What is hysteria? Hysteria refers to a psychological condition characterized by a state of intense emotional distress, often including symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and uncontrollable outbursts of emotion. In the context of The Crucible, hysteria refers to the mass panic and fear that swept through Salem, leading to the persecution and execution of innocent people accused of witchcraft. Similarly to the mass panic and anxiety that swept through Salem during the witch trials, the 1950s in America was also marked by widespread fear and paranoia. This period was denoted with a deep-seated anxiety about the perceived threat of communist infiltration in the United States, which was fueled by Senator Joseph McCarthy and his supporters through …show more content…
In act 3 of The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Mary Warren, who has been a part of Abigail's group of accusers, tries to come forward and tell the truth about the false accusations of witchcraft. She tells the court that they have all been pretending, but Abigail turns on her, and the other girls, who have been following Abigail's lead, begin to mimic Mary's every word and action. Overwhelmed and intimidated by their collective power, Mary recants her statement and joins Abigail and the other girls in accusing John Proctor of being a witch (115-120). This scene shows how the accusers in the play are driven by a sense of fear and irrationality. They have created a narrative about the existence of witches in the community, and they are determined to find and punish them, regardless of whether their accusations are based on evidence or not. This scene also highlights the power dynamics at play in the trials. The charged are pressured to admit to witchcraft and name others as witches to save themselves. This pressure comes from the court officials and the mob mentality of the other accusers. Mary Warren, who initially tries to tell the truth, is ultimately coerced into joining the accusations against John Proctor, indicating how the power of the mob can overpower even the most well-intentioned …show more content…
The play is set during the witch trials in Salem, where innocent people were persecuted and executed for witchcraft due to mass panic and fear. The play depicts the desperation of the accused, who were willing to confess to crimes they did not commit to save their lives. Religion is shown to be a tool of manipulation, with individuals in power using faith to control others. John Proctor is portrayed as a rational individual who refuses to give in to fear and panic. Abigail Williams is a character who manipulates hysteria to gain power, falsely accusing innocent people of witchcraft. The Crucible is a commentary on the dangers of mass hysteria and the importance of individual morality in times of
What causes hysteria in a society and how do people react in these situations? In the Crucible by Arthur Miller the town leads straight to mass hysteria because of the Salem witch trials. Arthur Miller's purpose in the crucible was to present to the reader the hysteria that can come from people who think they are doing the “right” thing. When the town erupts with the thought of witchery everything goes crazy. People accuse people left and right.
The play The Crucible focuses on John Proctor, Abigail Williams, and Elizabeth Proctor and what they go through as a result of the Salem Witch Trials in the Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1692-93. Abigail Williams is found participating in dancing in the woods, and is then as a result suspected of witchcraft. The Reverend Parris found her and other young girls dancing in the woods, including his own daughter Betty. Tituba is brought in and confesses that they were dancing with the devil and accuses many girls with being involved in witchcraft. Later on, as John and Elizabeth Proctor argue over Abigail Williams, who John had an affair with at one point, Elizabeth is also suspected of witchcraft, leaving John Proctor with two women he’s been involved
Hysteria and Mistreatment “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety” - Benjamin Franklin. In the play The Crucible, readers observe a terrified public who sacrifice other people’s rights for their own safety. One of The Crucible’s defining themes is mass hysteria and mistreatment of outsiders in the community. This happens throughout the play and also throughout history. Humans have historically experienced mass hysteria when things were different.
The Crucible by Arthur Miller relates to many hysterias that happen in reality. This book gives us the attention to this repetitive problem, and to prevent it in the future we can be more aware of what’s happening, and how to handle it. Likewise, The Red Scare was caused by the people themselves, there were many concerns in Eastern Europe and China about the issue of communism. The general idea of this novel is that there are continuous cases of hysteria that have happened in the past which is why Arthur Miller decided to make this novel and based off of his own experiences, he decided to bring consciousness on this matter; he wants people to understand the concept of hysteria. Although Fear was influenced into their minds, one element that
Have you ever been accused of something you certainly did not indulge in? In the play The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, the townspeople of Salem were subject to accusations of partaking in witchcraft, leading to the rise of mass hysteria. Mass hysteria is arguably the most dominant theme of the play, as the people of Salem are engulfed by worries related to witchcraft and accusations of people worshiping the devil. Mass hysteria is a condition that affects a group of people identified by anxiety, excitement, unreasonable actions or beliefs, or unexplainable symptoms of sickness. Arthur Miller explores mass hysteria through the lens of Salem and his characters by portraying vindictive and manipulative behavior within characters such as Abigail, Judge Danforth, and Reverend Hale.
In the face of death, people will do anything to get out of it. In The Crucible, the author, Arther Miller, demonstrates the story of the Salem witch trials in the 1890’s through a play. Of which the readers find that the trials originated from those who sought revenge upon others. As the people in Salem had fulfilled their hateful desires with an organized cry of witchcraft in court. Similarly, to when people accused others of communism, by naming names of those they didn’t like in the 1950’s.
In 1953, playwright Arthur Miller took inspiration from the unfolding Red Scare- an era of inflated panic over the perceived threat of communist infiltration- to write his play titled “The Crucible”. Having lived through the frenzy surrounding the communist accusations, Miller understood the importance of conveying the dangers such hysteria poses to the maintenance of a functioning society. While Miller based the play on historic events, he never claimed complete accuracy, instead including a preface addressing the revisions he made and why. Miller’s intent was never to provide a strictly accurate depiction of the Salem witch trials; he wanted to provide a parable for McCarthyism, using the dramatization of events to warn Americans of the destructive potential of hysteria. Therefore, it can be discovered that while Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” accurately portrays fear and hysteria in terms of a fear of persecution, his depictions prove predominantly inaccurate, exaggerating mob mentality and neglecting to emphasize the true magnitude of a fear of the Devil.
Hysteria means showing exaggerated or uncontrollable emotions between people or your feelings. There is a lot of hysteria from many characters in this play, a few being Abigail, Betty, and Mary. Abigail has shown lots of hysteria through her feelings toward John Proctor, she would do anything for him
All things considered, "The Crucible" serves as a potent reminder of the value of truth and reason as well as the need to fend off mob mentality and tyrannical authority. It makes us consider our propensity for accepting and disseminating lies as well as our awareness of potential exploiters. In the end, it serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of giving in to our baser desires and the importance of upholding the values of justice and honesty in our
Hysteria in Salem The Crucible is a play written by American author, Arthur Miller, in 1953. It is a somewhat fictional play about the Salem Witch Trials. Miller wrote it as an allegory to the Red Scare, the promotion of fear of a potential rise of communism. Miller himself was blacklisted for refusing to testify in front of the HUAC, a committee that was created to investigate any person who might be a communist.
Have you ever been in so deep that the only way you could get out was to confess. Mass hysteria is a phenomenon that spreads fear among a group of people. In The Crucible, hysterical fear becomes an unconscious means of expressing the resentment and anger suppressed by strict Puritan society. Some citizens of Salem use the charge of witchcraft willfully and for personal gain, but most are overcome by the belief that the devil is attacking Salem. Danforth could have prevented Salem by realizing he was wrong and accepting the pleas and confessions of the innocent, This compares to the AIDs epidemic of the late 70’s and 80’s because everyone assumed without using facts.
Overall, "The Crucible" is a powerful reminder of the importance of truth and reason, and the need to resist the allure of mob mentality and abusive authority. It challenges us to consider our own willingness to believe in and propagate falsehoods and to remain vigilant against those who seek to manipulate us for their own gain. Ultimately, it serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of giving in to our worst impulses, and the importance of upholding the values of justice and integrity in our
The play depicts a society in which the accused are assumed to be guilty until proven innocent. The characters in the play are quick to assume that anyone who is accused of witchcraft is guilty and has made a pact with the devil. This assumption leads to the demonization of innocent people, such as Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor. Both of these characters are accused of witchcraft even though they have done nothing wrong. The demonization of these characters is used to create a sense of righteousness among the accusers and to justify their
Hysteria is an exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement, especially among a group of people. In The Crucible people become hysterical and start accusing others of witchcraft, which leads to many innocent people being falsely accused and punished. Arthur Miller uses the concept of hysteria in The Crucible to show how people can be easily manipulated and how the truth can be distorted in times of fear in uncertainty. Arthur Miller demonstrates how individuals and communities can be blinded by their own fears and prejudices, leading to the persecution of people who have done nothing wrong. As demonstrated in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, mass hysteria numbs people’s consciences and makes them vulnerable.
Fear that spread among a group of people in Salem during the Salem Witch Trials, that event in history is a prime example of Mass Hysteria. In Salem the reason why so many women were killed was because of Mass Hysteria. It caused many people, in Salem during this event to think fast, rash and jump to conclusions. “The Crucible”, a short play dedicated to these events in Salem shows us how hysteria was such a leading cause of why the Witch Trials had even occurred. Reverend Hale, Abigail Williams and Judge Danforth.