How Does Abigail Lie In The Crucible

Imagine living in a world where each day could be your last day on earth. Learning how to appreciate each and every day is crucial, considering there is no guarantee of tomorrow. In Salem, Massachusetts in the year of 1692, many innocent people lost their lives due to ridiculous accusations of witchcraft. The worst part about this was that the people being accused had no way to defend themselves against these so called “victims” of witchcraft. This horrific time in American history has been retold in an exciting, suspenseful piece of literature. The play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, portrays one character in particular that should be the one to blame for multiple innocent lives lost in the Salem witchcraft trials. Abigail Williams, the niece

In Act I of the play, Reverend Parris questions Abigail about what he saw one night in the woods. It is very noticeable that Abigail is lying because the text shows not only did she dance naked in the woods, but she replied in a frightful voice when her uncle asks: “And I thought I saw someone naked running through the trees” (10)! She replies, “No one was naked! You mistake yourself, uncle” (11)! Not only did she lie to her uncle to protect herself from getting in trouble, she also lies in the court which is a serious offense. Later in Act III when John Proctor attempts to expose Abigail Williams as a liar he admits to the court officials that he and Abigail have had relations in the past. Judge Danforth asks Abigail: “You deny every scrap and title of this?” and Abigail replies, “If I must answer that, I will leave and I will not come back again” (103)! The way Abigail replies to what John Proctor reveals about their affair is very suspicious. She does not give a straight answer to Judge Danforth but rather says things to ‘beat around the bush.’ Abigail Williams lies and manipulates people around her all throughout the play and eventually it becomes evident to all characters that she was in fact pure

Abigail single-handedly destroyed the Proctor’s relationship as husband and wife and let innocent people hang from crimes they did not commit. The Salem witchcraft trials that took place around that time is why America’s judiciary system is like how it is today. One’s actions and words can ultimately change the way the government rules in the court forever. These policies that are now intact today are all because of Abigail Williams, the character in the play, The Crucible, which is based on a true