An Age Of Mass Hysteria - 1623 Words

An Age of Mass Hysteria: Salem in 1692 and 1693 Over 200 people were falsely accused of witchcraft from 1692 to 1693 in Salem, Massachusetts and 20 of those people were executed. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible follows a group of people in Salem and their struggle to find an answer that explains the tragedies of life through religion. Their faith plays such an influential role in their life that they use it to explain things that modern science would explain. They believe that the bad things that happen are due to the devil who is aided by witches. As the people of Salem struggle to define themselves as a town during their struggle between good and evil, they develop a sense of hysteria as waves of emotions and an alarming rate of new plot points rushes toward them every second. Arthur Miller creates an atmosphere of hysteria by constantly introducing new plot points and shifting who the reader trusts in order to accurately represent the time period. Arthur Miller wanted to creatively, but truthfully, tell the story of the Salem Witch Trials. By having to fulfill this goal, he creates a didactic tone throughout the novel. In order to achieve this, he needed to accurately represent, not only the facts of the time-period, but also give his readers an idea of what the general atmosphere would have been at the time. He provides commentary on the characters to further help the reader understand their personalities and guide them to make accurate judgments of each character: â€Å"OneShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Mass Hysteria In The Crucible1032 Words   |  5 Pagesfarmer incites the outset of mass hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts by convincing the villagers that witchcraft is being practiced by those in their midst. Mass hysteria is defined in Witchcraft and Mass Hysteria in Terms of Current Psychological Theories as â€Å"a phenomenon that transmits collective illusions of threats, whether real or imaginary, through a population in society as a result of rumors and fear† (Wolf 23-28). As written by Gary Small M.D. in â€Å"Mass Hysteria Can Strike Anywhere, Anytime†Read MoreThe Yellow Bird Spirit - analysis of Arthur Millers The Crucible play. Focuses on the yellow bird in Act II and how mass hysteria is achieved and the effects of such panic.1412 Words   |  6 Pagesbrilliantly comments on human morals, authority, and mass hysteria. He parallels the events of Salem in 1600s to the blacklisting and the discrimination against those who were labeled as a communist in America during the 1950s. He proficiently shows how mass hysteria could sweep an entire community like a tsunami and erase all logical thought and rationality. Especially in the yellow bird scene during Act III, he portrays how mass hysteria is achieved and the effects of such panic. Miller usesRead MoreRelationship between McCarthyism, Saudi Arabias War on Witchcraft, Moral Panic that Occured in Christian Nations and the Salem Witch Trials682 Words   |  3 Pagesabsurd hysteria amongst a populace. Though many at the time and even now viewed these acts as just which may be so since views differ from the individual and so forth. I wish to object to that view point since what one group desires may be harmful to the other and such primal behavior is un-civilized of the perpetrators. Many of you may not know of McCarthyism, basically McCarthyism was a period when a man named Joseph McCarthy caused a massive uproar of hysteria in the U.S.A. Mass hysteria in theRead Moreâ€Å"Red Alert Is The Colour Of Panic. Elevated To The Point1704 Words   |  7 Pagesfanatics And the neighborhood s a loaded gun Idle thought lead to full-throttle screaming And the welfare is asphyxiating Mass confusion is all the new age and it s creating a feeding ground for the bottom feeders of hysteria† American Eulogy by Green Day was written and released in 2009 giving their audience the feeling of what it is like to be in the middle of mass hysteria and trying to escape that life. Just as people felt During the Cold War and the Salem Witch Trials. The Crucible takes placeRead MoreSimilarities Between The Crucible And Salem Witch Trials725 Words   |  3 Pages factor that made him write the book. They were both witch hunts one literally one not so much a witch hunt as a communist hunt. Events in the play and events in McCarthyism are both very similar. A general thing that happened during both is hysteria, a mass feeling of fear in a way. They were both about people being accused of something their most likely not, communist or witches. Connections like these is what I think bring together these two subjects together. These are just some of the thingsRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials And Mccarthyism782 Words   |  4 PagesGuantanamo Bay prison. Although the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism are differed in the fact that one was based on religion and the other was politically based, both events had striking similarities. In both events, innocent people were accused and mass hysteria was generated through public trials. As I previously mentioned, the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism were quite similar. For one, people were accused of practicing evil. During the Salem Witch Trials, residents were accused of being witches andRead MoreEssay about Witchcraft 1052 Words   |  5 PagesBeginning in the Middle Ages and through the seventeenth centuries, an infiltration of witchcraft persevered throughout Europe. The witch craze resulted in the torture and persecution of witches. More than 100,000 of witches who were tried were centered in the area of southwestern Europe. The mass hysteria of witches was denounced because of their rejection of God and their pact with the devil, which resulted in harsh punishments and accusations. One reason for the persecution of witches was theyRead MoreTheme Of Patriarchy In The Crucible1601 Words   |  7 Pagessociety and how it ties in the with The Crucible by Arthur Miller as well as how these became the reasons for this extreme case of mass hysteria. In the firs t section, I provide you with the traditions and beliefs of the Puritans to further educate you on the ways that a Puritanical society was run and how this could’ve possibly led to one of the worst cases of mass hysteria in its time. In the second section, I will provide you with information from the original Salem witch trials and the relationsRead MoreEssay about The Crucible by Arthur Miller981 Words   |  4 Pagesthis widespread hysteria. Realising that he has to prevent this hysteria from developing further was to write a play, in hope that the audience would see what the hidden meaning and message he was trying to portray, instead of being just a play. Many things in history can relate in different aspects. The comparison of the Salem Witch trials and McCarthyism are examples of things in history that show similarities. Looking at the two historical events, we can see that hysteria was ever-presentRead MoreWitchcraft Hysteria Of Salem, Massachusetts891 Words   |  4 Pagesis, until the 150 convictions and 19 executions of witches that took place in Salem, Massachusetts beginning in 1691 (Orr, September 30, 2015). Though the causes of the mania are still hotly debated even today, the primary cause of the witchcraft hysteria that captivated Salem, Massachusetts in the 1690’s was socioeconomic tensions within the community. The town of Salem was actually split up into two distinctly separate settlements. The village of Salem was characterized by farmers who depended