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Final Copy



In Arthur Miller’s novel The Crucible, there are many religious and supernatural problems that play very important roles in the witch-trials. However, there are also many societal problems, or human-failings, that played key roles in the motives of the accusers. One of the most important being hysteria.


Throughout the entire story, Miller made a point to show that mass hysteria was going on through out all of Salem. He showed through the character’s actions, that hysteria was actually the reason the trials began in the first place and that the power of suggestion was what kept feuling the chaos. For example, in the beginning of the novel when all of the girls who were caught dancing were being interrogated, many of them began accusing men and women of the town of witchcraft because others were suggesting to them that witchcraft was the source of the girls’ sickness. For instance in the dialogue the girls claimed, “… I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osborne with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!…” Because of this hysteria rising and pressure building from the many suggestions of witchcraft, many innocent people were blamed and accused of practicing the Devil’s work. This in turn, led the people of Salem to allow their own selfish minds to control their decisions and actions throughout the trials.


Another idea that Miller made sure to emphasize in the story, was that fear dominated many characters actions. Because so many people were being accused, many innocent people felt that if they were to stick up for anyone including themselves, they would become the next targets on the list. So, rather than doing what was right, many citizens of Salem either lied and accused people sp that they could gain some kind of financial benefit. For example, in the story Marry Warren stated, “My name, he want my name… I’ll murder you if my wife hangs! We must go and overthrow the court he says!” Miller made it a point to show the characters actions when they are experiencing fear because he wanted to show the extreme, drastic measures people would go through to stay alive, no matter how right or wrong they were.


Also, Miller wrote about how greed and people’s vindictive personalities are what continued to keep the trials alive for so many months. He explained that people found ways to use the chaos spewing from the mass hysteria to their own advantages. Miller chose to write about this because it really brought awareness to the fact that the people of Salem really lost their minds and their sense of moral standards. The once very Puritan town had undergone so much turmoil, they began to completely ignore their sacred religion. For instance, Miller wrote one of the characters saying, “ My proof is there! If Jacobs hangs for a witch he forfeit up his property- that’s law! And there is none but Putnam with the coin to buy so great a piece. This man is killing his neighbors for their land!” (Pg. 214) This again shows, how the Salem witch trials drastically changed the mindset of the entire town.


In conclusion, Arthur Miller chose to express these human failings through the actions and decisions of the characters to greatly emphasize how much of a role each person in Salem played. These hidden societal problems the people had between themselves were one of the most important causes of witch trials. And because of them, innocent people were murdered, justice was not served and the once perfect public persona of Salem died with the many who were hung.
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