Abigail in Arthur Miller's The Crucible "The Crucible" is a play based upon the events that occurred in Salem circa 1690s. The witch trials were not just in America, but occurred in Europe too. Arthur Miller wrote this play, and also wrote the screenplay for the movie based on his play script. This has been produced in theatres countless times, as it is so dramatic, and appeals to audiences. We are introduced to the character of Abigail Williams in the very first scene. This shows that she is a pivotal character in the play. She's introduced as the niece of the Reverend of Salem: "Seventeen, enters - a strikingly beautiful girl, an orphan, with an endless capacity for dissembling." Therefore, on the very first page, the readers of the play form an opinion of Abigail that audiences would not have. The readers of the play also know that Abigail is an orphan. We also find out that Abigail has witnessed the bloody murder of her parents, by Native Americans. We first realise this when Abigail mentions this when she speaks to "the girls" in Act One. "I saw Indians smash my dear parents' heads, on the pillow next to mine." I believe that Miller mentions Abigail's past on an attempt to get the audience/readers to sympathise with Abigail. It is as if he informs the viewers/readers of her traumatic life in order for us to forgive her, or at least feel sorry for her, so we may excuse the heinous crimes she later commits in the play. The fact that Abigail sees such brutality and violence at such a tender age sets up her basic psychological problems, which may be at least part of the cause of her problems in Salem. A reader's initial understanding of Abigail's character is that she has a particula... ... middle of paper ... ...l is stripped of her evil, and shown to be scared. In Act One alone, Abigail is seen as a lady like young woman, a caring cousin, a fierce, short tempered, violent girl, a seductress, and lover, and finally, a scared little girl. Proctor and the others all take advantage of Abigail, so then, she tries to take advantage of Betty and the other girls in return. In the end, Abigail is the victim, ho in turn causes there to be other victims in Salem. She is blamed and shifts the blame instead of accepting her punishment. The last reaction the audience has to Abigail, when she runs away, is to view her as a victim. This relates to McCarthyism. Those who were blamed (justly or unjustly) of having Communist/Satanic links blamed others, therefore saving themselves. These people were victims too, although they caused there to be other victims in the process.
In act two of The Crucible, a poppet with a needle in it’s stomach is how Elizabeth is accused of stabbing Abigail. Abigail cannot let the affair she had with John Proctor seven months ago. She will do anything she can to get John Proctor for herself, even accusing Elizabeth of witchcraft. While Abigail Williams isn’t physically in act two, her dark shadow is noticed throughout the act causing trouble for the characters, especially Elizabeth Proctor.
Basically there is not an evil bone in her body. Elizabeth lied about John’s adultery to protect him, saying he’s a “goodly man” (113). Yes, that does not sound like that big of a deal, but for Elizabeth this is a monumental thing. She's going against everything she believes in, even her own morals of being a good christian morals and following the ten commandments to protect John. This is shows her selflessness on a higher level because she such a strong will women. Another example of her selflessness is when she asks John to “forgive” (137) her for being “cold wife” (137). Elizabeth does this because she begins to believe that she is the reason John committed adultery. Elizabeth said “ it were a cold house I kept” (137), which goes to show she believed she was the reactant which led to the product of Johns mistake. Selflessness is shown because first, she is taking on the responsibility so John does not worry and blame himself. In the movie she saved his life for a little longer because she gave him some self worth and made him feel like a better person. If she would not have told John it was her fault he would of died with the burden of ruining the family, but instead she took the responsibility. Secondly she comes to think that because she was self conscious and did not lover herself she was “cold” (137) or did not let her husband love her. This made her believe that she made him feel like there was little compassion between him and her which led John to give “a promise that a stallion gives a mare” (62) to Abigail. Elizabeth is all around a selfless human being. Always trying to make it better for the other person and take the responsibility on her self which is opposite of
a victim is also in act one when she describes how she feels that she
After being acc... ... middle of paper ... ... can be. Although she wants her husband to live. Elizabeth knows that John has to make the decision for himself; this also exhibits why she is thought of as a strong character in the play. Both Elizabeth and Abigail are strong characters in the play; they are significant women and affect the outcome of the piece immensely.
She is a cold, sniveling woman, and you bend to her! Let her turn you like a - “ (24). Abigail’s jealousy is most noticeable in this quote. She uses the words ‘cold, sniveling woman’ to describe Elizabeth, reminding John of his wife’s reaction to the affair and her ‘coldness’ towards him, attempting to prod at a weak spot in their marriage. By telling John, a man, valued by his reputation and implacability, that he ‘bends to [Elizabeth, a woman]’, Abigail also seeks to hurt John’s self worth.
the town. Abigail doesn't want anyone to find out that she was in the forest so
A motivation can be described as a character having a reason to behave or act in a particular way. Someone or something can be someone's motivation. A child obeys its parents to avoid punishment or a clerk works overtime so that he can afford a better car are examples of motivation. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, characters illustrate several types of motivations. Throughout the play, Abigail is motivated by jealousy, power, and attention.
Abigail also lied many other times throughout the play always in her own self interest.
is the fact that in the forest, Abigail and the others were just playing like
Abigail Williams the main character in The Crucible by Arthur Miller draws the interest of the reader as she is a wicked, confident girl who lies to get what she wants and defends her name and her life.
She is the niece of Reverend Parris and the cousin of Betty Parris; she used to work as a servant for the Proctors, before being sent away by Elizabeth Proctor; she is the ringleader of the “afflicted” girls. Abigail Williams was the initial instigator of the witch hunt in Salem in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible. She lied and accused others of witchcraft in order to save herself. During the Salem Witch Trials over 200 people were accused of witchcraft and 20 were executed (Blumberg). Abigail Williams is a member of a strict Puritan society. Witnessing her parents being murdered right in front of her, being forced to live with her selfish inconsiderate uncle, and having a love for a man she
“Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you… and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down!” (Miller 1097) The Crucible was written in 1952 by Aurthur Miller. The play is known to be a reflection of the Puritan witch hunts of its time. The Crucible was an act of desperation. While reading this play, many have argued who is to blame for all the deaths during the trials. Abigail Williams is to blame for the deaths caused by the Salem Witch Trials because, she danced in the woods and conjured spirits, had an affair with John Proctor, and was leader of all the girls during the trials.
The Salem witch trials was a very big thing back in the 1600’s. At that time Puritans believed in witchcraft and that the devil could conjure your spirit. They were scared of these things happening in their village so they would do anything to prevent it from happening,. This included killing anyone suspected to be with the devil or to be a witch. It turned out to be a big problem when a group of girls were supposedly seeing spirits sent out at them and the devil would come to them telling them to sign his book.
In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, the main character Abigail Williams is to blame for the 1692 witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts. Abigail is a mean and vindictive person who always wants her way, no matter who she hurts. Through out the play her accusations and lies cause many people pain and suffering, but she seemed to never care for any of them except John Proctor, whom she had an affair with seven months prior to the beginning of the play. John Proctor and his wife Elizabeth used to employ Abigail, until Elizabeth found out the affair and threw Abigail out. Although John told Abigail that the affair was over and he would never touch her again, she tried desperately to rekindle their romance. "Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I'll ever reach for you again." (Page 23) She claimed that she loved John and that he loved her. Before the play began, Abigail tried to kill Elizabeth with a curse. She thought that if Elizabeth were dead John would marry her. Further into the play, Abigail accused Elizabeth of witchcraft. She saw Marry Warren, the Proctor's servant, making a poppet. Mary put a needle into the doll, and Abigail used that for her accusation. She stabbed herself with a needle and claimed that Elizabeth's soul had done it. Although Abigail claimed she loved John, she may have just loved the care and attention he gave her. John cared for her like no one else had. In a way he could be described as somewhat of a father figure to her. When Abigail was just a child, she witnessed her parents' brutal murders. "I saw Indians smash my dear parent's heads on the pillow next to mine..." (page 20) After her traumatic experience, she was raised by her uncle, Reverend Parris, who is somewhat of a villain. In the play it was written, "He (Parris) was a widower with no interest in children, or talent with them." (Page 3) Parris regarded children as young adults who should be "thankful for being permitted to walk straight, eyes slightly lowered, arms at the sides, and mouths shut until bidden to speak." (Page 4) Therefore, it is obvious to see that Abigail grew up without any love or nurturing.
How can a girl who condemned seventy two to a death sentence and drank a charm to kill a man’s wife, a man she has slept with on more than one occasion be the victim? It’s possible when the town she lives in is worse than her. Although Abigail Williams is typically thought of as the antagonist of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, she is in fact a victim as much as any other tragic character in the play.