The witch hunt led to Abigail having a destructive power trip. She controlled the town with fear. She acted as a ringleader to a bunch of scared girls. “Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.” (Miller 20) She controlled them and used the Court Officials to do her deeds. She not only acted as a tyrant but she pulled other people into her mess.
He was wealthy, took part in the politics of the village, however he was always trepidatious so as not to possibly endanger his name as enemies he made increasing his power within the town would attack him.”But if you trafficked with spirits in the forest, i must know it now for surely my enemies will and they will ruin me with it” When his daughter becomes ill possibly due to blasphemous actions she may have been part of, rather than follow the word of God. He lies and claims that no issue would be associated with his family despite this being sin and endangering Betty’s life. The fear of losing all he had completely overtook his duty to help his daughter recover. These events each showcased a severe situation in which the outcome among all three was the same. Fear overcame their faith showing how people in life-endangering events will immediately abandon all their morals and relationships and reveals how it can ruin families and nations.
The devastating tragedy of 9/11 left all of America mourning. The horrific event opened the eyes of Americans, the fact that America was not invincible shocked many. The realization that the country was not undefeatable led to drastic changes. Post 9/11 security was increased, racial profiling became common, and foreigners were misjudged. The threat of terrorist attacks changed American culture immensely; the devastation wakened the need for protection and a sense of security.
The Crucible Essay The Crucible, the famous play written by the playwright, Arthur Miller, written during the Red Scarce in 1952, shows the mass hysteria for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. Reverend Parris catches his daughter, Becky, and his niece, Abigail, dancing in the woods. Abigail admits that they were dancing, but tells him and Hale that the Devil already has other people’s souls, which leads to harsh accusations and fallacious executions. Both, Arthur Miller’s life and The Crucible have two connections: One, in that both, had paranoia about a certain subject. In the United States, there were worries of Communism infiltrating the government; however, in the Salem community, there were worries of witchcraft being practiced in the town.
The Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism were definitely both great examples of how histeria and paranoia can affect a population. People were terrified for their lives and the lives of other people that were important to them. As soon as something happened that startled the churches or McCarthy and his workers they stepped in. They started questioning innocent
The Crucible and the Mass Hysteria Portrayed The Crucible composed by Arthur Miller, has many themes that have been explained. The most known theme being hysteria, as well as the role it played in devastating the town of Salem. Hysteria can be defined as behavior displaying excessive or uncontrollable emotion, such as fear or panic and this is evident in The Crucible as the actions of Abigail Williams and her friends are accusing the town’s people of Salem as devil worshippers. This theme has been portrayed through the use of dialogue and stage direction. In the whole event of the witch trials, a few people were able to thrive upon the hysteria and use it to their advantage.
Parris was paranoid to the point where he believed that “he was being persecuted wherever he went.” This paranoia resulted in his eagerness to encourage the witch-trials in an effort to preserve his esteemed position. After his daughter is accused of witchcraft, Parris’s anxiety over losing his position of power is aggravated. He fears being guilty by association, and refuses to accept it, because the people of Salem “will howl [him] out of Salem for such corruption in [his] house.” When Abigail suggests another witch may be responsible for Betty’s condition, he is eager to support her and seizes the opportunity to protect his position. Salem had been founded forty years before the witch trials took place. At the time of its establishment, little was known about the surrounding areas, and a theocratic government was created in an attempt to unify and protect the people of Salem.
Fear is defined as a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, or pain. In the play The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, which depicts a time of panic, false accusation, and wrongful executions , all caused by one thing fear is present in everyone’s life at some time or another in the story. The feeling of fear overall plays a very important role in everyone’s life in the play. In a puritan society, in which reputation plays such an important role, the fear of guilt by affiliation becomes decidedly harmful. Knowing this townsfolk of Salem must fear that the sins of their friends will stain their names.
They made life miserable for those accused and did not stop, even when they had had their “fun”. The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, draws obvious parallels between the 1950’s Red Scare and the witch-hunts that took place in Salem of 1692. Miller connects the hysteria brought about through accusations thrown around by both Senator McCarthy and Abigail Williams by emphasizing how much power their groups hold over everyone. During the times of the Salem Witch Trials and the Red Scare, fear ruled those unfortunate enough to be involved in nearly any conflict. Be it fear of witchcraft or communism,the fact is that it swept throughout the early and post-industrial United States.
Survey of Am. Lit and Comp 18 October 2010 Crucible Essay In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, the suspicion of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts consumes the people of the town with questions and accusations. The theme of this drama is that fear has the power to govern one’s actions. This theme ties in well with the Stephen Vincent Benet quote. “Persecution follows superstition and intolerance…once we light that fire we cannot foresee where it will end or what it will consume”.