ipl-logo

Abigail A Static Character In The Crucible

462 Words2 Pages

A static character is someone whose personality does not change as a story developes. An example of a static character is Abigail Williams from Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible. Abigail keeps the same goals and motives as the play develops. Throughout the play Abigail is manipulative of others around her and lies to benefit herself. The first two acts of the play show how Abigail manipulates others and lies to prevent getting in trouble for what she did. In the first half of the play Abigail lies and threatens others to keep from getting in trouble when her uncle catches her and other girls dancing in the forest. Abigail was caught doing something strictly forbidden in her society and is scared that Betty, Abigail’s cousin, may tell on her and hit Betty. The text states, “Betty, you will never say that again! You will never-’ Smashes her across the face: ‘Shut it! Now shut it!” Abigail is scared of what her uncle would do if he were to find out that she was dancing and drank blood. In act two of the play Abigail wants to be with Proctor but cannot and shows her jealousy of Goody Proctor. The text states, “Oh, I marvel …show more content…

Proctor knows that Abigail has accused his wife to try and get her killed so that Abigail can be with Proctor. The text states, “She thinks to dance on my wife's grave!” Abigail is deceiving the court by telling them that Goody Proctor is a witch and the court believes her since Abigail is believed to be a victim of witchcraft. As the play continues to Mary Warren is trying to tell the court that Abigail has been lying. To avoid getting in trouble Abigail uses her influence and lies that Mary sent spirits to attack her. The text state, “The wings! Her wings are spreading! Mary, please don’t, don’t-” Scared of getting in trouble Abigail says that Mary has cast her spirit on her. Throughout the play Abigail lies for her own benefit and manipulates

Show More
Related

  • Abigail's Inhumane In The Crucible '

    154 Words  | 1 Pages

    Abigail uses the fact that every person shes accused has been a witch to secure her position as a trust worth witness in court. As seen when the suspension is raised to her, Abigail says, “I have been hurt, Mr. Danforth; I see my blood running out! I have been near to murdered every day because I have done my duty pointing out the Devil’s people -- and this is my reward? To be mistrusted, denied, questioned like a --” (113). She uses the fact that there is a perceived danger in callout witches as one can try to kill her because they feel threated or that she 's been hurt by witchcraft when it was just self-inflicted wounds.

    Read More

  • How Does Arthur Miller Present Power In The Crucible

    721 Words  | 3 Pages

    People in the village had power by influencing others to lie in order not to receive the consequences of witchcraft. Abigail shows power in the play by influencing the girls and what to say and do. She threatened all the girls she will hurt them if they open their mouth and say the truth. Abigail threatens, “Let either one of you breathe a word, or the edge of the other thing and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will being a pointy reckoning that will shutter you.”(Act 1). Abigail tells them she will shutter them with something that will hurt them in a dark night.

    Read More

  • Act 2 Scene 2 In The Crucible

    865 Words  | 4 Pages

    The scene is needed to confirm that Abigail’s actions are motivated by her love for John Proctor. When John Proctor comes over to see what is wrong with Betty in Act One, Abigail believes that John has come to see her. She informs him that she knows that he truly lovers her. Proctor denies her ludicrous statement, but she doesn’t believe him claiming, “You love me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!” (Miller 22).

    Read More

  • Abigail Williams Flaws In The Crucible

    799 Words  | 4 Pages

    I believe she means to murder”. John says this because he knows Abigail’s true intention, and he knows she is seeking revenge. Another quote that supports her flaw is “Goody Proctor always keeps poppets”. This is Abigail’s attempt to blame Goody Proctor for the wound to her stomach. Vengeance is a terrible characteristic to have, and Abigail has obtained this characteristic.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Ethos In The Crucible

    1198 Words  | 5 Pages

    The contention between the characters have intensified as the argument escalates, and Proctor's failure at pinning the blame on Abigail has frustrated him. When Abigail begins another self righteous fit of possession and calls upon Heaven, Proctor can no longer stand her hypocrisy. He cries out in a “roaring voice” “breathless and in agony: It is a whore!” (Miller 109, 110).

    Read More

  • Mob Mentality In The Crucible

    751 Words  | 4 Pages

    After continuous pressuring Mary Warren replies with ‘I cannot, they’ll turn on me— “showing us the mob has driven fear into people and how Marry is afraid to tell the truth in the case everyone will turn on her and blame her. Mary’s feeble attempt to recompense backfires, so when Abigail uses the poppet to blame it on Elizabeth, making Mary feel even worse thus she agrees to go with proctor to testify against Abigail in court. Later after agreeing to go to court to support Proctor Mary is asked who is at fault and in fear replies pointing to proctor “You’re the devil’s man!” (act three, page 119). This demonstrates how the fear of the mob and the overwhelming pressure from the Abigail makes her turn from the truth.

    Read More

  • Peer Pressure In The Crucible

    453 Words  | 2 Pages

    Especially when it comes to Abigail pressuring the girl. “ABIGAIL, starting for Mary: I say shut it, Mary Warren!” (Act 1, p. 19) Relation to the prompt: Abigail makes Mary doesn't say anything that may not match up with her story. Also to see if their on the same page. " I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.

    Read More

  • Abigail A Victim Of Society In The Crucible

    1772 Words  | 8 Pages

    What does it mean to be a victim of society? A victim of society can more or less be defined as someone who is harmed by their surrounding environment. However, being a victim of society is not nearly as it seems as people may easily play the victim in order to manipulate others, and that scenario holds true in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. In this play, a crisis regarding the question of witchcraft is introduced in late eighteenth century Salem, a town ruled by a theocracy of predominantly Puritan beliefs. The dilemma first emerges when Betty, the daughter of Reverend Parris, the minister of Salem, is in almost a persistent vegetative state after having danced in the forest with Abigail Williams, Parris’s niece, and other girls within the

    Read More

  • Reputation And Integrity In The Crucible

    799 Words  | 4 Pages

    Girl what ails you? Girl what ails you? Stop that wailing!” (1.1 620-621). John Proctor is saying that Abigail is crying out in nonsense to protect her by making people think she was cast over by witches rather people finding out about the adultery that she committed .

    Read More

  • Examples Of Abigail Williams In The Crucible

    756 Words  | 4 Pages

    Abigail is willing to accuse any one in her path of witchcraft even if it means taking the lives of those close to her. Abigail Williams’ emotional desire guides her actions even if it conflicts with morality. Abigail williams is driven to do unthinkable things because of her love for John Proctor. Abigail works in the Proctor’s home and while doing so she finds herself attracted to John. Abigail’s obsession with Proctor leads them to have an affair, which they try to keep

    Read More

  • Human Nature In The Crucible

    845 Words  | 4 Pages

    During Act 1 Mary attempted to be righteous, by trying to get Abigail to confess about what the dancing in the forest. She doesn’t want to be hanged for witchcraft and breaks down to the point Abigail smashes her across the face. Mary claims that they’ll “only be whipped for dancing’.” (Miller 18).“Abby, we’ve got to tell. Witchery’s a hangin’ error’.”

    Read More

  • Abigail Presence In The Crucible

    458 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although Abigail Williams does not physically appear in Act 2, her presence is felt throughout The Crucible. She affects and hurts the lives of her family. She is the main source of trouble. If she wants something, she'll get it. At the beginning, there is a lot of closeness between her and the proctor family.

    Read More

  • The Relationship Between Proctor And Abigail Williams In The Crucible

    1789 Words  | 8 Pages

    In the play, act one describes the relationship between Abigail Williams and John Proctor creating the quality of arrogance. Before the play begins, Abigail and Proctor have an affair; however, feeling guilty, Proctor decides to end the affair in order to focus on his marriage with Elizabeth. Now in a room alone with Abigail, Proctor stands over Betty, Paris’ daughter who cannot wake from her sleep. Abigail walks over to Proctor and leans over him to admire his strength. As soon as she complements him, he gives a small grin.

    Read More

  • Abigail Williams Trial

    655 Words  | 3 Pages

    Abigail forces the girls of Salem to dance in the woods with her to help conjure spirits and make the charm to kill Goody Proctor. Abigail threatens the girls right after Betty took fright by saying, “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.” (Miller, 144). Later on as the trials prolong Mary Warren turns on Abby and is telling the court that she lied. When Abigail then accuses Mary of witchcraft she turns back to Abby and obeys her once again.

    Read More

  • Isolation Quotes In The Crucible

    538 Words  | 3 Pages

    Abigail fuels this situation even more with her manipulative personality. She is a very selfish girl and she is willing to do whatever she can to protect herself. Abigail “smashes her across the face: Shut it! Now shut it!” Abigail smacks Betty when she starts remembering what happened and that Abigail drank blood to kill John Proctor’s wife.

    Read More

More about Abigail A Static Character In The Crucible

Open Document