What Is Abigail's Motivation In The Crucible

In the first act of the play the Crucible, by Arthur Millar, a few girls are caught dancing in the forest and accused of witchcraft. To save themselves and their reputations the girls, along with other citizens in the town of Salem, start to point their fingers and put the blame on other people. Abigail’s, Reverend Parris’, and Mrs. Putnum’s various accusations all come from their selfish motives.

The most subterranean motivation of Abigail is the “love” she has for John Proctor. Abigail was not only one of the girls that got caught dancing in the forest, she was the only girl that drank a blood charm in order to kill John Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth Proctor. The Jealousy and hate she has for Mrs. Proctor is undeniable when she calls her “a bitter woman, a lying cold sniveling woman” (1271) and a “gossiping liar.” Abigail clearly conjured with the devil in hopes that it would get rid of the only obstacle standing in the way of her being with Mr. Proctor. Abigail naively believes that her feeling for John are reciprocated because of an affair that may or may not have happened. With the jealousy of Elizabeth Proctor and desire for John Proctor, we can see that Abgail’s motives for accusing other people , specifically Elizabeth, are completely self-centered.

Reverend Parris’ motives come from his

He doesn't want there to be known of the practice of witchcraft in his own house, so he puts the crime on his slave Tituba and gives her an ultimatum to either confess or be beat. Because of his need to keep his credibility in his town he claims that he had casted out the source of Satan himself. Parris motives are exceedingly selfish. Concerned with keeping his authority in Salem, he is disliked among many. Continually being power-hungry, drives him to make calamities in his