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Tituba is an enslaved woman from Barbados in the service of Reverend Parris. She is a kind and caring person, as illustrated by her obvious concern and affection for Betty Parris. Despite this, Tituba is treated as a scapegoat, not just within the context of the witch hunt but in general; she has learned that when trouble arises within the Parris household, "it eventually lands on her back." When Tituba and the other girls are discovered dancing and seemingly practicing witchcraft, Abigail instructs the girls to blame Tituba, knowing full well their word will carry more weight than hers. She urges them to admit to dancing but maintain that only Tituba made attempts to conjure the dead. She claims that Tituba forced her to drink blood and "dream corruptions" every night. Others, such as Mrs. Putnam and Reverend Parris, are quick to add to the pile of accusations hurled Tituba's way.
Though not stated outright, it’s clear Tituba’s role as scapegoat is rooted in racism. When Abigail is questioned about Tituba's method of summoning the devil, she merely states, "I know not—she spoke Barbados." Abigail is evidently relying on Tituba's otherness to make her appear suspicious and turn public opinion against her. As an enslaved person, Tituba knows the only way to survive is to confess—and attempt to put the blame elsewhere, just as Abigail did. She falsely confesses to witchcraft and repents. In the midst of her confession, however, she takes the opportunity to level a certain amount of aggression at Reverend Parris, the man who has enslaved her, telling everyone the devil says Parris is “no goodly man,” and that she was told to kill him “many times.” She likens the devil to a slave owner, and in doing so likens white slave owners to the devil. In this moment, she briefly possesses a modicum of power previously unknown to her.
As Act 4 opens, however, it appears Tituba has descended into madness in her isolation, as she begs the Devil to take her home. Tituba's unstable mental state demonstrates the detrimental repercussions of hysteria and the culture of mass accusations in Salem.
