Examples Of Hysteria In The Crucible

Abigail has faith that Proctor loves her even when he constantly dismisses her accusations. She believes Proctor is lying to himself

Judge Danforth is concerned and arrogant that the girls could be lying about everything. Even when Mary Warren confesses to the court that she never says any spirits, Abigail uses her power over the town and courts to convince Danforth that the claims are false. This makes it harder for Judge Danforth to follow his strict code, especially when Abigail uses her powers to cloud his

In Act 3, Abigail is seen to be getting questioned in court by Judge Danforth because he has reason to believe she has something to do with all of the girls becoming sick and conjuring spirits. Abigail then manipulates Danforth into thinking she did nothing wrong and that the least he should do is thank her by saying, “I have been hurt, Mr. Danforth; I have seen my blood runnin’ out! I have been near to murdered every day because I done my duty pointing out the Devil's people– and this is my reward? To be mistrusted, denied, question to like a–”(Miller 100). This suggests that Abigail wants Danforth to pity her.

Abigail has been lying to conceal her affair and to prevent charges of witchcraft. One of her biggest lies was in the court on page 108 when she said, “ I have been hurt, Mr. Danforth; I have seen my blood runnin’ out! I have been near to being murdered every day because I did my duty pointing out the Devil’s people - and this is my reward?” She also tries to make herself look good by confessing that she is a witch then throwing out names of people that have not confessed yet. The quote that backs this statement up on page 48 is, “I danced for the Devil; I saw him, I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand.

(Pointing at Abigail) This girl has always struck me false! She has-- (Abigail, with a weird, wild, chilling cry, screams up to the ceiling.)” (Miller). Mary is telling Danforth that John Proctor is innocent and that Abigail is full of lies and deceit.

“[Mercy Lewis] Mary, do you send this shadow on me? [Mary Warren] Lord, save me! [Susanna Walcott] I freeze, I freeze! [Abigail] it is a wind, a wind! [Mary Warren]

While alone, Abigail and the girls approach Mary threateningly, trying to hurt her for ratting them out. Though, when confronted, the girls pretend to be attacked by Mary’s spirit, and when accused of witchcraft by Judge Danforth Mary immediately resorts to lying and blames John for tempting her into witchery. Mary was being attacked by both the girls and the judges and no one believed her when she told the truth, so Mary pushed the blame to John Proctor. Mary Warren did it for her safety,

In Act 3, Abigail tricks the court again into thinking that Mary's spirit is out for her and the rest of the girls. Even after Mary confesses to lying, the court still believes the girls over her and Proctor. As the scene continues to escalate, Proctor shouts that Abigail is a 'whore.’ Proctor tells the court about their affair, and says, "God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a whore’s vengeance, and you must see it; I set myself entirely in your hands" (Miller 383).

Danforth’s expert position further weakens Mary because as a Judge he has the power to make the final decisions. Despite this Mary continues to use her informational power to share her knowledge about Abigail’s deceitfulness, she also provides reasoning for the seeing of spirits and fainting. Once she reveals to Danforth and the rest of the court that her fainting was just a pretense, Hathorne questions “Then can she pretend to faint now?” (Miller 3.736). At this moment Mary has the potential to stop Abigail, for if she faints she can prove she and the girls were previously faking.

Arthur Miller continues to show how Abigail manipulates the court to create a sense of disbelief towards what Mary Warren is confessing about the accusations against Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail does this by accusing Judge Danforth of not trusting her: “...I done my duty pointing out the Devil’s people–and this is my reward? To be mistrusted, denied, questioned like a –”. (Miller 1307) She uses the good things she has supposedly done to make it seem like he is questioning an honest and trustworthy person when in reality it is the opposite.

So Elizabeth walked in and she told the court she did not know about the affair with John and Abigail and said it was not real. But, she knew she was lying to protect her husband’s name and reputation.” Proctor, breathless and in agony:It is a whore! Danforth, dumfounded (p110),” Proctor, his voice about to break, and his shame great: In the proper place - where my beasts are bedded.

Abigail and her friends are sitting right behind Mary, listening to every word. Mary visibly shaken, stutters throughout her testimony to Danforth. She admits that she falsely fainted during previous witch trials saying “it were only a sport in the beginning, sir, but then the whole word cried spirits, spirits, and I - I promise you, Mr. Danforth, I only thought I saw them but I did not” (Miller 107). Mary only imitated Abigail and her friends so that she could feel like she belonged for once, but now she is confessing to the court that the fainting was all an act.

He knows that she is bluffing as he says, “They're pretending, Mr. Danforth (Miller, PG#)! We also see that she manipulates the other little girls into mirroring her actions. Anything that Mary Warren said, Abigail, repeated. The girls soon caught on and did the same. Once Abigail had the girls under her belt, all she needed was Mary Warren.

Abigail begins to fly into hysteria, pretending that spirits are around. Mary Warren breaks down and accuses Proctor of bewitching her, of making her sign her name in the Devil’s book. Proctor is arrested as a witch. The day he is supposed to hang, Proctor gets a chance to see his wife Elizabeth. Heavy with emotion, they discuss whether he should confess or

While this is all being done the girls noticed that Proctor and Mary are not convincing Danforth the girls start to fear on not being on Abigails side for protection which makes the court believe her and keep the coercive power that she has as seen “Mary, do you send this shadow on me? (Act three pg 109 Line 2). This switches the outcome of the question and keeps her in power and control of the situation because of the girls that are following her lead. Abigail's actions that should be seen as unrealistic are believed by the fear of those who want to not be