In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, the teenage girls—led by Abigail Williams—serve as the catalyst for the hysteria that engulfs Salem. Although they are not literally “dancers” in the play, Miller introduces them through a reported scene of forbidden dancing in the forest, an act that symbolises both rebellion and repressed desire. The dancing is the first sign of disorder within the rigid Puritan community, and it becomes the spark that ignites the witch trials. The girls’ behaviour, at once playful and transgressive, reflects the tension between youthful impulses and the strict moral codes that define Salem society.

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Abigail, Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren, and Betty Parris are caught between childhood innocence and adult corruption. Their brief freedom in the woods contrasts sharply with the oppressive atmosphere of the town. When the girls are discovered, fear of punishment drives them to lie, setting off a chain of accusations. Abigail emerges as their ringleader, manipulating the others and exploiting the town’s superstitions for personal revenge and power. Miller uses the girls’ collective hysteria to expose how quickly fear can distort truth and destroy reason.

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Miller’s play begins after the girls are found in the woods by Betty’s father, the Reverend Parris. It is this act of defiance that sets the scene for the play.