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The position of women in the crucible
Salem witch trials encyclopedia britannica
The position of women in the crucible
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As a twelve year old girl Abigail Williams played one of the most dominant roles in the Salem Witch Trials along with her cousin, nine year old, Elizabeth “Betty” Parris. Together these two girls, along with more, would indirectly murder many based off the accusations made by those accused (these girls being the initial accusers). Abigail was born on July twelfth in the year sixteen eighty in the town of Salem located in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Her parents died when she was very young due to an indian raid targeted at the town she lived in. Due to this happening, she later moved in to live with her uncle (who happened to be the reverend of the town) and her younger cousin Elizabeth “Betty” Parris who prefers to go by Betty.
In 1692 the salem witch trials began in Massachusetts over 200 people were accused of witchcraft, Witchcraft is also known as talking with the devil. In the play the crucible is taken place in massachusetts bay colony, it's a very small town that is a christian village. Everyone that lived there believed in whatever god said and wants them to do is how they shall live, so god does not believe in witchcraft he believes that any person conflicting with the devil shall be hung. In the play The crucible a young girl named Abigail Williams started off to be a smart respectful young girl, also a hard worker for John and Elizabeth Proctor they hired her to have some extra help around there home.
Abigail Williams: The Victim Upon the entrance of Abigail Williams one might think she appears as a behaved, but occasionally deceptive child, on the edge of maturity. One might be right, but there be more than what meets the eye. Is Abigail a victim or the culprit? It is evident that Abigail Williams is a victim of Salem due to her emotional scars from her past, the strict, overwhelming environment of the Puritan community, and the symptoms of insanity and power hunger she displayed. It is shown in the text that there are many underlying factors that created her to be a victim.
Abigail is consumed by the idea that John Proctor loves her. She considers that John’s kind actions towards her are more than just lust. Her acknowledgement that it would be a sin for him to love another woman besides his wife reveals that she believes that John Proctor has such deep feelings for her, which are undeniable no matter how wrong it may be. Though Abigail appears to be caught up in her idea of their forbidden love, her romanticized obsession is not enough to prove that her actions are completely motivated by her obsession of
She tells him “John, I am waiting for you every night” (Miller 23). Abigail claims that she waits every night for John Proctor to come to her. John Proctor tells Abigail that he does not want her and that he wants his wife. Abigail tells him “I wake and walk around the house as though I would find you coming through the door”. She believes that she walks around the house in hopes that she would find him coming through her door.
In the play she has an affair with another character. As is said in Act l by Abigail “John- I am waitin’ for you every night” (Miller 176). In this quote Abigail is telling John Proctor how she waits for him every night. This is Lust. Abigail is wanting John for her own pleasure.
A group of girls control the whole village of Salem with their lies. In the story The Crucible, by Author Miller, many people begin losing their lives due to girls that crave to save their own. A seventeen year old girl by the name of Abigail Williams is the lead of all crazy witchcraft hysteria in Salem. Abigail Williams is the main cause for all witchcraft hysteria because of her threatening leadership and because of her revengeful accusations. First of all Abigail lead the whole group of girls into lying about what really happened in the forest the night before the hysteria started.
Abigail is willing to accuse any one in her path of witchcraft even if it means taking the lives of those close to her. Abigail Williams’ emotional desire guides her actions even if it conflicts with morality. Abigail williams is driven to do unthinkable things because of her love for John Proctor. Abigail works in the Proctor’s home and while doing so she finds herself attracted to John. Abigail’s obsession with Proctor leads them to have an affair, which they try to keep
Love is the main motivation to all the evil decisions Abigail has made. ‘’John- I am waitin for you every night’’ ( Miller28) expresses how madly in love Abigail was with John. Her undying infatuation with John Proctor is what encouraged all of the sabotage and lies from
“We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!” A quote from john Proctor in Act II stating how the accusations and hysteria of witchcraft has taken over the town. The accusations set on citizens from the girls have caused an uproar in the society and many citizens were either afraid of the devil or that the people themselves would have accusations set upon them. Suspicions of witchcraft were being used as evidence of whether or not the accused was hanged.
Afterwards, she was willing to destroy anyone in the way of her getting to be with him. Proctor definitely wishes he had never laid with Abigail, and everyone else was paying for his mistake, as she ruined everyone’s lives, “I have known her, sir. I have known her.” (Act III, 378). A single lie snowballed, leaving death and terror in its wake, all because Abigail could not, and likely did not want to control herself.
Abigail is jealous of everyone but mostly Elizabeth Proctor. She yells at John saying, “She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! She is a cold, sniveling woman, and you bend to her! Let her turn you like a –” (Miller 24).
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.
One quote from the play that supports this is “ Gah! I’d almost forgot how strong you are John Proctor!” This proves that Abigail still had feelings for John Proctor, and that she still lusts for him. Another example is “John- I am waiting for you every night.” This shows her obsession
Abigail oftentimes makes me wonder what people would do in order to have a good reputation. In the play Abigail only cares about herself and what she can do to protect herself. When the girls talk in Betty’s room and Mary shows weakness and wants to tell everyone about what they did in the forest, Abigail gets really angry. She threatens the girls and is not afraid to show what she is willing to do. “Now look you.
