The Salem Witch Trials, Who's Really Guilty After all of the 1692 witch trials concluded, a total of 20 people were hanged, all because of people who craved attention and personal gain. There are three people depicted in Arthur Miller's The Crucible who are primarily responsible for this and they are Abigail Williams, Judge Danforth, and Thomas Putnam. Abigail Williams is primarily responsible for the Salem witch trials because she was the first person to start accusing innocent people of witchcraft. Judge Danforth is responsible because he isn't concerned about justice, all he cares about is being right about the witch trials. Finally Thomas Putnam is guilty of causing the witch trials because he managed to get other people accused so he could claim their land for himself. The witch trials were a senseless massacre and all because Abigail Williams, Judge Danforth, and Thomas Putnam were only concerned about themselves, not the innocents around them. Abigail Williams started the witch trials in Salem all because she and a group of her friends wanted some attention from their town. Abigail thinks she is superior to some people, particularly Tituba, and has no problem accusing people she feels superior to. "They want slaves, not like me. Let's send some of them to Barbados!" (24). Abigail's first victim in her accusatory spree was Tituba. Tituba was the first easy target because she is a slave and practices voodoo, both of which combined make her the easiest target in Salem. "Sometimes I wake up and find myself in the open doorway and without a spot on my body! I always hear her laughing in my sleep. I hear her singing her Barbadian songs and tempting me with-" (27). Abigail targets Tituba first so she can gain so... middle of the paper... All Putnam played a major role in the Salem Witch Trials, while none of their roles were positive, they all did what they did for done themselves. Abigail Williams did what she did so that she and her friends could get the attention of the people of Salem. Judge Danforth ignored the fact that oral evidence is very unreliable just because he wanted to be correct about every decision in trials. Thomas Putnam charges several people in Salem, all for personal gain of land and money. Many people were accused of guilt but were actually innocent, the only people actually guilty are Abigail Williams, Judge Danforth, and Thomas Putnam. The Crucible shows how honesty may not seem like the popular choice to make, but it will always be the right one. Work cited Miller, Arthur. The Crucible (Penguin Classics). New York: Penguin Classics, 2003.