ipl-logo

Similarities Between Abigail Williams And Elizabeth Proctor

613 Words3 Pages

Two significant female characters that unquestionably influence the events in Arthur Miller's drama The Crucible are Elizabeth Proctor and Abigail Williams. While Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Proctor initially appear to be similar, a closer look at their motivations, personalities, and behavior reveals significant differences between the two, highlighting how they view morality and their relationships with John Proctor. Elizabeth Proctor is a morally upright individual. She values honesty and integrity highly and does not hesitate to stand up for what she believes in. For example, in Act 2, when her husband's loyalty is questioned, she acknowledges knowing about it and accepts full responsibility for his actions. This sentence: "I came to think he fancied her" (Miller 650). Elizabeth Proctor's confession that "And so one night I lost my wits, I think, and put her out on the highroad" (Miller 650) demonstrates the honesty and willingness to take responsibility for her …show more content…

Elizabeth recognizes the value of adhering to the law and respects authority. "I do not judge you"(Miller 605), Elizabeth says. "The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you"(Miller 605). In Act 3, as she is pleading with John Proctor to confess, she says, "I never thought you but a good man, John— with a smile—only somewhat bewildered" (Miller 605). Despite its shortcomings, it is clear from Elizabeth's comments that she believes in the importance of the legal system. While Abigail has little regard for those in positions of authority, she frequently opposes them. In Act 3, Abigail accuses Mary Warren of practicing witchcraft. When Judge Danforth confronts Mary, Abigail persuades the court that Mary is sending her spirit to harm the judge. This reveals Abigail's disdain for the truth and her willingness to take advantage of her

Show More
Related
360 Words | 2 Pages

In the crucible Abigail Williams and Elizabeth proctor plays a big role in the Crucible. Abigail's role is what really makes the play she was the ringleader of her friends. She also destroyed many people's life in the process by saying innocent people were witches and was not. Abigal was involved with Elizabeth's proctors husband,John proctor. Abigail Williams is in love with John Proctor ,but John Procter doesn't want to be with Abigail Williams.

Read More
378 Words | 2 Pages

Abigail and Elizabeth as Foils In the play, The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, the two main female characters are foils. They are opposites in the way they love, lie, and live. Elizabeth Proctor is married to John Proctor and Abbigail Williams had an affair with John Proctor. They both love John and are attracted to him but in very different ways.

Read More
688 Words | 3 Pages

The Different Kind Power of Abigail Williams and John Proctor How can the power that a person has affect how they use it and the consequences of it? There can be different types of power, some of which can be used for either good or evil. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, there are two characters that have different kinds of power. Abigail Williams, a seventeen year old trouble maker, and John Proctor, a mid-thirties farmer and family man, both exhibit different kinds of power with very different results. Ultimately, Abigail uses her power dubiously gained power for ill intent; while, Proctor uses his power gained through good will and respect for the benefit of his family and friends.

Read More
249 Words | 1 Pages

Zlata Kolosunina English III CP Period 7 Mr. McCarty 10/23/15 Compare and contrast between Elizabeth Proctor and Abigail Williams In the play "Crucible" the authorities, Arthur Miller, shows the difference between two leading female characters: Elizabeth Proctor-kind, loving, caring wife of John Proctor, and Abigail Williams- hypocritical, immoral girl, trying to get what she wants in any possible way. The desire of Abigail to be with John led to all the bad consequences. One of them was the death of John Proctor.

Read More
483 Words | 2 Pages

By doing so Proctor intended to prove Abigail’s hidden intentions that gave her motive to create such a deceitful lie that causing the exile of innocents, particularly his wife. Even after Hale is convinced Danforth, still condemning Elizabeth, chooses to show a blind eye to the apparent rationality that Elizabeth was only trying to protect her husband’s good name when questioned, claiming “She spoke nothing of lechery, this man has lied!” (Miller 195). As presented during this scene of act 3, when in possession of great power, a person’s moral compass is guided by irrational thoughts clouding their

Read More
256 Words | 2 Pages

Do as you wish, then.” (Miller 51) “I'll not have your suspicion anymore.” (Miller 51) “The reader quickly infers that John Proctor had the affair because Elizabeth is cold, emotionless and a detached woman. Elizabeth is naïve about the situation and wants to still believe she is living a perfect life.”

Read More
303 Words | 2 Pages

In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Abigail Williams and John Proctor are known to have had an adulterous affair with one another. Even though both John Proctor and Abigail are worthy of blame for their actions, Abigail is the most culpable of the two. In The Crucible, Abigail is the most to blame because of her “tempting” Proctor to carrying out the act more. During Act 1, Abigail is shown to keep egging on Proctor although he does not want to have the affair with her anymore.

Read More
1414 Words | 6 Pages

In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, most of the characters are those of weak values, afraid to stand up for what is truly right. They see the actions of others, willing to give their lives to show that the leaders have it all wrong, and continue to persecute innocent people. Elizabeth is not such a character; she is devoted, strong and sees what is wrong in Salem. She does not give in to the lies, despite it nearly costing her life. Elizabeth Proctor’s strength and bravery help her to endure a struggling marriage, an accusation of witchcraft, and her husband’s actions as a martyr.

Read More
967 Words | 4 Pages

Likewise, when Elizabeth is brought before Danforth to verify Proctor’s confession, she lies to protect her husband, whom she refers to as a “goodly man,” from suspicion (Miller, 113). The affair may have caused Elizabeth to doubt Proctor but both parties still care deeply for each other and try to protect each other from harm. Even in his last moments, Proctor’s last words- “Show honor now, show a stony heart and sink them with it!”- were directed toward Elizabeth and were full of love and care (Miller, 144). Proctor may have sinned but his regret over his affair with Abigail and the trouble he had brought upon his wife justifies his

Read More
1509 Words | 7 Pages

Another example of Proctor admitting his wrong is in Act 4 when he and Elizabeth talk to each other. Proctor talks to Elizabeth one last time before he is executed, and they have an open and honest conversation. Proctor tells Elizabeth, "My honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am no good man. Nothing’s spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before" (Miller 194). Proctor is saying that his sense of

Read More
1681 Words | 7 Pages

Abigail Williams violates the social standards for females and goes against the usually innocent, submissive character of most women; this is a monstrous characteristic that separates her from the typical Puritan lifestyle. To conclude the analysis of the female monstrous outsiders in The Crucible, Elizabeth Proctor is one more essential (and unexpected?) feminine character to be introduced who provides an example of a woman feeling compelled to alter her character to appease her man. John Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth, shares his strict adherence to justice and moral principles (Sundstrand). She is a woman who has great confidence in her own morality and in the ability of an individual to maintain a sense of righteousness, both internal and external, even when this principle conflicts with strict Christian doctrine (Sundstrand).

Read More
818 Words | 4 Pages

Nicole Schaefer Mr. Becker American Literature October 29, 2014 Two Women for Two Different Worlds In the novel the crucible, Elizabeth, wife of John Proctor, and Abigail Williams, mistress of John Proctor are two main roles. Elizabeth, a woman who is loyal and true, or manipulative and ruthless liar, Abigail. She pretends to see spirits and commands the other girls to pretend as well.

Read More
569 Words | 3 Pages

In The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, the characters of Elizabeth Proctor and Abigail Williams can be compared and contrasted through their personalities, motivations, and relationship. In view of, Abigail Williams personality, she is intimidating because she threatened the girls by saying she was going to make their lives miserable if they said another word about what they had done. Moreover,

Read More
872 Words | 4 Pages

Because of this, logic behind his actions become lost since he begins executing them with a desire to reform the corruptness of his crime. Elizabeth suggests to Proctor, that by telling the court that Abigail and the other girls bewitchments are of pretense, all women who were sentenced to death would be given their lives back. He knows that telling the judges is the most rational, but he pauses before making a choice as he responds “quietly, struggling with his thought” (53). His uncertainty shows his conflicting emotion because Proctor feels he cannot accuse Abigail because his guilt will not allow him to. But he coexisting feels the priority to accuse her in order to keep Elizabeth in high spirits.

Read More
483 Words | 2 Pages

Character Analysis of Elizabeth Proctor In the play, The Crucible, Elizabeth Proctor is the wife of John, who committed adultery with a 17 year old girl, Abigail Williams. Elizabeth is a dynamic character in the play, who changes her view on her husband’s wrongdoing when instead of blaming it all on him she takes some of the blame and says the some of her insecurities stopped her from believing in his love. Although she’s cold, Goody Proctor is a good wife to John, staying loyal through his trial and his imprisonment.

Read More

More about Similarities Between Abigail Williams And Elizabeth Proctor

Related Topics

Open Document