Gillian MacDonald 21 March 2013 ENG 4U Mr. Chalmers The Ringleaders of the Salem Witch Trials In the book The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the theme of hysteria is dominantly present throughout the entire play. It is not hard to narrow down the cause of the widespread hysteria to three people that inevitably had their hand in the trials. The devious character, Abigail, shows her wicked mind and skill of manipulation in the play so she can get what she wants, John Proctor. The slave, Tituba, gave into the accusations and started the hysteria of the witch trials. The last character that contributed to an entire town’s belief in witches would be Danforth.
However, that very court was itself guilty of unjustifiably assuming that the accused were guilty of witchcraft and would sentence them to death unless they admitted to such. Unlike others that have been blamed, Rebecca Nurse would rather hang than to bear false witness against herself and others. Even on the day of Rebecca’s execution she shows no bitterness while someone in her position would be consumed with fear. Likewise, Robert and Connie Roberson, leaders of a Pentecostal church, are devout Christians that are accused of raping and abusing children. The accuser was the foster daughter of the police officer whom Mr. Roberson had earlier publicly criticized for his “… zeal in making arrests on sensational accusations” (Egan 1).
Elizabeth breaks the news to John that Abigail, the woman (or more teenager) that John had sex with, is telling people all over town that certain members of society are witches. Elizabeth hears from one of the accused that Abigail is to blame which sparks anger in John. Even though John tries to tell Elizabeth of Abigail's good nature, Elizabeth believes that Abigail is to blame solely because she committed adultery with her (Elizabeth's) husband. "My Wife will never die for me!...that goodness will not die for me," (38)! John soon comes to the conclusion that Elizabeth doesn't care about him since Elizabeth doesn't care about Abigail.
The Salem Witch Trials started by little girls acting strangely and then accusing others to have bewitched them. The defendants during the Salem Witch Trials took desperate matters to avoid being executed. Sarah Good resorted to saying the other accused “witch”, Sarah Osborne, had “tormented the children.” At one point Osborne even pretended to also have been infected by the witches’ magic. Tituba admitted to being a witch and told stories of flying around on broomsticks and being visited by creatures. Confessing to witchcraft was the only way a member of the accused wouldn’t be executed.
Eventually he makes an attempt, through Mary Warren’s testimony, to name Abigail as a fraud without revealing crucial information about the affair. When this fails, he confesses calling Abigail a “whore”, he then realises that it’s too late and matters have gone too far, not even the truth can stop what Abigail has caused. John’s confession leads to his conviction as a witch. The only way John and his wife can live is if he signs a confession to adultery
He asks Reverend Hale to resolve his curiosity about what his wife Martha might be reading behind his back, but instead rouses the town’s suspicion of Martha being a witch. He says to Hale, “I never said my wife were a witch, Mr. Hale; I only said she were reading books!” (71). Giles feels guilt for being responsible for his wife’s imprisonment and tries to defend her in court. Consequently, Giles refuse to give the name of the man who can substantiate his claim that Putnam is killing his neighbors for their land. If he gives the name, he would have to take on the guilt of selling out his friend.
In the play many characters do not take responsibility for what they do see going on. As a result many lives are taken. For example, John Proctor realizes how dangerous the witchcraft accusations are when the court officials arrest his wife, Elizabeth, for witchcraft: "The little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law! I ll not give my wife to vengeance!” (Miller 34). Before his wife was arrested, John really did not see that the girls weren't just telling little “white lies”.
Miller leaves the audience with a negative impression of the affect that these with power can have over others as he conveys the suffering that can result from such situations. Abigail lies to conceal her affair, and to prevent charges of witchcraft. Lowering her eyes to Parris, Abigail innocently pleads “we never conjured spirits”. Abigail shifts the focus away from herself, finding an avenue of power and takes full advantage of it. Ruthlessly accusing others of witchcraft she changes her story as a desperate act of self-preservation, “I danced with the devil; I saw him; I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss his hand.
Although his wife, Elizabeth Proctor is nice enough that can forgive his sin, John Proctor has his mind set that he will not confess to anyone else, in fear of running his good name. The affair between John and Abigail causes the start of chaotic witchery and accusation. Abigail became very jealous of Elizabeth Proctor. John realizes there is only way to stop all the witch hysteria in Salem, and that would be to confess adultery. He knows what he should do, but he continues to deny, until his wife is put into jail.
Salem, Massachusetts in the late 17th century was full of hysteria about witches casting spells, spirits being conjured, and the devil influencing the townspeople. Accusations of witchcraft, for personal vengeance, hurled fellow citizens into jail for eventual execution. The greedy were taking neighbors land once their innocent blood was spilled for crimes of witchery. John Proctor disliked the court’s lack of justice, and thought that the spreaders of the lies only did it to get what they wanted. All he wanted was for fair trials to be conducted and evidence to be looked for, because he was a very just individual and when a debate of who had authority he said “we vote by name in this society, not by acreage” (1.