Abigail Williams relationship with John Proctor

Look at Abigail Williams relationship with John Proctor.

The crucible by Arthur Miller

Look at Abigail Williams relationship with John Proctor. What effect

does this have on his relationship with Elizabeth? What dramatic

effect does her actions have?

The Crucible is a play that is based on a true story by Arthur Miller.

It is set in 1692, in a small village called Salem. In this essay I am

going to examine the affair between Abigail Williams and John Proctor,

and what effect this as on his relationship with his wife Elizabeth.

Abigail used to work for the Proctors until Elizabeth found out about

the affair and sacked her. She is an orphan and is living with her

uncle Parris. Her and the other girls from village go to the woods

dancing and pretending to cast spells. They get found by Parris, this

leads to Betty who is his daughter fainting and going into a state of

shock. Mary Warren, the proctors servant also faints. When the

villagers find out they assume its the work of the devil as they live

in a very religious Puritan society. Abigail and the other girls start

accusing people of witchcraft saying that they led them to the devil.

In the era of the Salem witch trials accusations of witchcraft and

devil worship were taken very seriously, any mention of this would

result in hysteria. These accusations get out of hand and soon the

hole village is destroyed by the lies.

It as been seven months since the affair between Abigail Williams, and

John Proctor when they meet in a scene in act one. Although it as been

so long since the affair Abigail’s feelings for John haven't

diminished, and she wishes to rekindle the relationship they had, this

can be seen when she says to John 'Give me a word, John. A s...

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...s that he doesn't want

to be seen as a fraud and a liar, he will not confess to the court,

this action leads to John being hung. In this scene the Proctors

reconcile, they both recognise what they've done wrong, this can be

seen when Elizabeth says 'no honest love could come to me! Suspicion

kissed you whenever you did,' here Elizabeth is blaming herself for

whats happened, she thinks that she should have loved and trusted John

more.

Abigails affair with John strained his marriage with Elizabeth, and

she made it difficult for them. The effect Abigail’s actions have on

the Proctors are, she brings them together again and makes them

realise how much they mean to each other, despite Johns death. When

the truth finally arises, that there was nothing going on in woods

Abigail destroys herself and is forced to flee the village, with money

stolen from Parris.