that Hale is not hostile. He says he does not judge Goody Proctor and only wants to add to the court's godly wisdom. Yet the commandment John forgets is the one he has broken with Abigail, and everyone in the room can hear it. The trial has not begun, but the Proctors' marriage is already on the record.
Key lines & what they mean
- “I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay his hand upon my baby.”
- Elizabeth's opening complaint: she resents that Parris blessed or touched her child, blaming him for bringing trouble into the house.
- “I see no light of God in that man. I'll not conceal it.”
- Her blunt judgment of Parris: she sees nothing holy in him and refuses to hide her opinion.
- “There is a softness in your record, sir, a softness.”
- Hale's coded accusation: something in John's past is weak or compromised, and he repeats the word to make sure it lands.
- “Theology, sir, is a fortress;”
- Hale's defense of his discipline: doctrine is a fortress, and any crack in it — any broken commandment — matters.
- “I pray you both good health and good fortune.”
- His polite farewell, which lands as a warning rather than a blessing, since he has just found fault with John.
Theme
- Faith — Hale tests the household's Christianity by the Commandments, and John's missing answer exposes a spiritual fault.
- Secrets — John's forgotten commandment is adultery, and Hale's 'softness in your record' shows the private sin is no longer hidden.
Qué aprendes en este capítulo
Puntos de enseñanza
Repasa justo después de verMi nivel0/8
A1–C2 es la escala MCER. Las tarjetas por encima del nivel elegido se atenúan y la reproducción no se pausa en ellas.
Puntos de lengua
Toca una tarjeta para saltar a ese momentoFrases de oro
Una gran frase en sí misma: por qué y cómo usarla“I see no light of God in that man. I'll not conceal it.”
Por qué es buena
A verdict followed by a refusal to hide it makes the position unmistakable.
Registro
Formal
Úsala tú
I see no light of God in that leader, and I will not pretend.
“There is a softness in your record, sir, a softness.”
Por qué es buena
Repeating a softness at the end turns a vague doubt into a pointed accusation.
Registro
Formal
Úsala tú
There is a softness in your record, and we both see it.
“Theology, sir, is a fortress;”
Por qué es buena
Calling theology a fortress turns ideas into walls, so every question becomes a siege.
Registro
literary
Úsala tú
For him, tradition is a fortress, not a habit.
“I pray you both good health and good fortune.”
Por qué es buena
A warm blessing ends a tense interrogation, and the courtesy makes the parting colder.
Registro
Formal
Úsala tú
I pray you both good health and good fortune in this matter.
Monólogo
Un personaje sostiene la escena: practícalo entero❝ Reciting the Commandments
Thou shalt not kill. Aye. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods, nor make unto thee any graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt remember the Sabbath Day and Thou shalt honor thy father and mother. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven You have said that twice, sir.
He recites the laws one by one, and the very one he broke is the one he misses.
Siguiente · 15wash your hands ofLa escena: Cheever Arrests Elizabeth ProctorIdeas clave
Lo que te llevas- To bear false witness is to testify falsely.
- Thou shalt not is the old form of a solemn command.
- A softness in a record is a weakness a questioner can press.
- Adultery is stressed on its second syllable.
Preguntas frecuentes
La pregunta, luego la fraseWhy does Hale ask John to recite the Ten Commandments?
He is testing John's Christian faith. A covenanted Christian should know the commandments, so failing to name one is a meaningful slip.
Which commandment does John forget?
Adultery. John recites the others but skips it, and Elizabeth supplies it for him, revealing the fault in his record.
What does Hale mean by 'a softness in your record'?
He means there is a flaw or weak spot in John's moral record. It is a polite way of hinting that Hale suspects something without accusing him outright.
Does Hale believe the Proctors are guilty?
He is not sure. He says he does not judge Elizabeth and only wants to add to the court's wisdom, but he clearly keeps his suspicions about John.
What does Elizabeth think of Parris?
She distrusts him. She says she sees 'no light of God' in him and resents him laying a hand on her baby.