Abigail Williams Hysteria

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The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, is a story of a scandal that ultimately results in the hanging of several innocent townspeople. The tale, which takes place in the Puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts around 1692, opens with Reverend Parris, the town minister, noticing a group of young girls attending a questionable gathering in the woods. The Puritan religion is a very strict faith in terms of the way a person may conduct themselves, which means that actions modern people find rebellious would be considered quite nefarious to a Puritan. As the story gains momentum, many corrupt people like Abigail Williams steer the situation in a direction that leads to distrust between neighbors, revenge, chaos, and even death for some. Incorporating these factors, Miller emphasizes the hysteria that develops when people fail to seek the truth with the character of Abigail Williams, a self-absorbed …show more content…

The catalyst of the hysteria depicted in The Crucible was actually caused by Tituba; if the girls had not convened with her that night, then there would not have been an incident to prompt the gossip and other events that eventually led to the trials. Delirium swiftly materialized in Salem once Reverend Parris witnessed the girls “performing witchcraft in the forest with