Essay The Crucible - Fear - 987 Words

Fear can lead to a lot of things, but unfortunately, in humans it usually leads to something bad. Throughout history, fear has lead to some of the most violent actions by man, and some of the biggest collapses of organized society. In early American history, the people of Salem experienced this for themselves. Arthur Miller shows this in his book. The society of Salem that Miller creates in The Crucible shows how fear can slowly cause rational thought to deteriorate, leading to mass hysteria and eventually the breakdown of civilized behavior. During Act I, Miller shows how each Salem’s citizens begin to realize this fear they have, and how it is slowly starting to take over their minds. This new idea that witchcraft exists in their†¦show more content†¦Once the people of Salem fully realize their fear, Miller shows how they try to justify this fear, but that they are in fact becoming more and more hysterical. They now try to find a justification for thoughts and their fear of evil. They need some solid proof to back up these accusations that they make, and they need to clear their own names as well. So, they arbitrarily start claiming that â€Å"[they] saw†¦with the Devil†, and that â€Å"[they] saw†¦with the Devil† (45). These unjustified explanations for their fears just shows how truly corrupted their minds become. They start naming their own friends, neighbors, and even their own family in order to clear themselves and more importantly to try to prove that this witchery is really upon them, and to prove that they are not just crazy. What it really does is show how hysteria is setting in, and how they have actually accepted these lies as the truth. While questioning each other on the matter, their breakdown can really be seen through their quick, almost sputtering manner of speaking: Hale: â€Å"Did you call the Devil last night? Abigail: â€Å"I never called him!† Parris: â€Å"She called the Devil? Abigail: â€Å"I didn’t see no Devil!† Hale: â€Å"You cannot evade me†¦(40)† This pace at which they speak proves how they have no real justification, only that they can accuse someone and use that as proof. They speak in little fragments that can barely be consideredShow MoreRelatedThe Fear Of Fear In Arthur Millers The Crucible932 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"The enemy is fear. We think it is hate; but, it is fear† (Gandhi). While this may be true, what may be a more powerful driver in our lives are the lengths we take to avoid things we fear. The society of Salem that Arthur Miller creates in The Crucible shows how fear can slowly lead to panic and eventually break down civilized behavior. The Salem witch trials occurred in Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft otherwise known as â€Å"the DevilsRead MoreThe Crucible Fear Essay1191 Words   |  5 PagesArthur Miller’s play The Crucible, fear played an important role and is exploited by the characters in the play. The Crucible beings with a group of girls accusing people of witchcraft for their selfish benefit.Fear is an emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to inflict pain , or a threat. Fear is an emotion that is capable of overtaking and controlling one’s state of mind and well being. However , fear can be used as a motivation factor. Fear influenced these peopleRead MoreThe Elements Of Fear In The Crucible967 Words   |  4 Pagesby fear have been prevalent for a very long time, even extending to times before the 17th century. Events in history, such as wars, famines, and plagues have shaped the way people live in todays society. Even today, people live in constant fear over the terrorism that seems to be becoming a staple in everyday living. The Crucible is a play that was written by Arthur Miller during the 1950’s as an implicit way to address the communist accusations by the U.S. government. Likewise, The Crucible focusesRead MoreThe Theme Of Fear In The Crucible940 Words   |  4 Pagesexemplified thoroughly in The Crucible. Hysteria is defined as- exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement, especially among a group of people. During a time of despair or crisis, people rely on their primal instincts rather than their moral views or opinions. Emotions become more powerful and overwhelming in times of â€Å"hysteria† than any other situation. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Miller uses the theme of hysteria as the deeper meaning of the novel to argue that fear can be manipulated toRead MoreTheme Of Fear In The Crucible1277 Words   |  6 Pages American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, â€Å"Fear defeats more people than any other one thing on the world†. The Salem Witch Trials were were a classic example of scapegoating. This book started off in an small bedroom of a man named Reverend Samuel Parris. He lived in Salem, Massachusetts in the year of 1692, where people have been accused as witches and families snitch on each other in the fear of if they do not they would be hanged too. Three young girl was caught acting weird and was sentencedRead More The Crucible - fear and suspicion Essay1944 Words   |  8 PagesIn the Crucible, Arthur Miller shows us how fear and suspicion can destroy a community. As the play develops, Miller shows us how fear and suspicion increase and destroy the community. Throughout the play it becomes apparent that the community gets more and more divided as time goes on. In the beginning there were arguments about ownership of land between some of the villagers. As the story progresses people fear for their own safety and begin accusing their neighbours of witchcraft in orderRead MoreFear in Salem, Massachusetts and The Crucible Essay734 Words   |  3 PagesWhat do you fear in our twenty-first century society? Terrorism, inequality, losing your home, or injustice? Salem, Massachusetts during the seventeenth century feared injustices among the government. Individuals hid and lied to keep safe from being condemned as witches. This era of history is known as the Salem Witch Trials. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible explores the Salem Witch Trials while following the lives of several individuals. The fear and mistrust among the seventeenth century Salem societyRead MoreThe Crucible and The Great Fear Comparison Essay1185 Words   |  5 Pagesonce said, â€Å"We have nothing to fear but fear itself.† What is fear? Fear can be a noun or a verb. In the noun form, it is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. In the verb form, it is to be afraid of someone or something that is dangerous, painful, or threatening. If one person looks into fear, then that person becomes feared. But imagine a whole society or community looking into fear. The fear not only gets larger as itRead MoreHysteria And Fear In Arthur Millers The Crucible970 Words   |  4 Pageshomes, tried for a crime they did not commit, and some even convicted upon false accusations as a result of fear and hysteria running rampant throughout society. The citizens of Salem, Massachusetts experienced this phenomenon in 1692 when the witch trials arose. Arthur Miller portrays this occurrence in his play The Crucible in which he accurately displays the effects that hysteria and fear have on Salem and subsequently how it affects the citizens who are accused without substantial evidence. MillerRead MoreThe Miller s The Crucible - The Powers Of Fear920 Words   |  4 Pages The Powers of Fear in Salem Hysteria is an exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement, especially among a group of people. Hysteria is fear of the highest degree. Fear is defined as a feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, is a story inspired by actual historical events that occurred in Salem, Massachusetts. People in Salem start accusing others of doing witchcraft and then the trend goes on in a continuous