The Crucible takes place during the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. Throughout the play the roles of women are significant. The play shows how women were treated during that time and how their actions affected their reputation in the community. Women weren’t trusted at this time and they were more servants to their husbands and not treated how nowadays women are treated. Women back then were treated as servants to their husbands and not cherished and loved and put on a pedestal how it is nowadays in this world. Abigail Williams one of the main characters in the play is a young woman who was once a servant for John Proctor and his wife Elizabeth. She is shown as a manipulative woman who is willing to do anything to get what she wants. She is behind the accusations of witchcraft and leads other young women to do the same. Her behavior is shown by this quote "Abigail with a bitter anger Oh I marvel how such a strong man may let such a sickly wife be Proctor You'll speak nothing of Elizabeth!" (Act I) This quote shows Abigails need to replace Elizabeth as John's wife. It also really shows how Abigail uses her way to manipulate men to get …show more content…
Elizabeth is a strong woman who stands by her belief and refuses to lie about her husbands affair. She is shown as a very moral woman who is the complete opposite of Abigail. She is shown as a woman who values honesty over her reputation. This is seen in the following quote "Hale Woman plead with him! It is pride it is vanity. Be his helper! What profit him to bleed? Shall the dust praise him? Shall the worms declare his truth? Go to him take his shame away! Elizabeth I cannot think it."(Act IV) This quote shows Elizabeths unwillingness to lie to save her husbands life. Her moral code and integrity are more important to her than her reputation. This showed that women can be strong and independent and not simply objects to be