Crucible Textual Evidence

Abigail is motivated by boredom, need of attention and obsession with John Proctor. Abigail says, “I know you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near.” (Miller, p.14/15).

Although these women have their pronounced differences, they both share a common feeling; love for John Proctor. Throughout the play, readers are able to see Abigail's true immoral behavior, envy, and mendacity unveil. Through their words and actions, the traits belonging to each of the character’s convey how Elizabeth Proctor and Abigail Williams serve as foils for each other, showing readers that the darkness within certain humans can sometimes be more powerful than the morality within others.

Abigail's lust for John

One of the main flaws of Abigail Williams was that she had lust. She was in love with a man who already had a wife and waited for him all the time. The man she loved was John Proctor. Their romance began and John did not try to stop it. . He hid it from his wife but she got suspicious and threw Abigail out on the street. She quotes, “John- I am waiting for you every night.” which shows that she wanted to be with him every night and wanted him to continue to be away from his wife. She also quotes, “I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near.” This shows that John also felt for her.

Introduced in the first act, Abigail, in tears, is begging John Proctor to accept her as his lover once more. They are watching over Betty Parris, the Salem minister’s daughter and Abigail's cousin, as she is locked in a state of unknown hysteria. The pair have confirmed Parris’ suspicions and are arguing about their affair. Abigail begins with separating the John Proctor of the past to the present one. She is hysterical, as if this “past” Proctor has died or disappeared. It is unreasonably dramatic and shows the audience Abigail’s lack of maturity. Abigail then goes on to mention her sleeplessness, alluding to their sexual endeavours. However, the audience is introduced to to a new layer of their past relationship when Abigail mentions knowledge. One is reminded of the biblical allusion when the Devil, disguised as a serpent, gives Eve the apple of knowledge, leading to humanity’s demise. This could be an act of foreshadowing as we can assume the oncoming witch hunt will lead to many deaths.

The plot began unfolding when Abigail and other girls accused multiple innocent individuals of witchcraft. A hysteria developed, creating chaos and leading to multiple deaths of the guiltless individuals accused. However, in order to avoid death, these individuals can choose to “confess” to their sins and lose their integrity in order to save their life and reputation. Abigail Proctor lost the quality of being honest the moment she began to spread lies. The situation corroded Salem and deteriorated, and she began to exploit the situation to cause damage to Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail claimed that a fiend had taken possession of many individuals in Salem, declaring of having seen them with the devil, including Elizabeth. “She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me!” (Miller 23). Abigail’s concern with her reputation led to her accusing several individuals in order to regain her good reputation. As the situation progressed and the plot unfolded, Abigail continuously blamed other people to save her reputation, and when challenged, she brought more people down with her. Parris, her uncle, firmly believed his reputation was salient and must be preserved at all costs. Therefore, at the start of the story, Parris believed Abigail’s actions would threaten his reputation. “You compromise my very character” (Miller 11). This remark, made by Parris, illustrates how his reputation is essential. He had seen the girls dancing in the woods, and his

Arthur Miller’s“The Crucible” takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in the early 1690’s. It’s very popular because parts of this story are based on real historical events. This book has a lot of conflict happening when the people of Salem are being accused of witchcraft. Witchcraft was a very serious case to puritans. They thought that the people being accused should be punished for “being in contact with the Devil”. The people would either hang or be held in prison until they confessed. The person most responsible for all of this dispute would be Abigail Williams. Abigail started everything, she was the ringleader of the group of girls who met up in the forest. If she did not have everyone meet up, dance, “summon spirits”, and wanted John

Abigail had many flaws throughout the story. One of her flaws includes lust. Abigail was involved in a secret affair with John Proctor, who happened to be married to Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail illustrated lust by telling John, “John- I am waitin’ for you every night.” This suggests that Abigail does have something secret going on with John. Abigail also says, “I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near!” This justifies that they have a relationship because she told John that he

Abigail Williams, the “bad” girl, is introduced in the play as the ringleader who led different ladies to a taboo gathering; her principal reason was once so as to solid a spell upon Elizabeth Proctor, the spouse of John Proctor – with whom she had an affair when she lived with them as a servant. Naturally, what to John was once a small detour off the trail of righteousness was once to Abigail the doorway to a brand new world. Abigail is confused, and her reasoning illogical, but that 's no exclusive from the logically impaired point of view of many within the city of Salem, even essentially the most strong and

The inhabitants of Salem use their animosity as a ploy to finally exact revenge on their enemies. The reader discovers Abigail Williams is briefly involved in a love affair with John Proctor, and continues to hold feelings for him despite his marital status. She views his wife, Elizabeth Proctor, as the obstacle standing in the way of being with the one she loves. Eventually, when the affair is uncovered, Abigail is dismissed from the Proctor household by Elizabeth, therefore further distancing Abigail from Proctor. When Abigail finally reunites with her unrequited lover, she snarkily says, “Oh, I marvel how such a strong man may let such a sickly wife be--” (Miller 23). Abigail resents Elizabeth for restricting her from Proctor, and holds a bitterness toward her concerning the situation. Her jealousy, desire, and selfishness propel her to act on her grudge and devise the plan of the witch trials. Furthermore, Reverend Parris is an anxious and

Miller uses dramatic irony here, as we as an audience are actively aware that although Abigail believes John still loves her, this is in fact untrue. The use of this irony aids our understanding in the core purpose of Abigail’s deceit and malicious lies, which is to get Elizabeth charged with witchcraft, so that she can rekindle her passion and lust with Proctor. It also progresses the story line, as fundamentally brings the audience and the characters towards the witch trials. Dramatic irony in this situation is successful, as it broadens our realisation that sex plays a huge role in the plot, as ultimately its Abigail’s desire for it, and inability to show it, that prompts her to turn to spiteful dishonesty, and cunning deception. Moreover, we see John assert his authority, through putting Abigail down, instructing her that he will no longer be visiting her. Miller presents John as dominant, especially over Abigail, as she is presented as an unruly, strong-willed, wayward teenager who relishes, and revels in defying custom/tradition, and who needs straightening out.

Abigail is a highly jealous character, concentrating her jealousy on Elizabeth Proctor. This jealousy is driven by lust and her desire for John Proctor. Abigail served as a servant in the Proctor household and after an affair with her husband John, Elizabeth fired her. She still resents Elizabeth for this as she is still in love with John. She clearly says to John, "You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!" Abigail is still in love with John and she assumes the converse. Her love for John only causes her resentment for Elizabeth to strengthen. She hates John Proctor's wife and in her conniving ways she attempts to inspire the same views of Elizabeth in John's mind. Saying things to him such as, "She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me, She is a cold, sniveling woman." Abigail fabricates stories in attempt to steel John from Elizabeth. She is a manipulative liar that does and says as she pleases in order to get what she wants.

Abigail is to blame for the mass hysteria in Salem because she wants to be with John Proctor. John and Abigail both had an affair when she started working for him. John tries to get over his sin and forget about her, but she is very persistent in him remembering their love and to

Jealousy causes people to act in abnormal ways, it causes people to bear grudges and have strong hatred against others. Jealousy is caused by a certain insecurity that a person has. This insecurity comes from a desire, a desire of something that they cannot get. For what cannot be obtained must be obliterated. Jealousy has played a big role in the deaths of Salem. The Salem Witch Trials brought opportunities to cause punishment on others, claim other 's land, and settle old grudges. The witch trials revealed the true characteristics of the society in Salem. The main antagonist of the story Abigail Williams, after having an affair with a married man John Proctor and wants to pursue her relationship with him. But him being married caused her to hold a strong grudge against his wife, Elizabeth Proctor. Which begins a long chain of lies and accusations in an attempt to get her lover back. Abigail 's jealousy of Elizabeth drives her to prove that Elizabeth is a witch when Cheever says

In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the Salem witch trials were a time where a wave of hysteria broke loose. During this time “….Christians, and those of other religions, had a strong belief that the Devil could give certain people known as witches the power to harm others in return for their loyalty”(Blumberg). Being involved in any witchcraft was a huge sin, and people began to take advantage of others. Numerous innocent people became accused of being witches or were involved with witchcraft due to rumors that children spread around the village. With the girls' statements, many had to admit to the false accusations. The ones who stayed silent and didn't lie are sentenced to hang. From these allegations, it ended nineteen lives. While several characters are to blame, the most responsible for this chaos is Abigail Williams.