Mass Hysteria In The Crucible

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In the play, The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, evokes a deadly mixture of unlawful sexuality, terror of devil-worship, and political administration. The Play develops after Parris witnessed his own daughter and niece along with numerous of other girls from the town dancing in the woods. After being terribly startle, Parris daughter, Betty falls into a bizarre illness no doctor could cure; her illness was what initiated the fuel to the first rumors of witchcraft. Frightened, terrified and willing to do anything to save themselves, the girls began to blame innocent people from the town to be witches and/or practice witchcraft. Due to these falsely accusations, nineteen innocent people were hanged, and many people’s lives were ruined. …show more content…

Just as terrified and desperate to save his own life as the girls from the crucible, McCarthy began to accuse innocent people and not only ruining their career but also their lives. They were both being unfairly suspected and marked guilty for being a communist or being a witch, and having to suffer for other people’s actions. Another way novel connects to an aspect of the author’s life is that he can relate to John Proctor, who, in spite of a flawed character, was able to fight the insanity that surround him.
Both, people in the play The Crucible and Miller’s involvement with McCarthyism experienced mass hysteria. In societies from centuries ago, such as puritan Salem in 1692, fear ran all over the town when dozens of innocent people were accused of witchcraft causing nineteen people to be killed. When fear and rumors becomes prevalent and delusional as it had in Salem, it could be designated as mass hysteria. due to the reason that it is no longer just fear, it can be used as a contrivance for self-gaining; bludgeon to benefit in a political statues; and it can also be used as a weapon for revenge. In Arthur Miller’s well-known play The Crucible, mass hysteria lead to terrible events. Thomas Putnam fits

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