Examples Of Abigail Williams In The Crucible

Arthur Miller’s The Crucible depicts the test to which the Puritan town of Salem is put through. The Puritans believed themselves a righteous colony of Saints, and that they “must be as a City upon a Hill.” However, Puritans feared that their “city upon a hill” was vulnerable to infection by the devil. Therefore, the witch-hunt was manifested in order to suppress the devil’s influence. But in doing so, ambitious Salemites exploited their fellow brothers and ultimately besmirched the moral laws of God_ the ideal theocratic justice.

Exploitation begins when the ambitious Salemites recognize the cries of witchery to strike panic amongst the town. Abigail Williams is one of the first to cry witch. Aware that she committed the sin of fornication

Among the obviously innocent is John Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth. Abigail gains integrity for her “duty [of] pointing out the Devil’s people”, and therefore uses this to accuse Mrs. Proctor. Abigail’s ultimate goal is to get rid of Elizabeth in order to be with Proctor.

Another Salemite who ignores the theocratic law is Thomas Putnam. Also bound by desire, Putnam uses the fancy of witches to gain land. Although Puritans were supposed to “entertaine each other in brotherly Affection, [and] be willing to abridge [them] selves of [their] superfluities”, Putnam completely rejects this principle. Seeking to gain, land Putnam uses his “bewitched” daughter to accuse George Jacobs (a land owner) of witchcraft. Because he is aware that “if Jacobs hangs for a witch [Jacobs] forfeits up his property. And there is none but Putnam with the coin to buy so great a piece.” Therefore “[Putnam] is killing his neighbors for their land!” When accused of such acquisitiveness, Putnam denies it in the court concealing his sin, but committing an even greater sin lying to the court. The court is said to do God’s work and speak God’s law and those not in accordance with its actions is indicted of contempt against the court. Judge Danforth and Judge Hathorne are entitled to bring justice to the Salem Witch Trials, but the notion of justice is undermined by their desire to dwell in such a high position, thus leading to their myopic laws and upholding the