Fabian Hernandez English IV – H 26 Apr 2024 Title The character of Abigail Williams in Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible" is a perfect illustration of a person who purposefully misleads others to benefit themselves. Abigail's motivations for lying are to avoid being held accountable for her deeds, to control people around her, and to satisfy her own love fantasies. Through her deceit, Miller examines themes of power, rage, and the corrupting influence of revenge. Abigail has a variety of reasons for lying. She first turns to lying to get away with being punished for her involvement in witchcraft in the woods. Because she is afraid of the consequences of her behavior and the negative association that society attaches to witchcraft, Abigail manipulates others around her by falsely accusing them of being witches. She intends to deflect blame from herself and …show more content…
She uses lies to remove Elizabeth, Proctor's wife, from the scene because she regards her as an obstacle to their connection. In addition to achieving Abigail's own goals, her false charges of witchcraft against Elizabeth add to the general panic and chaos that descend upon Salem. Abigail's dishonesty plays a major role in the overall meaning of "The Crucible". Miller draws attention to the damaging effects of deception and manipulation in society through her activities. Because of Abigail's dishonesty, a series of unfortunate events lead up in the unjustified persecution of innocent individuals and the loss of collaborative trust. Her deception feeds the panic that embraces Salem, which leads to loss and tragedy in the end. The character John Proctor from "The Crucible" is an ideal example of how "what we value can be determined only by what we sacrifice." Proctor experiences an intense internal conflict during the play as he debates his morals and finally makes decisions that expose his actual