Hysteria in The Crucible Essay Sample

Hysteria is a driving factor when it comes to people's choices and opinions leaving rational thinking out of the question, especially life threatening choices. Arthur Miller’s book ‘The Crucible’ shows us how a person’s reputation can come down in the matter of seconds because of the fear people have when accusations are made, How the fear people have can completely wipe out any sort of rational thinking when it comes down to a man vs. society type of situation, having to ‘Tell the truth’ just so they can be spared in the long run, how hysteria will cloud people’s judgement and cause communities to break. Hysteria is a theme that is used multiple times throughout the book, showing over and over again the consequences of how it impacts a society/community in both the good and the bad ways.

Hysteria in the beginning (chapter 1 (mostly) And a bit of chapter 2?) of the crucible by Arthur Miller. As girls start being blamed for witchcraft after being found in the woods dancing naked, they start to blame others for making them do it to make their names white and innocent again. “Abigail: I saw Goody Hawkins with the Devil!” “Betty: I saw Goody Bibber with the Devil!” “Abigail: I saw Goody Booth with the Devil!” (pg:46). They start blaming others after ‘being cleansed of the devil’ so they don't get themselves in big trouble. “Tituba: I don’t compact with no Devil”... “Putnam: This woman must be hanged! She must be taken and Hanged!” “Tituba, terrified, falls to her knees: No, no, don’t hang Tituba! I tell him I don’t desire to work for him, sir.” (pg:42). Having no choice but to confess in fear of being Hung, Tituba confesses to playing with the Devil. “Betty: You drank blood, Abby! You didn’t tell him that!” “Abigail: Betty, you never say that again! You will never-” (pg:18)... “Abigail: I never sold myself! I’m a good girl! I’m a proper girl!” Mrs.Putnam enters with Tituba, and instantly Abigail points at Tituba “Abigail: She made me do it! She made Betty do it!” (pg: 40). Abigail denies that she drank blood over and over again (which she did but lies about it) but falling into the pressure and the fear of getting caught she “gives in” and blames Tituba for it because she's afraid of what might happen to her if she admits it was her. People fall into Hysteria, because they fear their reputations might fall because of their “actions.” No one wants to be Blamed for something they don’t believe in.

Hysteria in the middle (Chapters 2-3) of the Crucible by Arthur Miller.

Though it may not be shown.“Cheever turning the poppet over in his hands: Why, they say it may signify that she--- He has lifted the poppet’s skirt, and his eyes widen in astonished fear. Why, this, this---” “Proctor, Reaching for the poppet: What’s there?” “Cheever: Why--- He draws out a long needle from the poppet--- It is a needle! Herrick, Herrick, it is a needle!” (pg:70).At the church Mary Warren had made a poppet (a doll) with Abigail and brought it back home. Unknowingly of Mary, Abigail had put a needle inside the poppet, and stabbed herself in the same area as the poppet, so she could blame Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft so she could be executed.Quote: “ Explanation: “Mary Warren: Abby, Don’t do that!” “Danforth, himself engaged and entered by Abigail: Mary Warren, do you witch her? I say to you. Do you send your spirit out?” With a hysterical cry Mary Warren starts to run. Proctor catches her.Abigail and the other girl’s started copying Mary Warren Because they were about to get caught up in their lies of Witchcraft, And because Mary Warren “betrayed them” by telling the court the truth, afraid she might get hung she starts to run.Once you fall into the Hysteria of it all, there’s no backing out because once you do, you’ll end up having to pay the consequences. No matter how bad those consequences are.

Hysteria Towards the ending (chapters 3-4) of the Crucible by Arthur Miller. Hysteria to us readers is as clear as ever now that we’ve finished the book, the fear of being blamed for something as foolish as witchcraft drives everyone to blame others for it but the fear of losing your name to it is even greater. “Hale: I believe this man! Pointing at abigail: This girl has always struck me false! She has---” Abigail, with a weird, wild, chilling cry, screams up to the ceiling. “Abigail: You will not! Begone! Begone, I say! (pg:106. Finally as the court starts to unravel her lies and accusations, Abigail starts again with her cry wolf solutions, she pretends there's a yellow bird on the ceiling and it's here for her and the girls, and the girls not wanting to get in trouble either play along. “Mary Warren: Don’t touch me--- Don’t touch me! At which the girls halt at the door ``''Proctor, astonished: Mary!” “Mary Warren, pointing at Proctor, You’re the Devil’s man!” He is stopped at his tracks. At the court case to prove Abigail's lies, the girls pull out the Witchcraft card again and start to copy all of Mary’s actions. The court starts to believe the girls and out of fear Mary lies and tells them that John Proctor is the Devil’s man, and has tried to make her sign his book (his Devil’s book, that is) (pg:110). “Proctor, with a cry of his whole soul: Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (pg:133). After “confessing” to witchcraft. Hysteria is a driving factor in the village of Salem, Everyone either falls into the fear and “confesses” to all their “sins”, or they fall into the fear of living in a world where their name is blackened.

Arthur Miller’s book ‘The Crucible’ shows us how a person’s reputation can come down in the matter of seconds because of the fear people have when accusations are made / How the fear people have can completely wipe out any sort of rational thinking when it comes down to a man vs. society type of situation, having to ‘Tell the truth’ just so they can be spared in the long run. Hysteria will cloud people’s judgement and cause communities to break. Hysteria in the beginning of the Crucible by Arthur Miller. Hysteria in the middle of the Crucible by Arthur Miller. Hysteria in the ending of the Crucible by Arthur Miller. Hysteria drives people to do many things, completely leaving a person’s rational thinking out of the question. In the Crucible the people of Salem have to go through hardship and destroying Relationships because the things they fear the most are the things that control them the most.