Mass Hysteria In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

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Corruption in the Name of God: Judge Danforth’s Unforgivable Sin 1692, Salem, Massachusetts, was one of the most gruesome cases of mass hysteria, where nineteen innocent people were publicly executed due to the decisions of one corrupt man. Correspondingly, after the Second World War, mass hysteria manifested itself yet again in the lives of American citizens in a time period known as the Red Scare. Many people during this time were accused of affiliation with the feared Communist party, even if the allegations were backed with minimal evidence. Victim to the consequences of this craze himself, Arthur Miller created The Crucible to inform his readers of the similitude of 1692, Salem, and the Red Scare. He employs characters such as Judge Danforth to criticize the decisions made by those in power during the …show more content…

Marshall with various charges” (120). McCarthy’s role as a senator and member of the government was to provide honesty to the people; however, he instead cared more about his public image. He used these accusations, which he knew would cause division, to bring down those who tried to damage his reputation. Miller also characterizes Danforth as a corrupt politician to criticize McCarthy, since the similarities of both of these people can be seen through their immoral decisions to prioritize their reputations over people's lives. Some readers argue that Danforth's choices as a judge are justified, due to the fact that being seen as a man of order and maintenance helps protect the town of Salem and keep it at peace. However, as an official in the court of law, it is Danforth's duty to provide a fair and unbiased trial to all people, regardless of whether the intentions are to make himself emulate a judge of

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