Comparison of Elizabeth Proctor with Abigail Williams in Arthur Miller's The Crucible

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Comparison of Elizabeth Proctor with Abigail Williams in Arthur Miller's The Crucible Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Proctor, the leading female characters in 'The Crucible'. Both show determination in order to get what they want. Abigail, a cunning girl that is out for revenge, feels she has superiority over many of the other characters even though she is only a young girl. Elizabeth's character portrays a wife in distress after she finds out about her husband's affair, yet she still has courage throughout the play. She shows determination when she is in need of strength to keep her going, after Abigail accused her of witchcraft. Elizabeth is often cold and not open towards people yet she changes as the novel progresses. Abigail accuses her friends and the townspeople of witchcraft; her motivations for turning against her friends are mainly because of Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail had an affair with Elizabeth's husband, which made Elizabeth fire Abigail. Abigail is in love with John and while talking to him she says, "I wake and walk about the house as though I'd find you comin' through some door" (Act I). This illustrates her love towards John and that she will never forget their affair and how Elizabeth broke them up. Abigail shows much dislike for Elizabeth in the play and says to John "She is blackening my name in the village!" (Act 1). Once the town hears rumours of this affair they shun Abigail. This disengagement makes Abigail seek vengeance towards them; accusing many people of witchcraft. Abigail is a strong and determined character; she manipulates people to get herself out of her own trouble. 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. Elizabeth lets her husband decided to live or die, which shows great courage and strength. Abigail shows determination to get what she wants. She is able to manipulate the townspeople and she can accuse them of witchcraft, which enables her to get revenge on the people that have done her wrong. Both Elizabeth and Abigail can be portrayed at strong female characters in 'The Crucible' by the actions that occur in the play. Work Cited: Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Penguin Books, 1996.

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