The Crucible, by Arthur Miller | Analysis of Abigail

 

Obvious Faults

     In The Crucible, by Arthur Miller. In the play, Abigail Williams is the main character in the book. She has worked at John Proctor’s house as a maid, she also love John and has an affair with John Proctor. She is 17 years old in the book, but her true age is 11 years old. Abigail is a mean and vindictive people who make the wrong decisions, and hurts anyone to get what she wants; John Proctor. Her faults are quite obvious, she does deserve the blame for the outcome of the play. Abigail loves John Proctor, but John has a wife, Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail is very jealous of Elizabeth. So,she uses witchcraft to frame Elizabeth. She really hope Elizabeth die, if Elizabeth died, she will be the only lover for John.  Abigail williams is a person that living under the very stern leadership of her uncle (Reverend Parris), and hoping for a life with John, she falsely believes her all contribute in love to making her into the spiteful character she becomes.

     Abigail is a very vindictive person who always want her things, no matter who she hurts,she also never care for anybody except John Proctor. Abigail has a conversation with John in Act I: “I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? I will not, I cannot! You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!” (22). Abigail always imagined John Proctor would be hers and love her, because she has an affair with John before. But John Proctor didn’t want to betray to his wife Elizabeth.  Elizabeth will not trust John again, because his earlier deceit: ” I am only wondering how I may prove what she [Abigail] told me, Elizabeth. If the girl’s a saint now, I think it is not easy to prove she’s fraud, and the town gone so silly. She told it to me in a room alone-I have no proof for it. […] Then let you not earn it” (52). Abigail not only love John Proctor, she also think John love her too.

     Abigail believes she is worthy of Proctor’s love, and that Elizabeth is not. Proctor had an affair with Abigail in seven months in the beginning of the play. John Proctor and his wife Elizabeth used Abigail to be a maid in their house, to help their homework, until Elizabeth found the affair between John and Abigail, then she threw the maid out. Although John told she that the affair was over and he also never touch her again, she tried to rekindle their love and romance. “Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again.” (23) She claims that she loved John and that he loved her too. Before the play began, Abigail tried to kill Elizabeth with a curse.”ABIGAIL: Gah! I’d almost forgot how strong you are, John Proctor! PROCTOR, looking at Abigail now, the faintest suggestion of a knowing smile on his face: What’s this mischief here?[…] PROCTOR: No, no, Abby. That’s done with” (9). Abigail and John both have lies, they lie other people about their relationship and their past. Abigail not only believes she is worthy of Proctor’s love, she also frames Elizabeth Proctor for witchcraft.

     Abigail is very ruthless and cunning when she frames Elizabeth Proctor for witchcraft. During Elizabeth’s illness, Abigail took advantage of John’s insecurity and loneliness to seduce him. She also think she is John’s true love and his ideal choice to be his wife. She believes only Elizabeth die, she can marry with John and achieve her fantasy. In Act I, Abigail tries to protect herself: “And make this, Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know that I can do it” (20). Abigail used threat of violence to make other girls beliefs some real witchcraft, then keep them in a same line together. John reveals Abigail’s true desire and jealousy in the church: “PROCTOR, breathless and in agony: It [Abigail] is a whore! DANFORTH, dumfounded: You charge-? ABIGAIL: Mr. Danforth, he is lying! PROCTOR: Mark her! Now she’ll suck a scream to stab me with but-[…] God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a whore’s vengeance, and you must see it now” (89). John said Abigail is a whore to seduce him, then he thinks he has a dear good wife, he can’t betray his wife. So, Abigail can’t restore John, then vengeance John and Elizabeth.

    Arthur Miller describes Abigail Williams in The Crucible is a vindictive and manipulative girl. She decisive in making the wrong decisions, she always hurts other people who around her then to get what she wants, she really want to get John Proctor. So, that is why she always uses conspiracy to framed Elizabeth. She also a poor girl who just want to find a true love and a man.But, her faults are quite obvious, so she does deserve the blame for the outcome of the play.