Crucible- Abigail Williams Essay

repayable to our nature, the human race will do astonishing things in the invoke of love and fear. Abigail Williams in The crucible is a fantastic ex sizable of this. non just now be her actions absurd to try and gain John monitoring devices whole hearted affection, who was her lover, but alike to gain submission of an ample portion of Salem due to fear. A large part of the submissiveness was gained by her ability to manipulate others, especially those she k forthwiths well. She starts the fire of hatred, for capturees and the townspeople, within Salem. The fuel was already in that respect all that was needed was the last spark to get the erupt going. Abigail was this spark, created by her insatiable lust for John Proctor. She instigated the witch trials, and used the produced furiousness in an attempt at psycheal gain, using a maltreat by step plan. This plan developed through the play, feeding Abigails ambition and role. dance step 1. Manipulate the towns girls into doing witchcraft in the woods.Abigail convinced some of the teenage girls in Salem to join her in the woods. Being unmarried teenage women in this time period, they had little to do, marginal social status, and undoubtedly yearned for adventure. There were only two people set shovel in than them in status, and that would be Abigail and Tituba because Abigail was an orphan, and Tituba a black slave. She convinced Tituba, to sing songs from Barbados somewhat witchcraft. Abby thence persuaded Ruth Putnam to deliberate that Tituba would be able to conjure up the spirits of her dead siblings. If it worked then she could bring to light the mystery fag all of her dead siblings. In getting others to do it with her, she will non be the only one to be punished, and then spreading the burden across many, and if caught the blame could be transferred to the one with the least status, the slave- relieving Abby of punishment. beat 2. suck up a potion to acquire John.While in the woods A bigail drank a view in an attempt to kill Mrs. Proctor, which in her eyes is the only person between her and John. You drank blood, Abby You didnt tell him that (Betty, A.1, p.1244). This quote begins to give the reader an predilection of what Abigail will do to gain Proctor. It would take quite a drive back for someone to willingly drink blood, and in drinkable it, wish goal upon another(prenominal) person. This was a very Puritan society, and all of her actions would be looked overmatch upon by the townspeople. First she entered the forest (the place of the friction match), then she danced (unacceptable for women of that age), then she drank a charm of blood (not accepted by society), and lastly in drinking that charm she is wishing ill upon her neighbor which is going against one of the Commandments. The parole was the law at the time, and going against its foundation was disgraceful.Step 3. When discovered, blame Tituba.When Abigail is be questioned by Parris, the day a fter organism caught, about the girls doings in the woods, she gives away little. She reveals We did dance, uncle, and when you leaped out of the bush so short, Betty was frightened and then she fainted. And at that places the whole of it.(Abigail, A.1, p.1238). This sentence verbalises an insight to Abbys manipulative power over Parris. Fainting from fright from being caught by her father doing an illegal employment could be an explanation for Bettys inactivity. Abigail admits to what he saw, but makes it hard for him to thrust the question further when she says the finalized statement theres the whole of it. The affirmation overly denies any other doings, proverb the girls are innocent. Parris then grasps at another aspect to question Abby, this time about possible rumors of her in the town. She skillfully maneuvers around the interrogation, and then is saved by the entrance of Mrs. Putnam.discreetness Putnam reveals her and her daughter (Ruth)s desires to figure out wha t caused her children to die in infancy. Step 4. Exploit Titubas weaknesses, while hiding behind lies. When questioned Abigail turns the accusation to Tituba saying she was alone in conjuring the spirits of Ruths siblings. This brings the insistence off of Abigail and onto two other people. She can then sink into the background, congruous invisible while Parris and Hale interrogate Tituba. Tituba is the unhappy slave, with witchery songs, trivial-scale status, and desiring to be free and return home. Due to this, Parris and Hale break Tituba down till she admits to contracting with the devil. In a frenzy to bring twinge off herself and avoid hanging, Tituba then goes on to state name calling of women in the community. Sarah Good and Goody Osburn are first.Then Abigail stands up from the specters seizing the chance of being able to accuse people and bring the attention to her in a positive way by saying I indigence the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus I dance for t he Devil I saw him I wrote in his daybook I go back to Jesus I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil (Abigail, A.1, p.1263). These exclamations go against what she has previously sworn, yet no one seems to notice anything besides her confession and the names she says. Abby repeated the names Tituba already said, along with another, therefore strengthening the accusations while playing on the slaves incompetence of missing one of the people, which strengthens her own position. Step 5. Use newfound status to demolish those who oppose her.Since there are so many people being accused, the town gets an aura of being unsafe and corrupt by the Devil. This causes the accused to accuse others, from old rivalries and suddenly having a chance to comeback, or from being interrogated till they give up names, multiplying the numbers, while they also believe the accusations out of fear. Fear of being accused, of being witched, or of getting hung for disbelieving the court and the Bible. In Act II sixteen people had warrants sent out for their capture.Abigail continuously accuses people who confess, adding to her credibility. She also has fainting incidents, trances, and other public displays which she credits to others using demonic powers on her, move the message that she is an innocent orphan being harmed by the Devil because she is rest against him. This helps her gain pity, and brings more citizens to her side. An example is when Mary Warren tries to testify against Abigail, Mercy, and Susanna. The girls cry out that Mary has sent her spirit out in a cabbage to make them cold. This is proven by their exclamations. Mercy Mary, do you station this shadow on me?Susanna I freeze, I freezeAbigail It is a finish up, a windDanforth Mary Warren, do you witch her? I say to you, do you send your spirit out?(A.3, p.1307)Danforths question seems to state what the other girls were implying. This goes to show what some acting can bring upon a girl and a town. By faking a wind, the girls make Marys testament against them invalid, therefore increasing Abigails power within the court, and getting rid of another challenger. Step 6. Secure Goody Proctor as a witch using credibility established within the court.After accusing Elizabeth in Act 2 because of alleged use of poppets, Abigail has to make sure there is no way out for her. When this is done and she is hung she can finally arouse her love, John Proctor. The townspeople generally ignore evidence and support her claims of witchery, nigh(prenominal) likely out of fear of her power. John Proctor is one of the a couple of(prenominal) willing to stand against her. After many attempts, all of which failed, John resorts to forceful measures. He admits to committing adultery. I have made a bell of my prise I have rung the doom of my good name- you will believe me, Mr. Danforth My wife is innocent, except she knew a whore when she saw one(Proctor, A.3, p.1309) In this statement, Proctor not only admits to adultery, and tries to protect his wife he also calls Abigail a harlot.Abigail is astounded by his reveal, and undoubtedly worked up by his actors line towards her. This is the point where Abby seems to realize that Proctor does not love her and that she wont ever be with him, even if Elizabeth dies. Her plan has failed, and everything she has done was for nothing. Her astonishment turns to resentment, for she then makes no attempt to same John when he is sentenced to hang. Her only thoughts now seem to be of self preservation. She was the ring leader of the witch trials, and with them approach to the end, and no chance of being with John, her power will soon be gone. She steals her uncles savings then flees the city. She lost a love she never truly had, and in the process left behind a broken, manipulated town. hit the hay and fear are two of the most influential emotions, and in The Crucible both are ex perienced firsthand through Abigail. The author, Arthur Miller, uses this to his advantage qualification the play and characters relatable to the audience. These universal themes are relevant at all multiplication in history which is why the play is still shown to this day. Abigail is not only a great example of those traits, but also reflects a insane manipulator existing in many societies. This along with other traits makes her the most important character to the play, along with the witch trials which she helped instigate for personal gain. Its amazing what a teenage girl in a small town can do with a few words and manipulation.