Hysteria in The Crucible

A detailed Summary of Hysteria in The Crucible

Many occasions of mass chaos and ultimate breakdown of society directly

result from hysteria. Hysteria means total loss of control of what seems rational and

righteous. If a community falls into such a state, the results can be devastating. The

Puritan society possesses the perfect conditions for such an event. In Arthur

Miller's play, The Crucible, hysteria plays a key role as the main theme. It portrays

as the main theme because it often becomes the atmosphere of the play and the main

motivator of the character's actions.

First, hysteria seems to take on as the atmosphere of the play, not to

mention that the whole play portrays a hysterical mood. In all four acts of the play

hysteria, in some way, comes out. In act one, hysteria prevails towards the end of

the play when Mrs. Putnam and the others prosecute Tituba. At the beginning of

the prosecution Tituba swears she has never seen nor been in contact with th

Whore!"(p.101). Then Proctor tries to ruin Abigail by confessing to his sin of

As they beat her and tell her if she does not confess then she will be hanged, she

hysterical and believe Mary. The scene ends with the jailing of Proctor.

Approximate Word count = 660
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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