The witch trials were a confusing time for people no one knew who or what to believe. Abigail Williams and Tituba in Arthur Miller's Play, The Crucible is two main important characters who could have done more to end the hysteria in Salem. All of the girls were undressed in the woods which led to people being accused of witchcraft. Hysteria is (Exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement, especially among a group of people). Abby and Tituba started the hysteria in Salem by chanting over a fire in the woods performing voodoo attempting to kill Elizabeth Proctor.
The witch trial broke the village up into different sides people who believed in witchcraft and people who didn't. Everyone had different outlooks on the whole situation and how things were being handled which led to confusion. Some of the characters in the Arther Miller play think that Reverend Hale could have done things differently instead of hanging people with no concrete evidence. It led to arguments and people getting upset with each other and all could have been avoided if weren't for Abigail. However, Tituba is a slave and servant for Samual Parris she is from Barbados also she practices black magic. ¨ I don't compete with no devil!¨ Tituba shouted (Miller 595). Tituba was the first person to be accused of witchcraft by Abigail, yet certainly wasn't the last. Since Tituba was a slave she was the easiest to put all the blame on though I think she was guilty and not guilty.
Abigail lied and said Tituba forced her to drink blood while she performed voodoo spells on her and conjured her dead sister from the grave. Furthermore, the girls were seen by Samual Parris in the woods. ̈And what shall I say to them? That my daughter and my niece I discovered dancing like heathen in the forest? ̈ Samual Parris questions (Miller 567). Abigail then turns the blame on everyone else and accused random people of witchcraft when she gets caught by Samual Parris. ̈ Then you were conjuring spirits last night¨ said Samual Parris ̈ Not I sir Tituba and Ruth ̈ Abby exclaimed (Miller 572).
Abigail is an orphan girl who had an affair with a married man, John Proctor who is married to Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail then falls in love with John, consequently, John realized that he had committed lechery. Proctor tries to end ties with Abby so Abby tries and kill his wife so she can have Proctor all to herself. She accuses Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft causing Elizabeth to be taken to jail, however, Abigail's jealousy and selfishness got in the way of her realizing her actions had an effect on other people as well. Abigail's lying and accusing people of witchcraft caused innocent people to be tried and hanged. Nonetheless, John Proctor is also a character who could have done more to end the hysteria in Salam. Knowingly John Proctor could have ended the hysteria and witch trials by simply never getting involved with Abigail she was too young and everyone knew she was no good. John Proctor was known as honest, kind, helpful and a good married man no one suspected him to be involved in witchcraft or adultery.
Proctor wanted to free his wife but he did not have any proof that his wife was innocent unless he admitted that he had an affair with Abigail. During the court interrogation Proctor confessed to having an affair with Abigail, as a result, Abigail and the other girls made Marry Warren accuses John Proctor of using witchcraft. If the girls weren't so scared of Abigail then they could have made their own decisions and chosen the right things to do and brought Abby's lies and accusations to light. Since Abigail is manipulative and a liar the girls follow behind her and believe what she says which caused chaos. We all look at life differently and Proctor was a holy man and had God within him so he thought he should sacrifice his life so no harm would come to anyone else. Knowing that, Proctor admitted to the accusation brought upon him the village people could not believe it, he was an honest man and no one ever knew him to do anything wrong. ̈ Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on my feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!̈ Proctor cried with his whole soul (Miller 677). He soon was to be taken to his death.
In conclusion, it is mostly Abigail's fault she is the reason for a lot of deaths and arguments, and choices throughout the village. All of the hysteria could have been avoided if Abigail would have just taken the blame for doing witchcraft in the woods instead of pointing fingers at everyone else and accusing people of her crimes causing innocent people to be hanged. Also if Tituba never showed anyone her voodoo then they would have never known and she wouldn't have to be in the situation of getting lied to and blamed. Also if John would have never gotten involved with Abby then the entire witch trial would have been avoided.