Superstition In The Crucible Essay

Witchcraft started in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Superstition started when women were accused of acting strangely. These superstitions turned into trials, and later lead to mounds of hanged people. Most of the people accused were innocent, but the harsh judge rulings left them with nothing to live for. The only options for the tried, no matter if guilty or not, were to claim guilty, living the rest of their life in prison, or to plead not guilty and hang. Due to both consequences being equally as punishable, many people isolated themselves from society. Unfortunately, some people caused the uprising of the salem witch trials more than others did. In the play The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, Abigail Williams single handedly attributed to the

madness involving witchcraft. She started rumors and continued to create them throughout the play, until she received the right results which started the whole disaster. Abigail did not suppress her undying love for John Proctor and her hatred for Elizabeth Proctor. The roots of Abigail’s jealousy caused the downfall of Salem, in turn, causing rampant and sadistic punishments for Elizabeth. Abigail used her knowledge of puritan culture, through their fears and beliefs, to enact revenge upon Elizabeth, thereby, creating the hysteria known as the Salem Witch Trials.
The whole plot of the play began with a sick child, Betty Parris.

Daughter of the reverend, no one expected witchcraft, until rumors started to brew. Reverend Parris confirmed some suspicions when he claimed to see Abigail Williams and several other girls, including his maid, Tituba, in the forest dancing at night.
“PUTNAM: Don’t you understand it, sir? There is a murdering witch among us, bound to keep herself in the

dark.
PARRIS, to Abigail: Then you were conjuring spirits last night.
ABIGAIL, whispering: Not I, sir--Tituba and Ruth. (Miller 15, act 1)”
This was the beginning of an uprising. Reverend Parris saw little girls, also some naked, dancing in the forest at night around a fire. He also noted there was a creature thrown into the boiling pot on the fire: a frog, they later added. Therefore, Abigail, caught for her mistivious actions, started to place blame on others so her reputations would not be soiled. The suspicion of a witch scared her, and so she found someone who could not defend herself, and escaped possible conviction of witchcraft. If she had no motive for her witchcraft, the girls would not be spotted in the forest at night to begin with. Abigail, selfish to bring others into her mess, was developing a potion of blood, strong enough to kill Goody Proctor. While this was not discovered by the people, the superstitions were enough to stir the community and church. Thus, as word was spread to Parris and others about the ritual, witchcraft began to put a hinder on the lively spirit of Salem.
Just as the actions started to heat up in the play, Abigail Williams was secretly already ruining Salem. Underneath the nose of the town, the secret affair between Abigail and John Proctor was brewing a storm. Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth, previously became aware of the affair, which led to an awkward relationship between the three of them, and the loss of Abigail’s job with them. Abigail was not going to succumb to defeat, losing John, so she fabricated a lie. “CHEEVER, wide-eyed, trembling: The girl, the Williams girl, Abigail Williams, sir. She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris’s house tonight, and without word nor warnin’ she falls to the floor… and stuck two in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out… testify it were your wife’s familiar spirit push it in. (Miller 70-71, act 2)”
A poppet was created by Mary Warren during the trials. Abigail was able to use the knowledge she had of the needle set in the stomach of the poppet, for safe keeping, to blame Elizabeth. While Elizabeth did not actually place the needle in the poppet, nor conjure her spirit, there was no proof she did not. Most of the allegations of witchcraft were based on people’s words. Thus, even with the simplest evidence, the conspiracy was sealed. In order to divert the attention of supposed witchcraft away from herself, she found a diversion through Elizabeth. Not only would Abigail be seen as a saint, Elizabeth would also be hanged for witchcraft.
From the beginning of the play to the end, Abigail was able to place suspicion of witchery on others in order to save herself.

However, she was not able to do this on her own; the community helped to hang nineteen innocent people. Her place in society, having an uncle for a reverend, placed her in good light. She would be able to escape most suspicion because of her position in the society. Furthermore, the Puritan people were easy to scare, and Abigail was well aware of the matter. If she could scare a few people into believing in witches, when rumors were already flowing, she would be able to divert attention from herself, while seeking revenge for Elizabeth as well. After the incident with Reverend Parris, she needed to find people to blame. Although, some people may say she should be pardoned for her past; she was an orphan from the beginning so she did not know better. “ABIGAIL: I saw Indians smash my dear parents’ heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night (Miller 19, act 1).” Her claimed true motives were because of her terrible start to life. Although she had an uncle, who was a villain himself, she was without parents and a true guide for the important lessons of proper humanities. She was also raised without love or nurturing, leading to the reason why she had an affair with an older man. Abigail was neither a victim nor did she act entirely on her own. Abigail found herself backed into a corner, use the societal Puritan

culture to escape suspicion of witchcraft. Although did not know better on how or what might happen and the hysteria she was about to cause, she was no less a victim as she made a conscious choice to use the Puritans fears and anxieties to foster her hatred and revenge on Elizabeth for the sole gain of John Proctor and her good name in her church.
The power people have over one another is still present at this time today. One’s words over another, creating rumors, and bullying are still prevalent issues in society. In most cases, these together lead to death in one form or another. In the play, Abigail was able to manipulate actions of others, and she even faked possession to accuse people of witchcraft, in order to save herself. A new television series on Netflix called 13 Reasons Why deals with these problems as well. The main character, Hannah, committed suicide because of the rumors highschool students passed on, to become popular or to feel better about themselves. Rumors may seem to only be words to some people, but there is a large amount of hysteria it creates. Although, not all rumors end in suicide or death, it alters the perspective of others by feeding their fears, anxiety, and perceptions. People tend to be judgemental and bring out the worst in people, rather than giving the benefit of the doubt by finding the truth.