Abigail’s Accusation of Elizabeth in “The Crucible”: Unveiling Deceit

Abigail’s Accusations and Manipulation

Have you ever had a crazy girlfriend or know someone who would go to any extreme for something they want or to make someone fall in love with them? Sounds like a modern-day soap opera. This is actually the premise of the story called The Crucible, written in 1952 by Arthur Miller. The story takes place during the Salem Witch Trials. Let’s talk about a story of everyone’s favorite villain in the story The Crucible, known as Abigail Williams because she started accusing people of witchcraft all because of her own personal gains and wanting a man for herself.

Unveiling Abigail’s Obsession and Manipulation

Here are the reasons why Abigail Willaims. Abigail starts accusing many of the townspeople of practicing witchcraft. She accused one person, Tituba, which started a chain reaction that led to many of the town’s people also being accused of witchcraft. Abigail pointed at Mary Warren, but Mary did not hesitate to point right at John Proctor about his affair with Abigail, an older man with a young lady. Abigail threatens a few of the girls from the woods, especially Betty, who is not waking up, so Abigail furiously shakes Betty. In today’s world, a young adult threatening a child is not okay. Betty starts to whimper and attack Abigail by saying that she never mentioned to Parris that she drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife. Abigail then smashes Betty across the floor, telling her to “Shut it, Now shut it.”

Deception and Betrayal

Abigail starts to become a little crazier. There was a doll that Mary Warren gave to Goody Proctor, but before all this, Abigail knew that Elizabeth was given a doll with a needle stabbed into it. Abigail goes out of her way and injects herself with a needle by accusing Elizabeth of witchcraft to the judges; it is crazy to think how love could drive someone so far to do something for someone else’s love. The judges ended up searching the Proctor’s house and ended up finding it exactly the way Abigail described the “poppet.” Abigail could never stay away from John and would not leave him alone. Everything going on between him and his wife is because of Abigail. Although John ended up confessing his sin, Abigail kept going to John and wouldn’t keep him out of her problems, telling him that “Elizabeth is blackening my name” and “How do you call me a child?” Abigail wouldn’t leave John alone and kept waiting for him every night.

Unraveling Abigail’s True Intentions

Abigail turns to become a thief and a liar. Abigail decides to throw Tituba under the bus by lying and telling Hale about the blood. Hale starts to question Abigail by asking her, “Did Tituba ask you to drink it?” Abigail responds with, “She tried, but I refused.” Tituba never forced anyone to do anything when the girls were in the woods. Abigail made her own decision because she thought it would kill Goody Proctor. Parris is another character in the story who takes care of Abigail, feeds her, and gives her shelter. After Abigail heard John was going to be hanged and couldn’t do anything about it, she decided to steal money from Parris and run off with Mercy Lewis. Some would say Abigail is not a villainous character because she tried helping John Proctor escape from prison. However, the reason why she was helping him escape was so

They could run away together by using the money she stole from Parris. Abigail tries to cover up John Proctor’s affair and to prevent charges of witchcraft. In order to avoid serving punishment for casting spells and adultery, not to mention the attempted murder of Elizabeth Procter. Abigail shifts her focus away from herself by accusing others of witchcraft. Abigail is a very good liar and is vengeful, manipulative, and selfish. Abigail did everything she did for the benefit of herself. She has an uncanny ability to manipulate people and control them. All of these traits make her my favorite villain in the play The Crucible.

References:

1. Miller, Arthur. “The Crucible.” 1952.

2. Hytner, Nicholas (Director). “The Crucible.” 1996. Film.

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