What do fatal outbreaks of laughing fits, men fearing the sudden loss of their genitals, and the Salem Witch Trials have in common? Mass Hysteria. Arthur Miller wrote the Crucible based on the historical event, the Salem Witch trials. It follows the protagonist, John Proctor, as he navigates Salem overrun by hysterical Puritans dealing with the accusations of witchcraft on its residents. Mass hysteria can lead people to act irrationally. Arthur Miller builds on this theme throughout his play, The Crucible, using irony, conflict, and characterization.
Miller uses the literary device of irony in order to advance the theme that hysteria makes people act irrationally. For example, Abigail Williams, a child in the play says, “She made me do it!
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For example, Hale goes against the court and says, “I denounce these proceedings, I quit this court!” (Miller 120). Hale experiences a person v. society type of conflict because he alone is going against the court system to defend his beliefs. This supports the theme because all the actions taken by the residents of Salem fueled by fear are causing conflict for people like Reverend Hale; one of the few people who haven’t let the rumors of witchcraft overrun him. An early Puritan leader, John Winthrop, once described Salem as a city upon a hill, a sermon. He said this to show that Massachusetts was going to be a beacon of hope for other states to look at and set an example for. But from the spread of hysteria surrounding witchcraft in Salem, the Puritans have begun to act irrationally and turn on each other. As a result, the witch trials did not end up looking like a holy and peaceful city. This irrational behavior also affected the justice …show more content…
For example, When Francis Nurse tells Judge Danforth that he believes the girls are lying to him about the witchcraft accusations, he responds, “Do you know who I am, Mr. Nurse? … And do you know that near to four hundred are in the jails from Marblehead to Lynn, and upon my signature? … And seventy-two condemned to hang by that signature?” (Miller 90). Here the characterization of Hawthorne is shown to be arrogant and audacious because he is very confident about his decision to condemn that many people, and will not listen to others opinion. This furthers the theme because the judge is no longer listening to evidence that counters the one he agrees with, just because he thinks he can’t be wrong, which is unreasonable. The hysteria surrounding witchcraft has gotten to Danforth, which made him apprehend hundreds of people and send many of those people to their death, despite what others tell him. The uproar about witchcraft got to the heads of many Puritans in