Who Is Abigail A Hero In The Crucible

In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, the antagonist, Abigail Williams, is a complex character, whose actions have an irreversible impact on the lives of those around her. While some may argue that Abigail should be viewed with sympathy, or as a victim, a closer examination of her character reveals a different truth. Abigail Williams should be seen as a villain due to the fact she is unsympathetic, deceptive and selfish.

To begin, Abigail Williams should be seen as a villain due to her lack of empathy. For example, Abigail claims, "I would never hurt Betty." I love her dearly" (Miller 10). Then, just a few pages later, she “smashes [Betty] across the face” and yells “Shut it! Now shut it!” (Miller 19). Abigail puts up a kind, empathetic front

In the book, this is demonstrated when Abigail acts like she is bewitched by Mary Warren. For example, “Abigail now staring full front as though hypnotized, and mimicking the exact tone of Mary Warren's cry.” then, “Mary Warren, pleading: Abby, you mustn't!” and finally, “Abigail and all the girls, all transfixed: Abby, you mustn't!” (Miller 115sd). In these quotes, it is shown that Abigail pretends to be bewitched by Mary Warren along with the other girls, with the ulterior motive of putting the spotlight back on Mary Warren, and moving the subject away from her sins. This manipulation leads Abigail to leave the courtroom soundly after escaping the adultery questioning. Also, Abigail creatively schemes to indirectly accuse Elizabeth of using Mary Warren’s rag doll. For context, Abigail was sitting next to Mary Warren as she was making the doll, and noticed that a needle was left in the doll. Knowing that Mary Warren worked for the proctors, and that the doll would end up in Elizabeth’s house, she stabbed herself in an attempt to frame Elizabeth for witchcraft. Eventually, Hale and Cheever find Abigail with a needle in her stomach, and she lies that Elizabeth was behind it, demonstrating Abigail’s deceitful actions (Miller 76). Since Abigail uses contrived evidence to falsely accuse Elizabeth, her deceptive nature and her willingness to do whatever it takes to get anything she wants is revealed. Moreover, at the beginning of the play, Abigail successfully gaslights Parris. At first, Parris says he saw a dress lying on the grass and a naked person running through the trees. Abigail denies it and tells him he is wrong, implying that he was seeing things (Miller 11). After enough gaslighting, Abigail truly makes him believe that he saw nothing, since later on in the play he says, “I can only say, sir, that I never found any of them naked” (Miller 105). Psychologists use "gaslighting" to