Mass Hysteria In The Crucible Essay

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Human nature is a fascinating concept that is exhibited through many kinds of situations. One situation might concern someone being absolutely certain that they are correct and genuinely wanting to spread their ideas with others. Another situation might involve someone’s natural tendency to demand and crave more of whatever they desire. Additionally, a situation might call for the need to pursue a specific objective in order to maintain self preservation. These situations may lead into an assortment of other paths, but one distinct path from all three is the ascension of mass hysteria. In Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, the confidence, greediness, and persistence of certain characters such as Reverend John Hale, Thomas Putnam, and Abigail …show more content…

In Act I, Abigail blames Tituba for calling on the Devil, mentioning that Tituba “comes to me every night to go and drink blood!... [is] always making me dream corruptions!... [sings] her Barbados songs and [tempts] me with-” (Miller, 44) Tituba is an easy scapegoat for Abigail because she is merely a slave and a convenient option to place blame. At the end of the first Act, Abigail practically condemns the whole town, from Sarah Good to Goody Osburn. Abigail sees Tituba’s redemption once confessing to her sins, so Abigail frantically calls out name after name in order to avoid more trouble for her actions. Beyond that, Abigail perseveres in her attempt to accuse Elizabeth Proctor, setting up for Mary Warren to give Elizabeth a poppet with a needle stuck in it to prove that Elizabeth was conjuring voodoo magic to harm Abigail. Earlier that evening, Abigail fell to the floor and “stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, [Reverend Parris] drew a needle out.” (Miller, 74) Furthermore, Abigail diverts attention away from herself in the courtroom and claims to see Mary Warren’s spirit attacking her in a form of a bird, crying out, “My face? My face?... you cannot want to tear my face. Envy is a deadly sin, Mary… Oh, Mary, this is a black art to change your shape.” (Miller, 114-115) Abigail accuses numerous people of witchcraft throughout the play as a means of self preservation and to gain control, thus elevating the madness of the

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