More than 200 people were accused of witchcraft in Salem and approximately 20 people were executed. Having something to do with witchcraft in Salem, 1692 was a bad year and would have gotten you into huge trouble. Hysteria is when someone creates extreme fear among a group of people and in Salem it came from ideas of witchcraft. The scale of mass hysteria in Salem described by Millers' interpolations in the Crucible is a "perverse manifestation of panic...to turn toward greater freedoms." The girls' scapegoating of innocent people is a byproduct of an austere community that "forbids anything resembling... vain pleasure" like dancing in the woods. Through the destruction that ensues in Salem by a group of oppressed girls, Miller suggests that society should analyze itself for the cause. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayAbigail is primarily responsible for causing hysteria in the town of Salem because she manipulated people with fear to protect themselves. Abigail strategically influenced people to get what she wanted or get people to think a certain thing. First, Abigail shouts to the girls, “Abigail: Now look at you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured the dead sisters of Ruth Putnam. And that's it. And mark this. Let one of you utter a word, or the shadow of a word, about the rest of things, and I will come to you in the dark of a terrible night and bring you a sharp judgment that will make you shudder. » This demonstrates how much Abigail threatens the girls who were in the woods to not say a single word about the things they were doing besides dancing and conjuring Tituba. This shows how Abigail manipulates the girls into remaining silent, as she states that if they say or breathe anything, she will come for them. This will make the girls afraid to say anything because they would be scared, which is exactly what Abigail wants. This will also allow the city to understand the truth and continue to believe what has been presented. Second, Betty states that Abigail drank blood: “Betty: You did it, you did it! You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor! Abigail: Smashes her in the face: Shut up! Now shut up!" This demonstrates how she is now manipulating Betty into saying anything out of fear as she slapped her. Abigail wants Betty to know that if she ever says something to anyone again , she will harm him, which creates fear among her Finally, this continues the mass hysteria in the town since no one will know the truth about everything, causing great confusion as to who did everything. is primarily responsible for causing hysteria in the town of Salem because she accused innocent people to protect herself from punishment. Abigail does whatever she needs to do to make sure she doesn't get in trouble. , which leads to innocent people being accused First, Abigail begins accusing people to Parris, Betty and Hale: “Abigail: I saw Goody Sibber with the devil… I saw Alice Barrow with the devil. devil…I saw Goody Hawkins with the devil…I saw Goody Booth with the devil” This shows how Abigail is accusing these people who she doesn't even know and who have never been in the woods. These people are innocent and have nothing to do with conjuring spirits or participating in witchcraft, but Abigail throws out all these names to make everyone worry that everyone is making her escape punishment ..