The Crucible And Abigail Williams Character Analysis

Abigail was a servant in the Proctor's household, but got fired by Elizabeth Proctor for having an affair with her husband, John.

John came to free those who have been falsely accused; not just his wife, everyone. He came to the court to save his wife and his friend’s wives but, Danforth told him that his wife was pregnant and they could postpone the trial for 1 year. Danforth didn’t say anything about John’s friend’s wives. So, John uttered, “I-I think I cannot.” (Miller 92). He does this because what kind of man would he be if he only thought about himself and didn’t even try to help his friend’s wives. John does try to protect their wives because that is who he is, a protective person. Cheever, on behalf of the court, came to the Proctor household and wanted to arrest Elizabeth Proctor, but John was prepared to jump to his wife's defense. Cheever came to their house looking for a popplet and when he spotted one in their house, he tried to arrest Elizabeth. John knew that it was Mary’s so, he exclaims, “She (Elizabeth) will not go (to jail), Fetch Mary Warren here.” (Miller 73). Later he yells, “(to Cheever) out of my house…(to Elizabeth) You will not go!” (Miller 77). He tells his wife to go get the only evidence they have to defend Elizabeth against her accusations. He was the only one in the room to offer any kind of defense or solution to protect his wife. John also yells at Cheever to leave and Elizabeth to stay; even though it is to no avail. John defended his friend Rebecca even though by doing so he would be saved and only

Elizabeth Proctor knew Abigail was after her, that is because while in court, the Proctors new Servant, Mary Warren, heard that someone sent his or her spirit to try and harm Elizabeth. Elizabeth is very frightened now so she tells John to go to Abigail to plead with her not to kill Elizabeth. Elizabeth believe Abigail may “dote on it now..”,but she then will think “to kill” Elizabeth, and take her place (61). It is quite evident that Elizabeth is hated by Abigail, but I really believe that besides the fact Abigail loves John Proctor, she really is a witch deep down inside. Eziekel Cheever, sent by court to gather those accused of witchcraft comes for Elizabeth proctor. According to him something has happened to Abigail and that something is the fault of Elizabeth, a so called “witch”. Cheever describes to John Proctor about Elizabeth and how she was accused of “stabbing Abigail” He explains how Abigail “ fell to the floor” and Reverend Parris, her Uncle, “draw a needle out,” and then he says “testify it were your wife familiar spirit that pushed it in” (74). Mary Warren, before this mishap, gave Elizabeth a poppet that she made in court. She gave it to her as an apology gift for her behavior. So when Cheever came, Elizabeth had the doll,which had a needle stuck in it! Coincidence Mary gave it to Elizabeth right before this incident…perhaps, but most

This is later confirmed when she threatens to “come to [them] in the black of some terrible night and … bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder” (Pg.175) Mary Warren and Betty Parris if they dare to tell the truth. This shows her determination at killing Elizabeth Proctor and securing her own reputation. Unlike many naive villains in other literatures, Abigail sets out a meticulous scheme to frame Elizabeth. First, she witnesses Mary Warren leaving a needle in a doll. Then she “[sticks] two inches [of a needle] in the flesh of her belly”(pg. 203) to frame Elizabeth of performing witchcraft. So mendacious is Abigail that she is willing to injure herself to accomplish her plan. Under her beautiful appearance also lays a manipulative heart. She is capable of manipulating not only the girls into doing things her way, but also the members of the court to her advantage. When questioned by Danforth whether the spirits she has seen are illusion, Abigail steps it up a notch by making the members of the court feel sorry for her and madly refutes, “I have been near to murdered every day because I done my duty pointing out the Devil’s people—and this is my reward? To be mistrusted, denied, questioned like a—” (Pg.210) This, following by Elizabeth's failure to tell the truth and the girl’s verisimilar acting toward the “yellow bird”, further demonstrates her manipulative power which brings the court in her favor. Altogether, many

Still at the Proctors’ house, two officers of the Court arrive to arrest Elizabeth.  They search the house and find the poppet, which contains a needle, and Elizabeth learns that Abigail has charged Elizabeth with attempted murder. Poppet’s were seen to be an act of witchcraft, like a voodoo doll in today’s time. Abigail has been stabbed with a needle whilst in the Parris’ house. Proctor pleads with Mary to testify against Abigail in Court because Mary was the person to make the poppet.  Mary is reluctant to do this because it would make her at odds with the other girls.  She is aware of Proctor’s affair with Abigail but again Proctor again does not wish to face up to his responsibilities and thinks he can make Mary appear in Court against Abigail, but she warns him that Abigail will accuse him of lechery. All too slowly, Proctor has come to the realisation of Abigail’s obsession with him, and this may cost the life of his wife, who is completely innocent. He is angry at his wife’s arrest, and accuses Hale of being like Pontius Pilate, but what he fails to realise is that he too has been like Pontius Pilate, trying to escape involvement in the affair by persuading others to act for him. It is only now that he comes to the conclusion that he will have

Abigail is a highly jealous character, concentrating her jealousy on Elizabeth Proctor. This jealousy is driven by lust and her desire for John Proctor. Abigail served as a servant in the Proctor household and after an affair with her husband John, Elizabeth fired her. She still resents Elizabeth for this as she is still in love with John. She clearly says to John, "You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!" Abigail is still in love with John and she assumes the converse. Her love for John only causes her resentment for Elizabeth to strengthen. She hates John Proctor's wife and in her conniving ways she attempts to inspire the same views of Elizabeth in John's mind. Saying things to him such as, "She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me, She is a cold, sniveling woman." Abigail fabricates stories in attempt to steel John from Elizabeth. She is a manipulative liar that does and says as she pleases in order to get what she wants.

Mary Warren’s behavior foreshadow about her testimony in court by giving Elizabeth a doll she made, “a popper,” which later leads to her arrest. They found a needle inside the doll, in the same spot Abigail was stabbed in. She seems to be manipulated by Abigail, due to the fact that she feared to have to testify against her in court. “She’ll kill me for sayin’ that! Abby’ll charge lechery on you, Mr. Proctor!” Mary kept saying over and over again that she cannot, which also indicates that she knows that Abigail will do something terrible to her.

He was an adulteress. Him and Abigail has done stuff together and John had had a affair with Abigail while being married to his wife. When John told the court about this, he had confessed to it but Abigail kept denying it. They brought in his wife Goodie Proctor for questioning but she denied it because she wanted to protect John.

First and foremost, Abigail is obsessive. Evidence for this is shown when she refuses to believe that her relationship with John Proctor is over. In a heated argument she openly states, “You love me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!”(Miller 146). Not only does this statement prove she is head over heels for John but that she does not care at all that he has a wife. She even tries to guilt the poor man into continuing the love affair. Abigail tries to get Elizabeth out of the picture by falsely accusing her of witchcraft, so she can have John to herself.

“Proctor: with a cry of his whole soul, Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name! (281-294)”. John told the truth throughout the whole novel, but he battled with his dignity because he didn't want to be known as a liar. He would rather have taken the death penalty, which he did. John was trying to free his wife who was innocent but Abigail hated her because Elizabeth had what she wanted. Elizabeth was John’s love, who Abigail was jealous of. Abigail thought that by getting Elizabeth to go to jail, she could have John. When Abigail finds out that John still loves his wife and tried standing up for her, she was not

Johns tragedy to his hero life was his lust for Abigail while married to Elizabeth. Abigail speaks of their affair when John comes to see what has happened with Betty and to send Mary home; “ABIGAIL: I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near! Or did I dream that? It's she put me out, you cannot pretend it were you. I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved me then and you do now!” (Miller 21), a couple lines later John tries to stop it, “PROCTOR: Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach of you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby.” (Miller 22). In Act Three, while they are in court John confesses. He says, “I have known her, sir. I have known her.” (Miller 102), that actually means he has had sex with her. After John confesses his ‘good name’ takes a turn for the worse, and he is no longer the John Proctor everyone trusted. “PROCTOR: … I have rung the doom of my good name…” (Miller 103), this is when John, and everyone else know he is no longer the ‘hero’ he is thought to be.

Abigail Williams was partly driven by her fixation to be with John Proctor. Elizabeth Proctor rightly suspected that John Proctor, her husband, had a one-time affair with Abigail, the niece of Reverend Parris, who was hired by the family as a servant. Consequently, Elizabeth fired Abigail after John confessed his actions to his wife, leaving Abigail fueled with scorn towards Elizabeth. Because of Elizabeth’s actions, Abigail was fueled by her hatred for Elizabeth, so she was willing to take extreme measures to fulfill her self-interests. The extreme lengths Abigail took raise the question of their benefits and her morality. Furthermore, John Proctor did not feel any fondness for Abigail and knew that his actions were shameful. As a result, John told her their affair meant nothing to him, but Abigail insisted they were passionately connected. With no remorse, Abigail framed an entire proceeding and,

After having an affair with John Proctor, she couldn’t accept not being without him. Abigail also admires “how such a strong man may let such a sickly wife” like Elizabeth be unaware of the affair she had with John Proctor(act1pg#). As a result to the affair, Proctor is trying to rebuild his marriage with his wife. Abigail continues to intervene in John Proctors marriage and attempts to manipulate Proctor so he would confess his love for her. Proctor admits his love for her, but does not continue his affection because Abigail seeps of vengeance for other individuals. He portrays her “as a lump of vanity” who thinks to dance on his “wife’s grave!”(act 3). For her own selfish desires, Abigail accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft and tries to intentionally sabotage her. She does this for the purpose of her own selfish and fictitious relationship that she has with Proctor. Abigail believes she has the capability to influence Proctor, but her egoistic actions to win his undefining love makes her appear as the criminal in the

Abigail had many flaws throughout the story. One of her flaws includes lust. Abigail was involved in a secret affair with John Proctor, who happened to be married to Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail illustrated lust by telling John, “John- I am waitin’ for you every night.” This suggests that Abigail does have something secret going on with John. Abigail also says, “I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near!” This justifies that they have a relationship because she told John that he

So, the next morning he took Mary Warren and Giles Corey to the courthouse to prove his wife’s innocence by confessing his lechery and telling them they could be her in and question her because she has never told a lie and never would. She did lie though, to save her husband which in turn, made all hope in the ending of the trials collapse. Abigail once again got what she had wanted. The trials continued and John was thrown in jail to also be hanged of witchcraft because he was accused of Mary Warren, so she could save herself.