Examples Of Witch Hunts In The Crucible

Witch hunts. Driven by the need to purge their society of evil and sin, merciless government leaders hang supposed evil doers by their necks. The targeting, persecution, and execution of witches has existed for a long time, regardless of whether the victims were actual practitioners of witchcraft or not. The question remains, if these people were not truly mixing concoctions of liquid evil in cauldrons or casting spells on their personal enemies, then why were they chosen to be accused, and further executed? These hunts prove themselves to be a mysterious phenomenon, with several theories possibly explaining the true motives behind their executions, of which the widespread practice of witchcraft does not find its way to the top of the list. Three alternative theories reveal themselves through …show more content…
When believing she was being possessed by Mary Warren’s spirit, Abigail began to see a bird flying through the air, intending to attack her. Others in the room, such as Reverend Parris and John Proctor, did not see this bird, which leads to the reasonable conclusion that Abigail was hallucinating. Not included in The Crucible, Abigail was also reported to hallucinate and exclaim, “‘Do you see her? Why there she stands! I won’t, I won’t, I won’t take it!’” (The Salem Journal). Those in the room failed to see the figure Abigail was referring to. Aside from hallucinations, in the deleted scene of The Crucible, Abigail lifts up her dress to show Proctor tiny sores and scratches that dot her skin. This directly correlates with the symptom in which the victim feels as if they are being bitten or pitched. With the convicting evidence behind ergot poisoning, the likeliness of these victims actually practicing witchcraft dwindles