Role Of Hysteria In The Crucible

788 Words4 Pages

Brook Mills
Mrs. Brown
English 10
11/03/15
Many individuals of Salem have to deal with everyday hysteria with many people accused of being a witch and being executed. Other than Abigail, three characters who are to blame for the hysteria in The Crucible are Judge Danforth, John Proctor, and Mary Warren.
A character that contributed to the hysteria in The Crucible was Judge Danforth. He contributed to the hysteria because he sent men and women to be executed for no reason. Rebecca Nurse, John Proctor and Goody Osborne were all sent to jail and executed for being accused of being witches, even though Danforth had no proof of it. John Proctor says before he is taken to jail, “A fire, a fire is burning! I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! And it is my …show more content…

Mary warren contributed to the hysteria because she gave Elizabeth a doll with a needle in it. This doll Abigail gave Mary to give to Elizabeth because Abigail wanted to frame Elizabeth. Abigail then stabbed a needle into herself and showed it to Reverend Parris. Reverend Hale and Cheever were sent to investigate the Proctors house, where they searched for the doll with a needle in it. Elizabeth said, “I never kept no poppets, not since I were a girl” (Miller 73). They came across the doll and needle and took Elizabeth away. John Proctor was also sent to jail because of Mary Warren lied and accused him. John was only trying to help Salem by making Mary tell the truth about her and the bewitched girls lying. Judge Danforth asked her if she could pretend to faint like she did before with the girls, but she was weak and failed to do so. This is what Mary said to Danforth when asked to pretend to faint, “I - cannot faint now, sir” (Miller 106). Mary Warren then decided to accuse John Proctor even though John was only trying to bring the truth up. John was then sent to jail all because of Mary Warren couldn’t tell the