Hysteria and Vengeance = Bad Romance

Hysteria drives people out of their minds and causes fear in the general population, usually incensed by poor economic growth and bitterness. Vengeance drives us to seek revenge served cold, bringing up ancient grudges and inflicting pain upon others in satisfaction. When coupled together, they make a powerfully dangerous mine capable of destroying the order of society. 

In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Abigail is bent on killing Mr. John Proctor’s wife and marrying him. She is made a demagogue, the leader of her merry band of witch-crafting girls, and they accuse anyone who has spited them in the past. They tell apocryphal stories to the point where they cannot discern between what is truth or not. From only a few people accused of being a witch, the situation explodes to the point that bitter people attack neighbors for having some fault at all. Revenge is seen in the form of the capture of Mr. Giles' wife and Elizabeth Proctor. The flames cannot be extinguished, and the fire is spread by the relentless wind that attacks their town. Innocent people confess to witchcraft and then turn on others, attempting to save their own skin before others, which only makes the situation worse. Hopefully, someone will attack the root of the hydra, Abigail Williams, and end the madness!
 

Hysteria and revenge connects to almost every tragedy in history. The Cultural Revolution in China is in my opinion, one of the most devastating events to have occurred, where hundreds of years of history were shattered. Roused by Chairman Mao Zedong, hundreds of people disillusioned with the battering and economical state of China were incited to attack the bourgeois and destroy any relics, bringing their country into the new world. When faced with a hero to lead them to safety and victory, the people followed and began attacking each other. Vengeance set in; due to the fact that only a witness was needed to charge them. Jealous neighbors would report “unfaithful” neighbors and then destroy their homes. Thousands of people led fearful existences—especially landlords—or were thrown into jail as family members turned on each other. Those who did report others were extolled as heroes of the revolution, so it only encouraged this fanaticism. It was not until much later that people began to reflect on this dark chapter and realize the horrors of their actions, caused by a mixture of disenchantment of society and the poor economic state. This event is surely a travesty, but it is not the only one in history.