An examination of Abigail William’s selfish nature in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. Nicolo Machiavelli once famously said, “the ends justify the means.” In Arthur Miller's famous play, The Crucible, Abigail Williams truly lives by that quote. Set in 1692 during the Salem Witch trials, the play explores how paranoia and hysteria can lead to the senseless persecution of innocent civilians. Central to this novel is Abigail Williams, whose willingness to sacrifice others reveals her inherently selfish nature. Near the end of the first Act Abigal first displays her selfish nature by sacrificing Tituba, the salve of Reverend Paris. When confronted by the rumors of witchcraft in the forest, Abigal deflects blame from herself to Tituba to avoid …show more content…
This occurs because Abigail's goal is to be with John Proctor. So, she orchestrates a plan to accuse Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft, by staging Mary Warren’s poppet as evidence. Abigail's machinations become revealed when Cheever finds the poppet, with a needle in it, at the Proctor’s home. This led to Elizabeth’s arrest. Cheever explains the problem. The girl, the Williams girl, Abi-gail Williams, sir. She sat to dinner at Reverend Parris’s house tonight, and without word nor warnin’ she fell to the floor. Like a struck beast, he says, and screamed a scream that a bull would weep to hear. And he goes to save her, and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draws a needle out. And demandin’ of her how she came to be so stabbed, she to Proctor now testify it were your wife’s familiar spirit pushed it in. 74. What is the difference between a '' and a ''? Abigail instilled the needle in Mary Warren’s poppet, planted it in Elizabeth Proctor’s house, and then acted out the scene at Reverend Parris’s house to accuse Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft. She is willingly sacrificing Elizabeth's life, for the selfish reason of wanting to be with her
Not only was Elizabeth John Proctor's wife, but she also fired Abigail after learning of Abigail’s affair with her husband. Abigail was unapologetic about having an affair with a married man and it’s clear why she would be resentful of Elizabeth, as she was a barrier between Abigail and John’s relationship. Abigail desired to get revenge on Elizabeth due to her jealousy of her. In addition, Elizabeth had been going around town making comments on how Abigail was repulsive. At one point we can assume that Abigail was going to break and want Elizabeth dead. To support this claim, Elizabeth was speaking to her husband and said the following “I am no Goody Good that sleeps in ditches, nor Osburn, drunk and half-witted. She’d dare not call out such a farmer’s wife but there be monstrous profit in it. She thinks to take my place, John.”Abigail used her manipulation skills in hopes of bringing on Elizabeth’s demise by framing her for witchcraft. She plotted a poppet and needle, from a young girl who was involved in the witchcraft as well, into the Proctor's house after she poked herself with a needle and claimed Elizabeth’s spirits told her to do so. Danforth had questioned Abigail and Mary and said “ A poppet were discovered in Mr. Proctor's home, stabbed by a needle. Mary Warren claims that you sat beside her in the court when she made it, and that you saw her make it,
Further into the play, Abigail accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft. She saw Mary 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 parents 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
When the play sets in to action, John has had a past affair with his servant Abigail Williams. His wife, Elizabeth Proctor is very forgiving of his sin, but John has his mind set that he will not confess to anyone else, in fear of ruining his good name, and reputation. The affair between John and Abigail caused the start of chaotic witchery and accusation. After the affair, Abigail became horribly jealous of Elizabeth Proctor. Proctor realizes there is only one way to stop all the witch hysteria in Salem, and that would be to confess his sin of adultery. Although he knows he should, he continues to be determined not to confess. Also in the beginning Reverend Paris is new to town, and John insist continually that he is only speaking of hell, and hardly ever of God, as Proctor goes on to say to Parris, "Can you speak one minute without we land in Hell again? I am sick of Hell!" (Miller 30). In the drama, Mary Warren places a needle in a poppet she gave to Elizabeth; John firmly demands that Mary Warren tell the courts that she really put the needle in the poppet that day. Proctor says to her, "You're coming to the court with me, Mary. You will tell it in the court." (Miller 80). Furthermore, at the end of the play Proctor is persistent by saying that no matter what anyone says to convince him differently, he would rather die an honest man and save his name. John Proctor took pride in his thoughts, feelings, values, and his name. It took persistency to make his intent clear to others.
Comparison of Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Proctor in Miller's The Crucible. The Crucible is a play that helps to show human nature through a series of events linked through the Salem witch trials. In this play, a group of young teenagers undermine the religious government and make a mockery of the Salem judicial system. Miller also shows human nature through the development of characters.
Elizabeth Proctor had kicked her out of their home because Elizabeth knew of the affair that was going on between Abigail and John. This tarnished her reputation, and for that, Abigail wanted to get revenge on Elizabeth Proctor. “She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! She is a cold, sniveling woman, and you bend to her!”
Lydia Velishek Mr. Stensrud Honors: US Literature & Composition 10 October 2017 Title Here It is clear that Abigail Williams is portrayed as the antagonist in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, taking place in the late 1600s in Salem, Massachusetts and based on the witch-trials therein. She serves as a catalyst for the witch trials by falsely accusing innocent townspeople with the intent of maintaining the position of power she gains from them. Due to the transparency of her actions, Abigail’s ulterior motives are also distinguishable.
Abigail and the girls, yet again, ruin someone’s life. They are the reason Proctor’s efforts failed to save his wife. John Proctor convinces Mary Warren, his servant, to confess to lying about witchcraft. When she confesses, Abigail is brought in along with Suzanna, Betty, and Mercy. Abigail denies everything that Mary has told the court. Abigail gets very scared and points up at a beam on the ceiling and says, “But God made my face; you cannot want to tear my face. Envy is a deadly sin, Mary.” All of the other girls went along with it and also accused Mary of witch craft. Mary realizes that the court will not believe her and she will be hanged for lying and for being a witch, so she turns on John Proctor and accuses him of witch craft. Mary tells Proctor, “You’re the Devil’s man!” Mary also tells the court that he threatened to murder her if she did not go down to court and lie about the girls accusations. Danforth believes their act and accuses Procter, “What are you? You are combined with anti-Christ and, are you not? I have seen your power; you will not deny it! What say you, Mister?” Procter is now being accused of witch craft and will be hanged. This is what completely destroys Proctor’s efforts to save his
Sometimes the actions of one character can bring out an otherwise dormant violent side of another character. Such was the case with Elizabeth Proctor and Abigail Williams in The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Abigail acts as a foil and exposes Elizabeth’s true characteristics and personal traits. Through her dishonesty, Abigail exposes how honest and willing Elizabeth is to stand for what she knows she is right, and even in some cases lie to protect her husband John Proctor. Just the opposite, through Elizabeth's truthfulness, a dark and disgusting side of Abigail emerges.
Sometimes, things are not what they seem. In the story The Crucible by Arthur Miller, a character named Abigail Williams does not fit the description of a typical, Puritan girl. Puritans are dedicated to their religion and the young girls are meant to be well-behaved and proper. Yet Abigail is found breaking some of the Ten Commandments. What drives her to do such evil things? She partakes in forbidden rituals, commits adultery, and lies under the oath of God, but Abigail is not at fault. Any young girl in Salem during the witch trials would have done the same, as a whole crowd of other girls did. She is used for sex by a man named John Proctor. She lies to receive the human necessity of respect, security, and belonging. She behaves the way a young girl would act. Abigail is portrayed as a dishonest, corrupt, and vicious girl, but in reality, she is the victim of the Salem Witch Trials for she is only following her natural impulses, is blinded by her love, and carries out the mess the adults have created only to try to protect herself.
The year is 1692 in Salem, a small town in Massachusetts, and the Puritans community is in serious trouble. In the story “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, the Puritans community is in the Salem court where John Proctor admits to committing adultery to Abigail Williams who at the time was very young. Abigail Williams is where the court started after she is involved in the case where John Proctor is accused of committing adultery with her. Abigail also lead the girls and their witchcraft accusations in court. Abigail truly believed that John Proctor still had love for her.
The Crucible, by the playwright Arthur Miller, is a four act play which dramatizes the story behind the Salem Witch Trials as an allegory to the McCarthyism era. In the play, a young girl named Abigail Williams is caught in the middle of hysteria which the townspeople of Salem believe is witchcraft. Abigail and several young girls are seen dancing in the forest, so she becomes afraid she will be charged a witch. She threatens the other girls involved to go along with her story as she begins to accuse numerous amounts of innocent people of being involved in witchcraft. The whole scenario is ironic in the way that the people accused “evil” are actually good, and the “good” girls accusing are the ones corrupted by evil. As the play continues,
Firstly, when Abigail Williams panics and blames Tituba, the other girls involved in the woods follow by shouting out names of various townspeople. These people are then arrested and put on trial, with their accusers present. Some refuse to confess to witchcraft, bravely more concerned with how they view themselves rather than how the world does. Also, Abigail and her group resort to becoming possessed and tormented by a demon sent by the person who will not admit, forcing some to a point where they do end up lying and saying that they did traffick with the Devil. In one instance, Abigail claims to have been stabbed when Mary-Warren stuck a needle in the poppet she made, and Mary is helpless when it comes to defending herself. Hale states, “Abigail were stabbed tonight; a needle were found stuck into her belly” (Miller 72). Whether life-saving or life-threatening, lie after lie is told, causing the situation to become increasingly more ridiculous, yet deadly, because lives are being whisked away based on fraudulence. For example, in court, John Proctor attempts to prove that Abigail is lying about everything. He does so by revealing that he was sexually intimate with her in the past. The court does not feel he can prove this, so they call in Elizabeth, his wife, to vouch for him. John says, “In her life, sir, she have never lied...my wife
Abigail is willing to go to any length to get rid of Elizabeth, even to the point of having her being hung. Since John will not return her advances, Abigail becomes bitter and builds up more hatred towards Elizabeth. After this, she turns around and says that Elizabeth is "blackening her name in the village! She is telling lies about me." ( ) Just to make sure that Elizabeth will suffer for dismissing her, and that her reputation will be destroyed. Abigail also tries to frame Elizabeth for being a witch, with having Mary Warren give her a poppet. Abigail uses Mary as a pawn to frame Goody Proctor, and get her hung. This accusation ultimately leads to the death of John, all because he is not willing to love her
The role of Abigail is, Abigail is one of the witnesses of doing witchcraft in the forest with Betty and Tituba.Her fear is that John proctor's wife Elizabeth has said bad things about her in the village that would hurt her name. In the text Abigail says “She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! She is a cold sniveling woman…”, what Abigail is telling Proctor is Elizabeth is a cold hearted woman that doesn't care about anyone but her.
The first reason Abigail is to blame for the deaths of the innocent Puritans is her lustful personal ambition to be John Proctor’s wife. John and Abigail previously had an affair, which basically began the hysteria. An exasperated John attempted to tell Abigail the affair is a thing of the past, by saying, “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.” Abigail, however, relentlessly strives to keep their “romance” alive. Because of this intense jealousy of John’s wife, there is an enormous amount of tension between Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail even goes as far as to consume a potion with the intent to murder Elizabeth, which Betty confronts her about by saying, “You drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!” Abigail is so envious of Elizabeth, she does the unthinkable by accusing her of witchcraft. She claims that Goody Proctor’s spirit came to her and stabbed her with a needle. She felt that if she could dispose of Elizabeth Proctor, she could take her rightful position as John’s wife.