The Characters Of The PuritansBy Arthur Miller

In this situation Parris acts as if he is extremely concerned with Betty; however the only thing that worries him is the way others perceive him. If others find out that Betty is sick from witchcraft and Abigail danced with the devil; people will think that Parris, along with his house, has been afflicted by

Reverend Parris’ fear of losing his job provokes him to cry witch. Reverend Parris’ daughter feigns to be in a coma. When the doctor bade Susanna tell Reverend Parris that he “might look to unnatural things for the cause of it” (9), he denies that possibility because he fears that rumors of witchcraft under his roof would help his “many enemies” (10) to drive him from his

After Abigail Williams and the girls are discovered dancing in the forest by Reverend Parris, there are rumours of witchcraft among them, when Betty Parris and Ruth Putnam are found "witched". Once the girls discover this, they become more and more frightened of being accused of witchcraft. Abigail is the first to "admit" to seeing the devil, and all the other girls join in, so

Betty Parris is one of the main reason why they had the witch trials. She laid in bed and not moving or opening her eye giving her a lot of attention. Reverend Hale is brought to Salem to check her out. She would randomly burst out yelling at the people around her bed. Betty and another girl laid in their beds not moving or talking to people. Even when people tried to make Betty wake up, she would act limp and unable to move. This cause attention to be brought upon her. The called Reverend Hale to town to look at her. He decided from her acting strange that there must be a witch possessing her. In one scene, she randomly woke up and started screaming witch like things to the people in her room and the people outside her window. The Salem Witch

“The most memorable characters in fiction are not people most of us would choose as our friends” (Allen 1). Readers find it intriguing to learn about a character that lacks predictability: they could do no wrong in one scene, then turn around and become a backstabbing liar in the next. The same characteristics that would not make the best of friends. Irregularity makes a character and the story, for that matter, interesting. Abigail Williams from The Crucible develops into a character that readers love to hate. Her anger, her cunning, her passion, every twist and turn she brings throughout the play brings fascination with it. She would not be an especially remarkable candidate for a best friend, however, but it perusers find it extremely easy to remember her. Abigail exhibits memorability not because of the qualities that prove a good friend, but because of her intransigence, her passion, her accusatory behavior, and her manipulation.

In Arthur Miller’s play, Abigail is represented to restrict the voice and opinion of others, through the use of ferocity. During Act 1, we see how her manipulation skills are on full display. As almost busted for

The play begins in the home of Reverend Samuel Parris, whose daughter, Betty, lays ill. Parris lives with his daughter and his seventeen-year old niece, Abigail Williams, an orphan who witnessed her parents' murder by the Indians. Parris has sent for Reverend Hale of Beverly, believing his daughter's illness stems from supernatural explanations. Betty became ill when her father discovered her dancing in the woods with Abigail, Tituba (the Parris' slave from Barbados) and several other local girls. Already there are rumors that Betty's illness is due to witchcraft, but Parris tells Abigail that he cannot admit that he found his daughter and niece dancing like heathens in the forest. Abigail says that she will admit to dancing and accept the punishment, but will not admit to witchcraft. Abigail and Parris discuss rumors about the girls: when they were dancing one of the girls was naked, and Tituba was screeching gibberish. Parris also brings up rumors that Abigail's former employer, Elizabeth Proctor, believes that Abby is immoral.

Miller uses dramatic irony here, as we as an audience are actively aware that although Abigail believes John still loves her, this is in fact untrue. The use of this irony aids our understanding in the core purpose of Abigail’s deceit and malicious lies, which is to get Elizabeth charged with witchcraft, so that she can rekindle her passion and lust with Proctor. It also progresses the story line, as fundamentally brings the audience and the characters towards the witch trials. Dramatic irony in this situation is successful, as it broadens our realisation that sex plays a huge role in the plot, as ultimately its Abigail’s desire for it, and inability to show it, that prompts her to turn to spiteful dishonesty, and cunning deception. Moreover, we see John assert his authority, through putting Abigail down, instructing her that he will no longer be visiting her. Miller presents John as dominant, especially over Abigail, as she is presented as an unruly, strong-willed, wayward teenager who relishes, and revels in defying custom/tradition, and who needs straightening out.

That Little Betty Parris was sick, and that the Dr. Griggs (who was too proud to say that he could not diagnose Little Betty illness) claimed she was bewitched (Richardson 7), were enough reasons for court authorities to suspect witchcraft was the cause of the illness. In addition, several young girls in the village had participated in 弎lack magic?experiments ?harmless adolescent games ?in the company of Tituba, Reverend Parris slave. The restless young girls allegedly met in Parris shed, and created and listened to Tituba incredible tales of sorcery and black arts, which were doubtless an outlet for their repressed feelings. Soon, faulty cause-and-effect relationships sparked delirium.

During this essay I will introduce the main points involved in answering the proposed question. I will explore the certain aspects of Abigail’s personality and how it is an important role in portraying her reasons for her actions. I will also analyse the ways in which Abigail’s personality changes through the progression of the play. I will sum up which points have a bigger effect on her intentions and motivations and the effect she has on the characters of the play. I will support my reasons with quotations to justify its relevance.

Abigail’s character in this removed scene can give the reader conflicting thoughts about who she really is and how she should be viewed throughout the rest of the play. In this scene Abigail seems like she does not know the difference between the reality and her fantasy. Abigail since the beginning of the play is viewed as a clever but dishonest character but in Act II, Scene ii she just seems like a little girl who is trapped in her own world and doesn’t know how to get what she wants without lying some more. Abigail starts to believe on her own lies about witchcraft, “Abigail: No, this is your wife pleading, your sniveling, envious wife! This is Rebecca’s voice, Martha Corey’s voice. You were no hypocrite!" (p.158). she was so sure that her lies where truth that she forgot the reality

If witchcraft is discovered in the Reverend's own home, it can very quickly ruin his reputation. Parris is worried “they will howl [him] out of Salem for such corruption in [his] house”(14). The Reverend is the one preaching God and against witchcraft. If the Devil is found in the Reverend's home, his reputation will be destroyed and he will probably have to leave town. The reverend will be seen as corrupt. Betty is aware of this, but does not change the way she is acting. Betty’s act causes her father to act with . He is supposed to be a calm and a role model. Quaking with fear, mumbling to himself through sobs, he goes to the bed and gently takes Betty’s hand. Betty. Child. Dear Child. Will you wake…” (8). Daughters typically do as their fathers say, but Betty is ignoring her father’s begging. She is able to make her father, the village’s Reverend, cry for his young daughter to do as he says. In a way, Betty causes Parris to lose his ‘masculinity’. During this time, women are the ones thought of to be hysterical and men are supposed to show little emotion, especially strong sadness. Now, the reverend is hysterically crying and repeatedly asking his daughter to wake up. Betty is controlling her father’s emotions and his job. If Betty seems to be working with the Devil, it can force a witch hunt to occur in the town. Reverend Parris wants to stop this from happening. She is in control of whether or not she wakes up and stops the witch hunt. If Betty was to wake, the whole situation would be over. Since she is not, Hale asks Tituba, Abigail, and Betty to “give [them] all their names,” (47). The religious leaders are seeking information from people who are typically of low power. Tituba and the girls start to name ‘witches’ in Salem, which is going to force Parris and the other authoritative figures to make accusations. Betty, regardless of her power status before, now

[Sit down on chair] On another note, how could Betty do that to me. At first when I saw her eyes look lifeless as they stared out into space. I was extremely worried and scared but who knew it was all just an act. How could she accuse me for witch craft too, after all those many years I served the Parris family and looked after her so dearly.

The day after his daughter betty was not waking up and Parris is thinking that the girls were conjuring spirits and that his daughter is possessed “Parris says that if the girls were conjuring spirits, he needs to know because his "enemies" will surely find out and ruin him”(Miller, Arthur “The crucible act 1 summary and analysis)  Parris is not worried about the fact that they were dancing, he is worried about his reputation. Days past and the town are begging to find the witches so Reverend parris contracted a witch hunter Reverend hale a very good trained witch hunter who promise to hunt down all the witches in salem’’Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army’’-Hale.(Miller, Arthur’’ search quotes reverend parris quotes’). Reverend Hale meets and have a talk with all the girls afflicted with the girls dancing in the forest because he wants to know who started it.

Reverend Samuel Parris is motivated to sustain his reputation because he took years to build up his name. Some of the folks already see him as unfit as the reverend. Having the assumption that there are sinful practices taking place under his roof, he, at first, denies the involvement of witchcraft with the odd behavior Betty displays. However, when a majority of the townspeople believe in the involvement of witchery. He does not want his name and reputation to be tarnished due to witchcraft, so he plays along and supports Betty’s and Abigail’s accusations. He uses Tituba as a scapegoat to divert the suspicion towards him. Parris threatens to whip Tituba if she does not confess that she has dealings with the Devil, and pushes her to her breaking point. Parris is motivated to uphold his reputation and tries to divert the possible blame and suspicion towards him to