Throughout The Crucible, a prolonging of mass hysteria arises, perpetuated by extreme emotion of complicated characters. The book, a historical drama, was based on the Salem Witch Trials of the 17th century. An allegory to the Red Scare and McCarthyism, all characters undergo manipulative, tragic situations involving false accusations, paranoia, threats, lies, and more around known conformity to disapproving witchcraft. The Crucible directly mirrors major sentiment of these specific historical time periods when a personal invasion of the townspeople increased the severity of reactions, heightening the madness of the overall public. Events grew in terms of intensity and one after another, created a chaotic atmosphere for the entirety of the town and with more than 200 people on trial, many …show more content…
While Abigail’s actions are an increasingly large part of the mass hysteria that progresses in Salem, so are the actions of Elizabeth. Love affects Elizabeth Proctor in Act three of The Crucible and her protective instincts take over, extending the intensity of growing mass hysteria in town. Elizabeth, humble and religious, married John Proctor. A straining and difficult marriage, she found out about her husband’s affair and discharged Abigail from her service. She kept her distance from John, emotionally, and throughout the story she struggled to forgive him for his act of adultery. Like others, she was falsely accused of witchcraft, and imprisoned. That was until revealing her pregnancy when she was freed and went to testify on John Proctor’s behalf. John, accused of witchcraft, admitted to cheating on his wife in the court and Elizabeth was called in to back up his confession. For example, when in court, Danforth addresses the situation of lechery to Elizabeth’s knowledge, they go back and forth, “In a crisis of indecision she cannot speak. Answer my