The Chaos of Salem
During the year 1692 and 1693, Salem went to chaos over the Salem Witch Trials. The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, portrays this event very well; Millar easily shows the hysteria and fear that was running throughout Salem during this time. During this one-year long period of history, the judges in Salem had trialed over 200 people, and 20 of them was executed by hanging. Only certain kids, 12 of them total, were being afflicted by other people’s “spirits.” In all reality, it was found the 12 kids lied; They was building up power over time, so they soon controlled most, if not all, of Salem at the fingertips. This caused the hysteria to start, only to have it grow more that it turned to fear and major hysteria. The hysteria/fear grew worse over time, because people did not know who is getting accused next plus vengeance played a huge roll in the accusations. The more someone had it out for someone; The more likely whomever that person may be will probably get accused by the “afflicted” one. This kind of accusations spread rapidly throughout Salem. A good example of this would be Abigail accusing Elizabeth Proctor with witchcraft, so Abigail could have John Proctor to herself. Abigail talks horribly about Elizabeth to try and brainwash John Proctor, “It's a bitter woman, a lying, cold, sniveling woman, and I will not work
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20 of these 200+ people was hanged for Witchcraft, lying about their confession refusing to sign the confession, etc. The “afflicted,” like Abigail Williams, were responsible for the people that was arrested and the few that was killed. This caused fear to grow majorly in Salem, this lead to major hysteria and chaos. All of this combined, lead to people threatening to kill the people involved in the trials if their friend, loved one, was not saved or taken out of jail. “Tonight, when I open my door to leave my house-a dagger clattered to the ground…”(Parris, Act 4.
The hysteria that occurred in Salem was driven largely by fear. People were frightened by these strange afflictions, recommenced Indian attacks, and the increase of Quakers and Anglicans in the area (Godbeer 166). Consequently, the infamous Salem Witch Trials arose, leading to dozens of accusations and a shocking number of convictions. Its legacy has led many to believe that all early New Englanders were quick to accuse and condemn suspected witches without any concrete evidence. Escaping Salem shatters this belief.
Living in Salem in the summer and spring of 1692 would’ve been an extremely hectic experience, especially if you were a married woman with another woman who wanted your man. Many people were put to death in the months between June and September, and had it not been for a mass hanging, it might have continued for who knows how long. The accusers of the Witch Trials were mainly jealous women who were out for the man(or land) of an accused woman, but that was not always the case. Some men(boys, really) accused others of being witches for the reason that a.) they wanted their land, or b.)
What caused the Salem Witch Trial Hysteria of 1692? The Salem Witch Trial Hysteria of 1692 was a series of persecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts from 1692 to the 1700s. This terrible event ended up with 20 dead people who were accused and executed. Eventually, this catastrophe ended, when the governor's wife was being accused.
Witchcraft and revenge how do these affect the people of Salem? In The Crucible, Abigail goes on a rampage of false accusations of witchcraft with her friends after they are caught dancing in the woods. It is shown throughout the story how the accusations and hysteria spread throughout the town turning neighbors on each other for greed and gains. Abigail then accuses John Proctor of witchcraft after he tries to expose her for the liar she is, when she also accuses his wife. From this, you can see how Aurthor Miller uses John Proctor's traits of logic, hard workmanship, and selflessness to show how the hysteria changed people and affected those who had nothing to be accused of.
The stage is set, the French and Indian War has recently ended and tensions between the colonists and the British are only just beginning. However, despite all these influential happenings the people of Salem are focused on something totally different. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible these colonists in Salem are focused on something never seen or thought of before, witchcraft. This word and thought throw this small town into a frenzy and even some of the surrounding towns are caught up in this. The suspected witchcraft tests the colonists spiritually, emotionally, and politically.
As life goes on, we learn that there are many struggles that we go through that change us for better or for worse. In The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, a series of witch trials occur in the town of Salem and innocent people get accused and executed, but throughout the trials, many characters develop into something unexpected. A crucible is a container that can withstand heat and it shows the impurities of a metal. This is significant because the true characters of many people in Salem are revealed. Throughout The Crucible John Proctor, Elizabeth Proctor, and Giles Corey are all pushed to their boiling point as they go through the trials.
“Long-held hatred of neighbors could now be openly expressed and vengeance taken, despite the Bible’s charitable injunctions” (Miller, pg 1129). This quote perfectly explains the Salem Witch Trials and what went through Abigail and the girls heads when they accused innocent people of bewitching them. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is about the small village of Salem and the mass hysteria that was caused by young girls. Innocent people were hung and thrown in jail because they accused these people of bewitching them. The judges, Abigail, Tituba, and the girls are to blame for the Salem Witch Trials because the girls lied and the judges only relied on what these girls said for their evidence but Hale, a minister, was obligated to believe the girls
The courts in Salem made a lot of rash decisions based in religion and not enough evidence. Many people were hanged in The Crucible. The people were hanged because they were “witches”. The courts in Salem did not have any fool proof evidence of the existence of witches, but they believed in it anyway.
What caused the events in Salem? In 1692 some shocking events took place in Salem, Massachusetts. A bizarre outbreak of people accusing others of being witches began. These accused “witches” were slaughtered in a variety of ways.
The Salem Witch Trials took place in Salem in the winter of 1691 to the winter of 1692, a group of young girls fell strangely ill and complained of symptoms including knife-like pain, the feeling of being choked, and pinching. The town’s religious leaders blamed witchcraft. Salem, being a theocratic government, therefore relied heavily on the decisions and opinions of the religious officials. The Salem Witch Trials were caused by the enormous amount of attention and speculation it received from the religious leaders. The three main reasons the Salem Witch Trials took place were because of the written scripture, the legal/judicial system, and the tensions between the Town and the Village.
In the novel the Crucible, by Arthur Miller, the small town of Salem, Massachusetts wreaked havoc on those who were thought to have practiced witchcraft. The year 1692 was a bad one for the strict and Puritan town. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were executed. Though not all characters in this novel were based on a single person, each portrayed the lives of many during the horrific trials. The story of John Proctor, one of the main characters in the Crucible, was dealt a bad hand and went through a torturous trial just to have a fatal outcome.
Preceding the horrific events of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, the village of Salem was experiencing many difficulties, and in spite of its name, it was hardly a haven of tranquility.(Marvel, 2002, p.14) The town faced varying problems ranging from factional politics, religious problems, and famine. The winter of 1691 leading up to the summer of 1692 brought a time of suspicion, accusations, and mass hysteria. Many accusers, who were often little girls, went through alarming physical symptoms, such as inability to consume and sleep, erratic behavior, seizures, and panic attacks. (Kinchlow, 2011)
Twenty-four innocent people died during the Salem Witch Trials. This was due to many different factors that effected the people who lived there. The biggest factor being their religion; everyone living in Salem was a Puritan. When the Witch trials began, people’s judgment turned over into fear and superstition. Mass hysteria began because there was no governor, and there was no law system.
The Salem witch trial hysteria of 1692 may have been instigated by religious, social, geographic and even biological factors. During these trials, 134 people were condemned as witches and 19 were hanged. These statistics also include 5 more deaths that occurred prior to their execution date. It is interesting to look into the causes of this stain on American History, when as shown in document B, eight citizens were hanged in only one day.
In Witches: The Absolutely True Tale Of Disaster In Salem by Rosalyn Schanzer people in the town of Salem were Condemned for being witches. By the end of it all more than 200 people were accused and 20 were executed. Horridly they accused people from all ages, everyone from teenager to ancient was accused. But why? The Salem Witch Trials were caused by hysteria, popularity, and revenge.