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Abigail's Use Of Dramatic Irony In The Crucible

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Due to the theocratic state in "The Crucible", many were forced to adapt while others decided to revolt. Abigail, a girl who just wanted to gain possession of her companion became the cause of many innocent people being hanged. In "The Crucible" we gain sight of dramatic irony where the reader knows the truth, Abigail is not a victim rather the antagonist in the story but the characters are not aware of this instead unconsciously believing she is a helpless girl being attacked by the powerful devil. Fate has not been in her favor as she loses her parents in front of her very eyes scarring her for life. The actions she takes and the outcome it creates cannot be pardoned due to the way she has become from this tragic event. A bird never likes to be held captive rather it likes to be set free. Similar to that, Abigail wants to be set free from the rules and regulations of the society she lives in. She revolts against the state by dancing in the woods along with several other girls. Along with that, she wishes for Procter, a married man with children and for the death of Goody Procter. In a society where the civil law is the divine law, wanting the death of Elizabeth and wanting Procter all to herself is considered a crime. …show more content…

Abigail, at a young age had to see her parents get brutally killed by Native Americans. This made a scar on her that would never disappear. Due to this tragedy, it has made her desire for companionship which she found in John Procter. Abigail says "I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved me then and you do now!”. This wanting of Procter made her dance in the forest which led to the accusations of the devil's followers which then ended up with the hanging of people along with her beloved John. She faced her parent's tragic incident but at the same time it does not give her the permission to do as she

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Abigail seeks revenge on Elizabeth throughout the play because, she is in love with John, and wants to be with him. Abigail helped begin the Witch Trials by originally wanting revenge on Elizabeth, and then she assists in the conviction of many innocent people. Without Abigail wanting revenge on Elizabeth, many people would not have been falsely accused for witchcraft.

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237 Words | 1 Pages

With her lying about witches roaming around Salem, she had most of the town hanged and killed. Because of these hangings crops, animals and children were abandoned and left unattended. The main person Abigail wanted dead was Elizabeth Proctor or Goody Proctor as she is known in the town of Salem. Abigail was

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541 Words | 3 Pages

Abigail is seeking Elizabeth’s death by framing her for witchcraft. Abigail is jealous that Elizabeth is the wife of John Proctor and she has become vindictive. John affirmed that Abigail and he were once in love and stated, “She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave!” (Miller 1333).

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650 Words | 3 Pages

As we witness the play unfold, we are able to see Abigail’s true character, and though she tries to conceal her true personality, the reader is able to identify it through her actions and most interestingly her beliefs. Abigail Williams varies far from traditional Puritan society. Instead of abiding by the general rules of Puritans, Abigail decides that she is above the laws. This fact becomes evident when she pursues, then successfully seduces John Proctor, and when she

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514 Words | 3 Pages

Abigail protected John when he was acused of withcraft and even when she went dancing naked in the woods; she knew she was gone be punished. “Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time.” But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again” (23) She claimed she loved John and she thought John loved her.

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1334 Words | 6 Pages

John Procter went to break things off with Abigail Williams because his wife found out about the affair and she accused Elizabeth of witchcraft hoping that Elizabeth would no longer stand in the way of their “love”. The only problem that interfered with her plan was that John didn’t feel that strongly for Abigail. He cared more deeply for his wife. Whenever John went to testify against Abigail, she accused him as well. Elizabeth Procter and John Procter were hung.

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153 Words | 1 Pages

Abigail’s loss of sexual innocence symbolizes the act of giving yourself to sin. In reference to Abigail’s and Proctor’s affair, Miller states that “...our opposites are always robed in sexual sin, and it is from the unconscious conviction that demonology gains both its attractive sensuality and its capacity to infuriate and frighten” (pg. 36). Abigail is the opposite to John Proctor. She hasn’t confessed to her sin and repented like Proctor had done. Instead, she has continued to do wrong and indulge in her own sinful nature.

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768 Words | 4 Pages

Abigail The Victim In the Crucible many are to blame for the events that occurred, but one of the one’s who seems to take blame the most is Abigail Williams. She holds most of the responsibility because she was to blame for the girls meeting with Tituba in the woods. When Parris located the girls in the woods, Abigail tries to hide her behavior because she fears that it will uncover her affair with Proctor if she confesses that she attempted to cast a spell on his wife, Elizabeth. Abigail also lies to avoid being punished for witchcraft.

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756 Words | 4 Pages

Abigail believed that Proctor actually loved her and she waited every night for him. She was brainwashed to think he would leave his wife for her. The witchcraft accusation came from the beginning of the story when Abigail and the girls were dancing naked in the woods and chanting. She made false accusations that people in the village were worshipping the devil to cover what she had done. Many lives were taken but Abigail had no empathy for anyone who was hanged.

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1772 Words | 8 Pages

The devastating past event of having her parents killed proves that Abigail is a victim of her society as she is an orphan. Parents play a key role for their children while they are growing up, they can teach them right from wrong and Abigail did not have these privileges. She was instead raised by her uncle Parris, who only cares about his own reputation. However, on the other hand, the grieving events of Abigail’s past can only act as an excuse for her decisions to a certain extent as she cannot be considered a victim on

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99 Words | 1 Pages

In Arthur Miller's The Crucible Abigail- a young, jealous, and empowered girl- ambushes everyone around her with a method of destruction. The people in Abigail's town are religious; knowing this Abigail begins to implement her strategy, which involves accusing and sentencing people to death. Abigail starts her plan when she learns she can never be with John Proctor, who is married to Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail wants to be with John, so Abigail must get rid of Elizabeth; hence, the plan that will create a path for Abigail. Abigail's plan will lead to her gaining love as well as

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655 Words | 3 Pages

In Salem, Massachusetts a series of hearings and prosecutions started, commonly known as the Salem Witchcraft Trials. The witchcraft trials in Salem became a big concern after two-hundred innocent people were accused and twenty people were executed. Many people of Salem believed the court was just in accusing all these victims. A seldom amount of people went against the court in saying that the court was a fraud and that the decisions were biased being made. Abigail Williams held all the power in the court and determined who was “guilty” or not.

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934 Words | 4 Pages

Abigail Williams was the goody two shoes that kept her reputation high, until she turned on many with a single lie. In The Crucible By Arthur Miller, is set in the year of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts where a witch outbreak has jailed many of the women from a fault of one girl named Abigail. It causes havoc in Salem that will lead to death in the village. Abigail has shown many transformations and showed that she is very dynamic from her emotions, to her actions, and to her experiences throughout the story of The Crucible. Abigail has shown that she has grown mentally and emotionally.

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818 Words | 4 Pages

Abigail 's heartless attitude is shown in act two when she frames and accuses Elizabeth Proctor for witchcraft. She desired and longed for this revenge on poor Proctors innocent wife, aiming for her through out the play. Later on in Act Three she seems to lose her last attachment of society by destroying John Proctor, who she claims to love with all her heart. When John attempts and threatens to expose Abigail’s wrong doings, she skillfully manages to turn the whole problem around on him, sending him off

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799 Words | 4 Pages

In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, Miller demonstrated that it was Abigail William’s flaws: lust, vengeance, and jealously that led her to be responsible the most for the tragedy of the witch hunts in Salem. Abigail Williams started the entire suspicion of there being active member of witchcraft throughout Salem, Massachusetts. She did this for her own benefits and used trickery to get what she wanted. Abigail was corrupt and only cared for her own desires. There are many reasons that these flaws are crucial to the outcome of the play.

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