Revenge was certainly a chief motive for the witch hunt. Theyears leading up to the witch hunt were ripe with feuds (notice howProctor and Parris dislike each other - since Parris arrivedProctor has all but ceased attending church, mainly because Parrisis greedy and worried about possessions rather than a religion),disputes (recall how Putnam accuses Proctor of taking wood from hisland. Giles, though, steps in and reminds him how his grandfatherhad a habit of willing land that he did not own), and oldresentments (recall how Putnam is angry that his man for ministerdid not get selected or how Tituba holds a grudge against Parrisfor capturing and enslaving her during his time in theBarbados).All of these factors are building up in the community. Thenthrow in the strict Puritan religious code where children are to besilent and near invisible, where you have the 'elect' (those whoare predestined for heaven) and everyone else and you have thescenario that leads to the mass hysteria and general revenge of thewitch hunt.Note, however, that the witch-hunt years aren't devoted just togetting revenge. The girls begin to like the attention and powerthey gain from the trials. This becomes a factor for how long thetrials go on. Really until Abigail oversteps her authority byimplying that Judge Danforth is not out of the devil's reach, shewas pretty much allowed to accuse at free will.