Mass Hysteria In The Crucible

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The definition of “crucible” - in context to the theme of the play - reads, “a situation of severe trial, or in which different elements interact, leading to the creation of something new.” In The Crucible, many people are tested in scenarios they would never have imagined would happen to them. Many different groups and families are drawn together, whether it’s to fight for one another, or against. As well as coming together, or being torn apart in a time of hysteria, every character’s morals are put to a severe test when truths and lies seep to the surface of their daily lives. There are many different variations of ways the great Crucible is able to live up to it’s proud and famous title. “I have trouble enough without I come five mile to …show more content…

In a panic, Mary hysterically turned on Hale, probably for the sole reason that he was the first person she saw when anxiety clouded and took over her thought process. “You are the Devil’s man! He come at me by night and every day to sign.” The only reason she had started to go after Proctor was to save herself from Abigail, who was acting like Mary was possessing her by mocking everything she said. The only reason Abigail did this was because she was scared, as well. Abigail’s secret of faking being bewitched in court was finally about to come out. So, in a last second frenzy, she had started to attack Mary Warren to save herself, to which Mary turned on Proctor to save herself. After attempts to save themselves from damnation, characters of the Crucible started acting hysterically as well as pointing fingers at anyone they could, creating a stampede of frenzy and agitation, stomping cold-footed through the pages of the play. Every single character in the play had been affected by the mass hysteria that crept through Salem like a thick fog. Many people - Reverend Parris being a good example - were worried about their reputations, how they would look to the mass’s judging and unforgiving eye. However, once the trials had started to become unmanageable to even the highest hierarchy of the small town, reputation didn’t matter when more and more people were …show more content…

The Crucible reads “a situation of severe trial, or in which different elements interact, leading to the creation of something new.” It’s easy to let society’s view become your views on popular issues. But once you choose to make your opinions your own is when you dominate entire