In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, Miller demonstrated that it was Abigail William’s flaws: lust, vengeance, and jealously that led her to be responsible the most for the tragedy of the witch hunts in Salem. Abigail Williams started the entire suspicion of there being active member of witchcraft throughout Salem, Massachusetts. She did this for her own benefits and used trickery to get what she wanted. Abigail was corrupt and only cared for her own desires. There are many reasons that these flaws are crucial to the outcome of the play. These flaws will be her downfall. One character flaw that Abigail Williams had acquired was lust. She was completely driven and had no self-control of her lust. She lusted John Proctor. Abigail Williams was madly obsessed with John and it made her, in the long run, go completely insane. One quote from the play that supports this is “ Gah! I’d almost forgot how strong you are John Proctor!” This proves that Abigail still had feelings for John Proctor, and that she still lusts for him. Another example is “John- I am waiting for you every night.” This shows her obsession …show more content…
Abigail seeks vengeance after her affair with John Proctor. She is still madly obsessed with him. After John rejected her, she makes up lies in court in desperate attempt to get Goody Proctor hanged. She thinks if she gets rid of Goody Proctor she will be able to have John all to herself. One quote that supports this is “I do sir. 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. This will spark the main conflict in the play, and Abby caused it all because of her
Whore!” In puritan society adultery was seen as sinful and could have resulted in being hanged As you can see although abigail williams was manipulative she still is a victim of Puritan society being looked down upon for merely being a child and being treated even worse by john proctor .Abigail williams being a liar and manipulative was a victim of john proctor’s violence. As seen in page
Arthur Millers, “The Crucible”, was written in 1953 about the Salem witch trials that took place in 1692. John Proctor, a small farmer, had an affair with Abigail Williams before the play started. Once his wife found out, she put Abigail out and John ended the affair. Abigail Williams is most responsible for the deaths which took place in the play. She is also one of the main characters because she and the other children of the town cried witchery.
In the play The Crucible, the author, Arthur Miller creates characters that commit the Seven Deadly Sins. According to medieval theology one can only correct their sins through penitence, or seeking forgiveness through remorse and regret. Abigail Williams, the Putnams, and Parris are sinners that play major roles in the play. Abigail is the reason for this witchcraft hysteria. She leads the rest of the girls to lie and accuse other villagers of witchcraft.
(Miller 1244) Even before we know a lot about Abigail we find out that she resorted to “devil work” to try and get rid of John Proctor’s wife. She is still in love with Proctor to a point of destroying her and anyone who gets in her way. Another quote is by Abigail herself that says, “Why, look at my leg. I’ve holes all over from their damned needles and pins.
Afterwards, she was willing to destroy anyone in the way of her getting to be with him. Proctor definitely wishes he had never laid with Abigail, and everyone else was paying for his mistake, as she ruined everyone’s lives, “I have known her, sir. I have known her.” (Act III, 378). A single lie snowballed, leaving death and terror in its wake, all because Abigail could not, and likely did not want to control herself.
Abigail is consumed by the idea that John Proctor loves her. She considers that John’s kind actions towards her are more than just lust. Her acknowledgement that it would be a sin for him to love another woman besides his wife reveals that she believes that John Proctor has such deep feelings for her, which are undeniable no matter how wrong it may be. Though Abigail appears to be caught up in her idea of their forbidden love, her romanticized obsession is not enough to prove that her actions are completely motivated by her obsession of
This affair was never fully proven, but Proctor did say, “Abby, I may think of you from time to time but I will cut off my hand before I’ll reach for you again” (Miller 1140). Abigail was madly in love with Proctor and wanted Elizabeth out of the picture so she could have Proctor all to her self. Abigail was very jealous of Elizabeth. She thought that if Elizabeth would die, she would get Proctor all to her self. She accused Elizabeth of being a “cold, sniveling woman”(Miller 1140).
Adolescent minds are the most intelligent kind of mind. A young brain is filled with creativity, imagination and innocence. Though the thought process of a teen is assumed to be selfish there are other factors involved. A combination of these characteristics seems almost dangerous. One would undermine a juvenile to use these qualities to manipulate the court for their own selfish wishes or pleasures.
Abigail Williams, the young ring-leader of the witchcraft accusations within Salem, used her influence to help maintain a better shot at claiming John Proctor as her man. She at the time had gotten with him but once she got a taste of John Proctor, she desired more. On page 21 of the play, the exchange between Abigail and Proctor displays her desire for the man. “Since Proctor’s entrance, Abigail has stood as though on tiptoe, absorbing his presence, wide eyed. He glances at her, then goes to Betty on the bed.
Abigail is motivated by the lust she has for John Proctor to falsely accuse Elizabeth Proctor of practicing witchcraft. John Proctor had an affair behind Elizabeth Proctor's back and once she found out, she fired Abigail. Nonetheless, Abigail still yearns for John. On the other hand, John promised Elizabeth it would never happen again and he is devoted to her. In act one, after Reverend Parris, Abigail, Thomas Putnam, Susanna Walcott, Mercy Lewis, and Mary Warren finish talking about what has happened to Betty, John arrives.
Abigail uses her own personal desires to get to what she wants even though many people died in the
Abigail Williams: The Conniving Woman of the Crucible The Salem Witch Trials began in Salem Massachusetts in 1629. Many people were accused of being a witch and many lives were lost. In Author Miller’s The Crucible, Abigail Williams is the most to blame for the events of the Salem Witch Trials. Abigail is one of the main characters in the play.
John had abigail as his slave and then John’s wife got sick and John slept with Abigail. The night when abigail was practicing witchery, she used Proctor 's wife’s name. Abigail has wanted Elizabeth, Proctor 's wife, to die ever since John and her had feelings for each other. In crucible abigail states, “I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart!”(pg 1232) After a while it seemed as though abigail was obsessed with John.
Abigail 's heartless attitude is shown in act two when she frames and accuses Elizabeth Proctor for witchcraft. She desired and longed for this revenge on poor Proctors innocent wife, aiming for her through out the play. Later on in Act Three she seems to lose her last attachment of society by destroying John Proctor, who she claims to love with all her heart. When John attempts and threatens to expose Abigail’s wrong doings, she skillfully manages to turn the whole problem around on him, sending him off
One common question about The Crucible is how Abigail Williams is the most evil force in the play. It is shocking when a girl talks back to authority out of disagreement, but few go as far as Abigail Williams. While she may only be 11 years old, her manipulative and vengeful personality allows her fool her Uncle and later turns a whole town against each other. She is really a master of manipulation and trickery, and she gets herself into affairs without punishment and has threaten all who oppose here. Abigail really is the devil in human form.