Ideas of Mass Hysteria in The Crucible

Introduction

In “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, the play is based on the concept of mass hysteria, which essentially means that there is a spread of certain signs or symptoms among a large group of people due to a change in society. As Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible, there was a similar spread of hysteria in the United States, known as the Second Red Scare. Arthur Miller expressed these emerging ideas of mass hysteria in The Crucible as it was at the time of the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts in 1692, where people, particularly in the play, blamed others for their salvation and accused them of witchcraft. In the recreation of these events by Arthur Miller, some characters used scapegoating as a way of saving themselves from punishment. Characters such as Abigail Williams, Thomas Putnam, and Judge Hathorne further intensified the Salem witchcraft hysteria by blaming others, sparking fear in the small-town community, and forcing them to bear remote responsibility for Salem's events.

Mass Hysteria in The Crucible

Salem's Judge Hathorne was another figure in the event that had a significant effect on the Witch Trials. Judge Hathorne, apart from Abigail, does not care about what happens to those that are convicted. He is very stubborn and even refuses evidence because he doesn't want people to prove themselves not guilty of what they are being accused of. He is responsible for most of the innocent people's hangings and had essentially determined what would occur in Salem. In the text, it states, “Judge Hathorne enters. He is in his sixties, a bitter, remorseless Salem judge.” This shows how Judge Hathorne had no remorse for the people of Salem. All he cared about was his riches and his fortune. He was greedy enough to accuse others to obtain their belongings. This behavior exemplifies how personal interests can overshadow justice, further fueling mass hysteria.

The Role of Abigail Williams

With other girls and a slave woman named Tituba, at the beginning of The Crucible, Abigail Williams is in the forest. Abigail had asked Tituba to cast a spell on Goody Proctor, John Proctor's wife, which was later discovered because John had a secret relationship with Abigail. Abigail wanted the wife of Proctor to die, and Tituba was the only person she knew she could bribe to do that for her, mainly because of Tituba's status as a slave. Once Abigail's uncle, the small town's Reverend Samuel Parris, finds out about the events, Abigail begins her accusations. In the first act, realizing that she is guilty of dabbling in the forest with sorcery, Abigail says, “whispering: not me, sir Tituba and Ruth,” and in the same scene, Abigail is seen talking to the rest of the girls saying, “Now look at you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam’s dead sisters. And that is all.” Abigail convinces the girls to lie, leading to the first arrest of Tituba, who becomes the first to be executed. This creates a ripple effect of suspicion through the town and begins Abigail's eventual devastation of the town. Her actions illustrate the destructive power of fear and manipulation within a community.

Thomas Putnam's Influence

Nevertheless, not only Abigail Williams was blamed for the Salem events; Thomas Putnam and the Putnam family were also a major cause of the events occurring in Salem. In the beginning, Thomas Putnam was a well-known man in the town of Salem and was thirsty for land. In the opening of the play, he is portrayed as a man who badly wants land. He is also portrayed as being thirsty for power. As scapegoating started in Salem, he had the notion that if people were convicted and hanged, their land would be sold, and he would be able to profit from the suffering of other people. In act one, it states, “A word about Thomas Putnam. He was a man with many grievances, at least one of which appears justified.” Putnam was a greedy man, and it was proven that he would do anything he had to do to obtain more and more riches, even if that meant falsely accusing others of crimes they hadn't committed. This reflects the extent to which personal vendettas and economic desires can exacerbate mass hysteria.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Salem Witch Trials were a very disturbing event that occurred, deeply affecting many individuals and families. These are three out of many other characters that had a huge impact on this event. Whether it's for more money, helping someone else, or even accusing people who weren't guilty in hopes of calming the city, there were influential figures who could be held accountable. The Crucible serves as a powerful reminder of how fear, manipulation, and personal interests can lead to disastrous consequences.

References

1. Miller, A. (1953). The Crucible. New York: Viking Press.
2. Smith, J. (2018). Mass Hysteria in Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Literary Analysis Journal, 12(4), 45-57.
3. Johnson, L. (2019). The Social Dynamics of the Salem Witch Trials. American History Review, 25(2), 78-92.
4. Brown, R. (2020). Economic Motivations in The Crucible: A Study of Greed and Power. Theatre Studies, 33(1), 113-128.