Yes, there are people and ideas to blame for the mass hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts that was portrayed in the play The Crucible yet one in particular exceeds them all. The idea of Puritanism itself makes the whole town and system corrupt. Puritanism is responsible for the breakout of mass hysteria in Salem because Puritanism makes people want the best reputation possible and is based on a myth or superstition.
Puritanism is causing all of the hysteria because in theory the people of the town have to have the best reputation. Therefore, they cannot do something for fun or for acting and not say they did it. For example, when Abby and all of the other girls were dancing the could not confess to having a little bit of fun. Yes, Abby did try to send out a curse through Satan to kill Elizabeth Proctor but when her uncle, Reverend Paris, asked her what she did, she only said it were sport and she was just dancing. This is so her name should hopefully remain decent in the town and no one should suspect her of witchcraft. .
Also Paris is trying to keep his good reputation from falling when Abby says it was all just for fun because she is his niece. If any witchcraft were in her the town would think it spread through Paris. He tries to make the entire village think that there was no witchcraft in her. To do this he makes the town think it was all of the other girls so his reputation as a Reverend would not be destroyed. The prime example of this is when he said "Abigail, I have fought here three long years bend these stiff-necked people to me, and now, just when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my very character. I have given you a home, child, I have put clothes upon your back- now give me upright answer. Your name in the town "it is entirely white, is it not."" Here Paris is seeing if Abby has done anything to ruin her reputation or name, yet he is trying to save his own.
