What Is Abigail's Journey To Power In The Crucible

Arthur Miller constructs his play upon the famous Salem witch trails. Miller's Crucible was written in the early 1950s. Miller wrote his drama during the brief reign of the American senator Joseph McCarthy whose bitter criticized anti- communism sparkled the need for the United States to be a dramatic anti- communist society during the early tense years of the cold war. By orders from McCarthy himself, committees of the Congress commenced highly controversial investigations against communists in the U.S similar to the alleged Salem witches situation. Convict communists were ordered to confess their crime and name others to avoid the retribution.

“The Crucible’s” definition as a sturdy pot can resemble John Proctor as an individual as he struggles through the great force of the court arresting his wife and having overcome his difficulties. He deals with Abigail Williams telling lies and convincing the court that John’s wife is a witch. “I have been near to murdered every day because I done my duty pointing out the Devil’s people-and this is my reward?” (Miller 84). It also may resemble his dynamic as a character, he has little change throughout the story.

John distances himself from Abigail, making it clear to her that he is no longer interested in any sort of relationship with her. In Act Four, John is accused of doing the Devil’s work by Abigail Williams, because Abigail is she is jealous of Elizabeth, and if she can not have John, no one else should. This conflict arises many times throughout the play, Abigail holds their affair over his head in an effort to keep him in the palm of her hand. Although, John decides to come clean to god, John Proctor confesses to adultery in front of the court, ruining Abigail's plan to expose him for a criminal. John has been filled with guilt ever since Elizabeth Proctor found out about his affair so when her life was at stake, John knew he had no other choice but to turn himself

Ever since this incident, Williams was jealous of Elizabeth. Throughout the entire play, The Crucible, Abigail tried doing anything she could to remove Elizabeth from John’s life. On page 19 Betty says, “You did, you did! You drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife! You drank drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!”

He wrote a play called The Crucible where he had told the story of the Salem people who were bounded by the Devil. The Salem-town (nowadays Salem) situates in Massachusses state and during Witch Trails it was under the influence of Puritans church and traditions. In other words, The Crucible is the play about fears of social isolation and unknown, and how hysteria spreads fast among people. The most notable character of the play is Abigail Williams.

When Abigail is accused of witchcraft, she confesses and in order to take blame off of herself, she accuses many others as well. This sparks hysteria and conflict in the society that ends up costing people their lives. Many characters play a part in the outcomes in the story, however, some do so with more impact. Women in The Crucible are able to take power in their society as they find ways to influence and manipulate those in authority.

ABIGAIL: 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! Let her turn you like a…?”(1247)

The Salem Witch Trials accusing others of a feared crime showed definite evidence that mass hysteria was to blame. Salem was a religious settlement, following Puritan beliefs (Miller, 6). A large fear for everyone in Salem was the touch of the Devil (Miller, Arthur). According to Puritan beliefs, if a man or woman was touched by the Devil he would convince them to do witchcraft. Once word was mentioned the Devil had possibly touched Salem, the fear spread.

That is until Mary caves under the pressure and accuses John Proctor of being the Devil 's man, so nothing bad occurs due to Abigail. In addition, Abigail tells lies, manipulates her friends and the entire town, and eventually sends nineteen innocent people to their deaths. Throughout all of the hysteria, Abigail’s motivations are based off of a simple jealousy and a desire to have revenge on Elizabeth Proctor. There are a few background

She claims she is just an innocent teenager. However, as the story unfolds, Abigail is truly a despicable character and is ultimately responsible for a number of murders, trials against the innocent and eventually crosses the boundary of outright evil. In the beginning, Abigail Williams, a former house servant to the Proctor household, begins her villainous behavior after being kicked out of the Proctor home as she was accused of having an affair with John Proctor. She takes refuge with the Reverend Parris, Betty and Tituba.

When present, fear can often be exploited for one’s personal gain. The Crucible, a play written by Arthur Miller, which exemplifies the power of fear due to the imaginary idea of witchcraft in the small village of Salem. During the time this play was written, the United States was overcome by the fear of communism, which had led to the government accusing many innocent people for ridiculous reasons. Miller uses The Crucible to show how many of the accusations in the Salem Witch Trials, a similar event, often had underlying, selfish, and personal reasons behind them. In the play Abigail Williams, and Thomas Putnam’s take advantage of the pervasive fear in the village, allowing them to fulfill their selfish and exploitative motives which are what truly fuel the Salem Witch Trials.

In 1692, the hysteria of what is now known as the Salem witch trials begun. It all started within the minister’s household when his daughter and niece started to act outlandishly. Witchcraft was blamed for their behavior and actions, which resulted in the madness of accusing almost every woman in the village of Salem. About 20 were eventually executed (Blumberg 1). This delirium ended when minister Cotton Mather and his son pleaded to cease the use of spectral evidence, the “testimony about dreams and visions” (Blumberg 2).

How Paranoia and blame Affected the Salem Witch Trials and the McCarthy hearings In the 1690’s, a wave of fear for the devil washed over Salem, Massachusetts, resulting in the accusations of 200 supposed witches and the execution of 20. Almost 200 years later, after World War II, communists were highly feared. The strong urge to stay away from communists led to the McCarthy hearings where many innocent people were accused and tried for being communists. The Salem trials and the McCarthy hearings have many ties, the two closest being how paranoia highly affected the actions of individuals related to the cases and that the only way to save one’s self was to blame others.

This one girl is responsible for the lives taken in the Salem witch trials of 1692. Abigail Williams is at fault for the Salem witch trials From the beginning to end she manipulated to cause the trails. From the beginning to end she manipulated the townspeople to cause the trails. She accused others of witchcraft which cost many lives just to save herself. She is guilty for the imprisonment and executions of innocent people.

She is the most to blame for the actions made and the deaths that took place in Salem. The affair John and Abigail had caused her to fall hard for him. She has it set in her mind that she will go to unbelievable measures to try and get Elizabeth Proctor out of the picture so she can be with John. Abigail is found dancing in the woods with the other girls at night.