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Abigail's Motives In The Crucible

518 Words3 Pages

Parris does not actually accuse the girls of witchcraft, but he interrogates them with a strong suspicion that they might be involved in such behavior. He cares so much about finding out what they did in the woods because his reputation is on the line. If his daughter and niece were practicing witchcraft, he’ll lose his job as minister. When he questions Abigail, he demands the truth because “[his] ministry’s at stake” and she “compromises [his] very character”(11). As much as he doesn’t want the rumors to be true of his daughter, he withholds judgement and doesn’t actually accuse anyone. On the other hand, Abigail is both accused and an accuser. At the start of Act 1, the blame is on her for practicing witchcraft because she was found dancing …show more content…

She accuses other people for attention after Tituba confesses and opens herself to God. She gets away with these accusations because Tituba is a slave and the power dynamic between them guarantees that everyone will believe her. But in return, Tituba accuses her of using witchcraft to conjure a charm to kill Elizabeth Proctor. She wants to replace Proctor’s wife because they had an affair and she is still in love with him. Tituba is accused of witchcraft because she was found dancing naked in the forest as well. Later in the act, Hale interrogates her, asking her questions such as “have you enlisted these children for the Devil?”(43). Abigail joins in on the accusations, claiming that her “Barbados songs” tempted her. Everyone believes that Tituba is a witch because they trust a white girl’s accusations over that of a slave. Betty is accused of participating in witchcraft because she was also there in the woods, found sick. Due to association with Abigail and Tituba, she too is accused. In the brief moments that she is awake, she urges Abigail to tell the truth that she was drinking blood purposely, but Abigail tells her not to speak of

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