Do you ever realize how influential hysteria can be? Hysteria is an uncontrollable outburst of emotion or fear often characterized by irrationality. In Arthur Miller's play The Crucible, hysteria plays a significant role in tearing apart a community. Reverend Samuel Parris, John Proctor and Abigail Williams are the three main characters in the play who significantly contribute to and cause the hysteria which enables the people of Salem to believe unbelievable crimes. These three people are ultimately responsible for the tragic results of the Salem Witch Trials.
             The first person who can be blamed for creating hysteria in Salem is Reverend Parris. Parris is a stern man suffering from paranoia and his lust for power. Maintaining his reputation and position in the community are Parris's most pressing concerns. At the beginning of the play, he sees a group of girls dancing in the forest and is terrified that the girls are engaging in witchcraft. His immediate concern is not the endangerment of the girls' souls but rather he is more concerned about himself. He is afraid of losing his position in Salem because of the trouble from the girls and the rumor of his daughter's mysterious illness. Since a lot of townsfolk dislike Parris, he is fear that his enemies will use the scandal to drive him out of his minister office. When Thomas Putnam accuse that the mysterious of his and Parris's daughter are cause by element of witchcraft, Parris replies in great fear of "so disastrous a charge laid upon" (p 14) him. He claims that in no way could they "leap to witchcraft" (p 14) as people will howl him "out of Salem for such corruption" (p 14) in his house. He is definitely to be blame for allow hysteria to flourish as he only concerns with his reputation. His allegation of witchcraft only renders Abigail to be a greater threat to him by giving her opportunities to lie. Besides, sending Reveren...