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Abigail's Motivation In The Crucible

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Would you go so far as to get someone executed in order to spend life with a person you love? Some of the main goals in a person’s life is to be able to figure out unknown things. A major mystery might be what really goes on in someone’s mind. Within literature, readers often try to figure out what motivates characters throughout novels. The same goes for Arther Miller’s “The Crucible.” One of the main antagonists, Abigail Williams, is motivated by her true love: John Proctor. To achieve the goal of marrying him, she chooses to be manipulative, persistent, and jealous in pursuit of what she desires. While the actions she takes to achieve this goal may be questionable, she truly believes they will work. This play demonstrates how Abigail Williams …show more content…

After admitting to ‘dancing with the Devil’ Abigail reveals, “I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!” (1.481). Abigail chooses to blame others to take the blame off of herself. While she did admit that she danced with the Devil, she also unveils the other girls who danced with her. Through this, we learn she is unfaithful to her friends and fellow civilians. She did not want to face the consequences alone. Elizabeth remarks, “She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! She is a cold, sniveling woman…”(1.203). Abigail's attempt to get rid of Elizabeth is to spread the word of her evil ways and to accuse her of witchcraft. This method of manipulation is turning the entire society of Salem against Elizabeth, since eliminating Elizabeth is the key to John Proctor. She spreads lies to make everybody replicate her personal thoughts onto others: miserable and lonely. This demonstrates the manipulative side of Abigail that takes advantage of others throughout the story. By spreading lies about Elizabeth Proctor and betraying other girls, Abigail is proven to be disloyal and has a tendency to betray

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130 Words | 1 Pages

It becomes apparent in the very first Act that Abigail is not a trustworthy character. She is willing to throw blame at anyone to deflect the suspicion from herself, or even to gain something she wants. I suppose in some ways Abigail could be seen as a tragic character, but her manipulative nature sure makes it difficult to sympathize with her. She is willing to hang an innocent woman in her delusion that this will somehow result in John Proctor realizing his love for her. He has made it clear multiple times he has moved on and wishes to not see her but - of course - Abigail only persists.

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164 Words | 1 Pages

When Abigail is being questioned by Parris and Hale she is asked if she saw any one else with the devil and starts throwing out names in society they are low questionable reputation. When Abigail is questioned she says Tituba, Sarah Good Elizabeth Proctor and, Goody Osborn. Even though she has no evidence she starts throwing put names that seem like they would be a witch because

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1542 Words | 7 Pages

Jessica Sicoe Mr. Urciuoli ENG3U1 31 May 2024. Jealousy Leading to Personal Integrity: A Comparison of Abigail Williams and John Proctor in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. Jealousy has the power to weaken one's personal integrity and drive behaviors that damage relationships. Arthur Miller's play The Crucible focuses on the contrasting desires and decisions of Abigail Williams and John Proctor, who both experience jealousy and struggle internally with the concept of personal integrity. Both John and Abigail experience intense jealousy that drives their actions in the play.

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488 Words | 2 Pages

When John confesses the affair Abigail still refuses to admit the truth, "Mr. Danforth, he is lying!" (102). Abigail's ability to manipulate and deceitfulness make her the leader of the group of girls who accused the witches. The accusations start after Tituba confesses and Abigail in an attempt at concealing the truth even more begins to accuse more people, "I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!"(45).

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280 Words | 2 Pages

Her love drives her to be manipulative and deceitful. She is willing to do anything to get rid of anyone who might come between her and Proctor, even his wife, Elizabeth. Abigail doesn't care about the consequences of her actions because all she wants is Proctor's love. She is determined to eliminate

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476 Words | 2 Pages

She accused Tituba and watched her get whipped and did not speak up. Abigail started to accuse people and in all reality she just wanted John proctor to herself. She did anything to make her devious plan come to life. She also tells the other girls that they will never speak the truth, or she will come into their houses and kill them.

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756 Words | 4 Pages

Abigail is willing to accuse any one in her path of witchcraft even if it means taking the lives of those close to her. Abigail Williams’ emotional desire guides her actions even if it conflicts with morality. Abigail williams is driven to do unthinkable things because of her love for John Proctor. Abigail works in the Proctor’s home and while doing so she finds herself attracted to John. Abigail’s obsession with Proctor leads them to have an affair, which they try to keep

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920 Words | 4 Pages

Tituba, knowing that she cannot defend herself anymore, admits to doing witchcraft. In light of Tituba confessing herself to witchcraft, Abigail cries for God’s glory and says that she saw “Goody Sibber with the Devil,” “Good Bibber with the Devil,” and “Goody Booth with the Devil” (Miller 1. 48). It is human nature for people to get nervous, which causes them to lie and place blame elsewhere. This is applicable to the predicament that Abigail is in. She fears that Hale will be able to see right through her lies of placing blame on others in order to retain her purity.

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679 Words | 3 Pages

Abigail displays many times in the story that she is an evil, coniving, and a corrupt person. Abigail states, “I have been near to murdered every day because I done my duty pointing out the Devil’s people --- and this is my reward? To be mistrusted, denied, questioned like a ---” (Miller 115). Abigail was in a precarious situation in the beginning of the play when herself and a group of girls were thought to be practicing witchcraft, so she developed lies about many other people in the village to save herself and the other girls that took part. She did not care if her lies caused innocent people to be murdered, as long as she kept her significant amount of power, and kept her high position in the village and the court.

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1183 Words | 5 Pages

Abigail believes that if Elizabeths gone then she would take her place as John Proctor’s wife. Abigail is mischievous in nature and tries whatever she can to keep her supposed innocence in the court. She portrays herself as a victim. She shows this when she says to Judge Dandorth, ““I have been hurt, Mr. Danforth; I have seen my blood runnin’ out! I have been near to murdered every day because I done my duty pointing out the Devil’s people-and this is my reward?

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538 Words | 3 Pages

Abigail fuels this situation even more with her manipulative personality. She is a very selfish girl and she is willing to do whatever she can to protect herself. Abigail “smashes her across the face: Shut it! Now shut it!” Abigail smacks Betty when she starts remembering what happened and that Abigail drank blood to kill John Proctor’s wife.

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987 Words | 4 Pages

Abigail does all this for the man that she loves and had an affair with, John Proctor. If the reader begins to focus on John, his actions and what he stands for, they are easily able to recognize he portrays characteristics of the flawed nature of an individual. It is shown through the fact that he had an affair, isn’t able to forgive himself, and at the end of the book, is unable to give up something dear to him to save himself and others. When analyzing John Proctor, the first thing that stands out is that he had an affair with a 17 year-old Abigail Williams. Proctor has a wife who loves him and three children but still decides to stray from his family and fancies someone else.

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570 Words | 3 Pages

For example, Abigail Williams had an affair with John Proctor who was married to Elizabeth Proctor at the time and got discovered. However, Abigail Williams still “loved” John Proctor and was rejected. Later, she accuses Elizabeth Proctor for witchcraft, an action she uses as her revenge. These acts of cruelty ultimately affect all the victims and their families in this play as their consequence is to be hung. The vulnerability and sense of helplessness are all revealed in the victims as they are facing their

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818 Words | 4 Pages

Elizabeth is the victim of Abigail’s heartless actions and affair. These two women are almost complete opposites. Both characters struggle and fight through the story in their own ways. Abigail is the villain in this play.

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429 Words | 2 Pages

John Proctor also claims in court that “she only pretended to faint” to try to convince that she is being attacked by witches and devils. Abigail Williams evil actions caused lots of people to suffer. Abigail Williams, a static character does not change by the end of the play because she continues to protect her reputation instead of telling the truth. Throughout the play Abigail choose to continue to lie about the witchcraft instead of telling the truth. She is a static charatcer because she had many chances to stop the trails, and tell the truth.

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