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The Role Of Hysteria In The Crucible

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In Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, Mary Warren, Abigail Williams, and Tituba, a slave, are instrumental in spreading the hysteria that resulted in the Salem Witch Trials. Throughout the play, Miller based the plot of his play on historical events and his characters show how paranoia and fear can escalate. Abigail Williams has a good sense of how to manipulate others and gain control over them. All these things add up to make her an awesome antagonist. She accuses Tituba for conjuring spirits which causes mass hysteria that blinded the people of Salem from the truth which is disregarded through the domino effect of accusations, the destruction of Salem, and death as the result. Mary Warren goes along with Abigail’s accusations but not for

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