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Salem witch trials and historical analysis
Salem witch trials and historical analysis
Salem witch trials and historical analysis
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Out of all the characters in the book, there are many that contributed to the hysteria of the witch trials, however, of these characters Abigail Williams contributed the most. In the beginning of the play, we see Abigail and a collection of other girls dancing and making a charm in the woods. Abigail made this charm in order to kill Mr.Proctor 's wife. If Abigail wasn 't so crazy in love with John this scene in the woods probably wouldn 't have taken place. Therefor, Parris would have never caught the girls and there wouldn’t be rumours of witchcraft.
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.
During the Salem Witch Trials a lot of people were accused of using witchcraft. As a result many people died for other people’s lies, rumors, and selfishness. There is one person that really caused and is most to blame for all the chaos, her name is Abigail. Abigail is to blame for all that has happened in the Witch Trials, the reason for that is because of all the accusing and lying she has done. In addition, it all leads up to her for instance, she used a doll to accuse people of witchcraft.
She accused Elizabeth of being a witch hoping she would be hanged in order to have John come back to her. She also set up Mary Warren using the doll she helped her make by sticking a needle through it. All of this started out with false accusations by Abigail, and people believed her because they were
This one girl is responsible for the lives taken in the Salem witch trials of 1692. Abigail Williams is at fault for the Salem witch trials From the beginning to end she manipulated to cause the trails. From the beginning to end she manipulated the townspeople to cause the trails. She accused others of witchcraft which cost many lives just to save herself. She is guilty for the imprisonment and executions of innocent people.
During the late 17th century a total of 200 people were accused of participating in witchcraft, while 19 people lost their lives to the mass hysteria. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, a group of girls start a huge uproar in Salem, Massachusetts when they start screeching about Salemites being associated with the Devil. Throughout the play write, it shows the consequences of mass hysteria and how it puts people's lives in danger. Abigail Williams causes a wave of mass hysteria and because of her trickery, innocent people have died by her and the other girl’s actions, for this Abigail is the most unforgivable character in The Crucible.
In The Crucible, there could be many suspects to blame for the innocent deaths that happened in Salem. Proctor could be blamed for the innocent deaths because he lied about his affair with Abigail. Speaking of Abigail... in my opinion Abigail Williams is the one to blame for the innocent deaths because of the lies she told, the accusations she made, and the affair she had with John Proctor. Abigail Williams told many, many lies in The Crucible. The reason the witch trials began in the first place was because of the lie she told about being in the woods.
In My mind the whole Witch hunt has been a popularity contest People are trying to rack up kills like a Call Of Duty session are the Hunger Games. “ Abigail Williams, fingered 41 different witches for attacking her’’( Schanzer 56). I believe she was trying to get more people to like her and comfort her since she had been “attacked”. Maybe she just wanted to get back at someone which leads to one thing revenge.
Taking responsibility. Often times you will find yourself in an either difficult, or awkward situation where telling the truth is going to alter the conversation, and the person’s mood either for the better or worst, this leaves you thinking is being honest the right thing to do? This idea of being responsible for your actions is brought up countless times, both in real life and in fiction.
The actions of others can and will affect the lives of the people around them whether it is in the community or a specific family. There are many examples of this in the book The Crucible by Arthur Miller that will affect others. As I was reading this the events that showed up most was witchcraft and lying which caused a vast majority of the problems throughout the play. Many characters demonstrated different things that impacted others’ lives, such as Abagail lying in court, John Proctor committing adultery, and lastly the girls dancing in the woods.
Abigail had to deal with suffering at a young age, when her parents were brutally murdered in front of her by Native Americans. The death of parents is stressful, more so when you are such a tender age. What happened to Abigail was so stressful that she had a mental breakdown. Abigail developed a sociopathic disorder, from not being able to handle the amount of suffer and stress she had. This suffering caused Abigail to make horrible decisions, she had a relationship with a married man and accused people of being witches.
In my own personal well thought of opinion, I believe that Abigail Williams is the one to blame for the witch trials due to multiple reasons. Firstly is that because of her self greed of trying to keep a well polished reputation and to not face the consequences, she did all that she could so that she would not get in trouble herself, which was acting or pretending to the best of her abilities, and claiming that the people she stated has either met the devil or created an agreement with him. Another would be attempting to eliminate the individuals she or the girls that follow her dislikes, which includes the upper class people, certain individuals that seems suspicious, etc. Lastly of course is the idea that she is just doing it to seize the
Abigail Williams: The First True Witch of Salem, Massachusetts “Controlled hysteria is what’s required. To exist constantly in a state of controlled hysteria. It’s agony. But everyone has agony. The difference is that I try to take my agony home and teach it to sing” (Arthur Miller, AZ Quotes).
In Salem, Massachusetts a series of hearings and prosecutions started, commonly known as the Salem Witchcraft Trials. The witchcraft trials in Salem became a big concern after two-hundred innocent people were accused and twenty people were executed. Many people of Salem believed the court was just in accusing all these victims. A seldom amount of people went against the court in saying that the court was a fraud and that the decisions were biased being made. Abigail Williams held all the power in the court and determined who was “guilty” or not.
Abigail Williams was the main cause of Salem witch trials because Abigail was the first person to start accusing innocent people of witchcraft. Due to young Abigail actions, 20 innocent people took the calling of death for her actions. how many People do you know willing to lie and cheat the rules to get anything they want .? The fact that twenty people died all because of Abigail craving attention and wanting her own personal gain from accusing others of having spoken with the devil or witchery is insane. I blame Abigail for anything that has happened during the witch trials of Salem.
