The Attack of Hysteria A Parallel on Community Hysteria, Crucible trials, and McCarthyism.
A brief definition on community hysteria will be given, then a brief description of the movie The Crucible, a quick over view on McCarthyism, and lastly a compare and contrast on all three of them.
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary definition on Community Hysteria states: a situation in which many people behave or react in an extreme or uncontrolled way because of fear, anger, etc. (Merriam-Webster Corporation) The 1996 movie The Crucible, takes place in 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, during the Salem witch trials tragedy. Arthur Miller the creator of this play and movie based …show more content…
Let’s not forget the star of these events, the invisible villain who fueled these proceedings to come, hysteria! Like a parasitic virus, hysteria embedded itself into the hearts of the people and feasted off the fear, panic, suspicion, and chaos it weaved into the village in The Crucible and as well as the citizens of the U.S during the Red Menace. In both The crucible and the Red Menace suspicion made neighbor turn on neighbor, spreading false accusations on each other. For an example, in The Crucible, a woman by the name of Marry Cibber is blamed for being a witch by her neighbors. Marry was livid that someone’s goat was in her garden eating her vegetables. Marry being upset by this told her neighbors “Damn you, may the devil take you all” (Hytner). Before you knew it Marry was accused of being a witch and thrown into jail. The same thing happened during the Red Menace. People accused each other of being a communist just on suspicion. For example, A Hollywood screen writer by the name Dalton Trumbo was accused of communist like activity. So he was put on a blacklist labeling him a suspected member of the communist party. His reputation and career was almost ruined because of these fact-less accusations. He couldn’t use his real name in Hollywood for decades. The next comparison is that of Joseph McCarthy, the Judge Danforth and how both were convinced that he is doing the right in rooting out communist and witchcraft. In a speech that McCarthy addressed before the Republican National convention in 1952 he says this small quote “Our job as Americans and as Republicans is to dislodge the traitors from every place where they 've been sent to do their traitorous work.” (Independent Hall Association). This small quote fueled the hysteria in American citizens. Giving them another reason to be suspicious of their own friends and neighbors. Like
A brief definition on community hysteria will be given, then a brief description of the movie The Crucible, a quick over view on McCarthyism, and lastly a compare and contrast on all three of them.
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary definition on Community Hysteria states: a situation in which many people behave or react in an extreme or uncontrolled way because of fear, anger, etc. (Merriam-Webster Corporation) The 1996 movie The Crucible, takes place in 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, during the Salem witch trials tragedy. Arthur Miller the creator of this play and movie based …show more content…
Let’s not forget the star of these events, the invisible villain who fueled these proceedings to come, hysteria! Like a parasitic virus, hysteria embedded itself into the hearts of the people and feasted off the fear, panic, suspicion, and chaos it weaved into the village in The Crucible and as well as the citizens of the U.S during the Red Menace. In both The crucible and the Red Menace suspicion made neighbor turn on neighbor, spreading false accusations on each other. For an example, in The Crucible, a woman by the name of Marry Cibber is blamed for being a witch by her neighbors. Marry was livid that someone’s goat was in her garden eating her vegetables. Marry being upset by this told her neighbors “Damn you, may the devil take you all” (Hytner). Before you knew it Marry was accused of being a witch and thrown into jail. The same thing happened during the Red Menace. People accused each other of being a communist just on suspicion. For example, A Hollywood screen writer by the name Dalton Trumbo was accused of communist like activity. So he was put on a blacklist labeling him a suspected member of the communist party. His reputation and career was almost ruined because of these fact-less accusations. He couldn’t use his real name in Hollywood for decades. The next comparison is that of Joseph McCarthy, the Judge Danforth and how both were convinced that he is doing the right in rooting out communist and witchcraft. In a speech that McCarthy addressed before the Republican National convention in 1952 he says this small quote “Our job as Americans and as Republicans is to dislodge the traitors from every place where they 've been sent to do their traitorous work.” (Independent Hall Association). This small quote fueled the hysteria in American citizens. Giving them another reason to be suspicious of their own friends and neighbors. Like