The Salem Witch Trials In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

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Under the right circumstances, fear can twist the reality of a situation and blind people to reason. The Crucible by Arthur Miller explores the fictionalized story of the Salem witch trials that took place in Massachusetts between 1962 and 1963. The trials were composed of a series of hearings and prosecutions of the villagers accused of witchcraft. In The Crucible, the people of Salem become hysteric as the accusations of witchcraft grow so rapidly and profusely to the point where innocent people are hanged.

The hysteria in Salem begins when Abigail William and a group of girls accuse Tituba of witchcraft to avoid punishment. They were caught dancing naked in the woods while boiling an animal, chanting a song, and going around saying the …show more content…
Many community members join in to carry out their grudges and express their sentiments. For one, Abigail accuses Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft to send her to jail. She wanted to get rid of her because she wanted to have a relationship with her husband, John Proctor. It is important to note that Miller made their ages closer together in the book and created a love interest that did not exist in real life. Henry Popkin suggests that “the presumption of adultery enables Miller to avoid the inartistic danger of making an entirely innocent character suffer; wrongly condemned for witchcraft, Proctor suffers instead for his adultery and ultimately for his hostility to Salem's obsession with sin” (qtd. in Porter). Miller chose to do this not only for the theatrical effect, but to create a reason that would justify John Proctor's death. Another character that utilizes the trials for a personal motive is Reverend Parris as he attempts to assert his authority on the people in Salem. As he is a prominent figure in Salem, the idea of Abigail and the girls dancing naked would taint his image. This was one of the reasons he pressured them to confess. As the trials progress, he squashes anyone who disagrees with Abigail’s version of events. Parris needs the power to feel in control and to portray a proper image in the …show more content…
This includes nineteen people in the town. Rather than give in to the accusations, they stayed true to their beliefs and would not say that they participated in the witchcraft. Their lives were ended in front of the town as the citizens were cheering their hanging on. One of the people who they hanged was John Proctor. Even though he had his family whom he loved and needed to look after, he refused to accept the lie. Martine writes that “Once he perceives the nature of the challenge to his dignity and the damage to his own image of his rightful status--summed up for him in his name--he comes to a decision and acts decisively” (qtd. in McGill). His actions reveal a lot about his character. It is ironic how a source of the hysteria began with Abigail wanting John Proctor’s affection yet the lies got him killed. As he was being hanged, Abigail was in the crowd watching and cheering on what was happening. She could have admitted what truly happened, but she stayed silent. She felt no guilt or remorse as the lives of people she knew were taken away.

Due to the fact that Salem was already filled with rumors of black magic and speculation about the devil’s work, it was easy for the people to believe the events depicted in the trials. Abigail Williams added fuel to the fire when carrying out the lie that a witch was trying to cause her harm. The hysteria built itself up to the point
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