Mass Hysteria In The Crucible Essay

“Mass hysteria is a condition which affects a group of people, it is characterized by excitement, anxiety, irrational behavior, beliefs, or inexplicable symptoms of illness within said group.” The Crucible was written and published on January 22, 1953, as means of pointing out the utter insanity of the Communist Red Scare. In the events which partook in the Red Scare, an organization by the name of the House Un-American Activities Committee was formed in 1938 and led by Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy, targeted and accused American citizens of being communists, most notably those who were successful. In The Crucible, I argue Mary Warren could have ended the mass hysteria in Salem by sticking to the truth, not taking Abigail’s threats seriously,

Considering she was deemed an officer of the court, which obligated her to promote justice in the court. Considering this, if she had told and stuck to the truth, the court and Judge Danforth himself would have gained suspicion of Abigail and begun to believe perhaps she and the girls were lying. As stated on the stage directions after Mary states “I–I cannot tell how, but I did. I–I heard the other girls screaming and you, Your Honor, you seemed to believe them, and I–It were only sport in the beginning, sir, but then the whole world cried spirits, spirits, and I–I promise you, Mr. Danforth, I only thought I saw them but I did not” (Act III p. 344). After this statement from Mary, in the stage directions just before Parris speaks his part “Parris, smiling, but nervous because Danforth seems to be struck by Mary Warren’s story.” (Act III p. 346) This shows Danforth would have believed, even if just a little, Mary’s statements in the court. Abigail threatened all of the girls if they dare speak a word of what really happened or even break the lie she’s crafted, this included Mary Warren herself. In the text, she is shown to be fearful of Abigail in regard to all of this, often glancing at her to see what her reaction is. In the text, stage directions, it states “Mary Warren: I–She glances at Abigail, who is staring down at her remorselessly.” (Act III p. 299) Considering the unfortunate truth of Mary