Hysteria In The Crucible

The Dangers of hysteria

Screaming, Riots, panic, and total chaos is the result of mass hysteria. A collision of feelings and people that cause an escalation of emotion to arise. Miller uses these examples to adhere the similarities to form The Crucible. The conjoining parts to this play were conceived only for the idea of storytelling, but instead became something else as the dangers of mass hysteria evolved and became clear. The McCarthyism era was a time between 1940 and 1950s where senator Joe McCarthy became paranoid of spies and Communists hidden within his daily life. He used his power to speak out against the so-called traitors, that were planted among the population. On one occasion, in part of history.com, included McCarthy delivering

a speech “appearing at the Ohio County Women’s Republican Club in Wheeling, West Virginia”(Staff, History.com). This speech had marked the beginning of the new era. As the Cold War raged on, the American people became increasingly paranoid about the idea McCarthy was spreading. The testimonies McCarthy made were the foundation for the hysteria that grew as individuals continued to accuse one another. The audience sees this as it compares very similar to the Salem Witch Trials. When more than 200 accused, the hysteria spread throughout Massachusetts and within a year resulted in the death of 20. Miller began exploring the history of the Salem witch trials more as the similarities grew. The true reason behind the witch trials is a mix of fear, revenge and excuses all used during a time with little understanding of the concept of hysteria. The start of the fear according to the History of Massachusetts was “Fear of the Devil, and witches who did his bidding” (History of the Salem Witch Trials). It was not necessarily an action but rather a concept of the devil - a story in which Puritans were forced to believe as followers of their own religion. These two historic events contained detailed accounts of hysteria. Miller uses these as a way to provide the audience with the fear of the unknown as the people felt back then.
Once Miller syphoned this information from sources beyond his expertise he began to write.

Miller used the salem witch trials as a base for which he started to build his fictional town and the villagers within. He used this to share the hysteria felt within the two time periods and blend them together to form a play about them. Within the play he makes connections so seamless that it can be felt throughout the audience making the hysteria perceivable. This blended text includes information that proves the disruptive properties of hysteria. The disruption in history included those who were accused during the Salem Witch Trials. During the witch hunt many were accused by others as stated from history.com “ Like Tituba, several accused “witches” confessed and named still others, and the trials soon began to overwhelm the local justice system.”(Staff, HIstory.com) Miller used this information but concluded it wasn't enough. He dug deeper on McCarthyism to prove the resemblance. Miller found a proposed list of 205 names of communist given by McCarthy. The speech that contained this list stated that the Communists were “working and shaping the state department” ( Staff, History.com). The captured scene of this occurs in the play on page 9, abigail states “Uncle, the rumor of witchcraft is all about; I think you’d best go down and deny it yourself.”(Miller 9) The very mention of witchcraft started the hysteria and created a perpetual movement of fear within the village. Miller

crafts this carefully in a way to suppress the idea of McCarthyism. The concept hidden within this message is when McCarthy made his speech on February 9 1950. In reach to the ears of thousands he declared, “I have in my hand 57 cases of individuals who would appear to be either card carrying members or certainly loyal to the Communist Party.”(McCarthyism, Ushistory.org) This speech mentioned “81 cases that day.” This was certainly the idea miler used within the crucible as abigail said her line. These initiations of the hysteria caused many to panic. This panic was then used by others in a form of a scapegoat. The scapegoat included into The Crucible became so relevant in this small village that the fabric of society was ripped. The very ground the village was laid upon was being torn out from under them as the trials raged on.
In writing The Crucible, Arthur Miller examined these articles and statements to gain in in-depth knowledge of the false accusations and mass hysteria that resulted from it.

He uses the story of the Salem Witch Trials in the The Crucible as an allegory for the Red Scare. During both the Red Scare and the Salem Witch Trials, the dangers of mass hysteria are illustrated by the consequences of both historical occurrences; specifically, The names given up by others. Those names could undergo dangerous consequences according to pbs.org “Some had their passports taken away, while others were jailed for refusing to give the names of other communists. The trials ... could often destroy a career.” The dangers of hysteria are seen here as not having a job which some relied solely on. Miller encrypts his lines to include the same dangers by mentioning Giles Corey. Corey was a man that refused to accuse, he is pressed for information and comes to the conclusion of two words which he states on page 135 “More

Weight.”
In conclusion the use of allegory was genius as Miller compromised the Salem Witch Hunts and the Red Scare. The idea of using the two to tell a story was almost unheard of, and miller’s light bulb lit up. These two were formed together to present the reader to the idea of the dangers involved with hysteria. With the Witch Hunts leaving 20 deaths, and the Red Scare leaving thousands without jobs, the danger of hysteria has the opportunity to end a life as fast as hysteria can form. The hysteria was the main point in both events, but it doesn't end there. The audience can foresee that the hysteria didn't stop and won't all thanks to fear.
Word Count 1115
Works Cited
"History of the Salem Witch Trials." History of Massachusetts. 18 Feb. 2017. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.
History.com Staff. "Joseph R. McCarthy." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
History.com Staff. "Salem Witch Trials." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2011. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
"McCarthyism." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association. Web. 23 Mar. 2017.
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible: A Play in Four Acts. New York: Penguin, 2016. Print.