There is an issue in a society where false charges during periods of hysteria have damaged many lives throughout history. The year 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, is known as a period of mass panic. The residents of Salem were just being violently attacked by an invisible entity, which they believed to be the devil himself. The popular idea was that the devil hired witches to help him in his filthy deeds. They felt that these witches were living in their town, right beneath their eyes. Citizens believed it was their responsibility to exterminate the witches for the benefit of society. The tragic events of Salem, Massachusetts’ witch trials are eloquently depicted in Arthur Miller’s story The Crucible. Innocent persons have been detained, harassed, and even murdered as a result of similar “Salem witch trials of 1692” for hundreds of years. Even though America has also been subjected to several witch trials, no changes have occurred. This essay is going to analyze the reasons why Abigail Williams is to be blamed for the Salem witch trials and dreadful hangings.
Abigail Williams is guilted for the sorceress’ prosecutions as a consequence of condemning others. Throughout The Crucible, Abigail accuses others falsely to ascertain that she will not be caught. Mary Warren, one of the girls, gives witness contrary to the others, and they turn into her. The girls pretend that Mary has directed a wicked spirit against them to the point that Abigail yells that jealousy is a fatal iniquity and that God created her facial look. Thus no one should come to contact with it. She says, “But God made my face; you cannot want to tear my face. Envy is a deadly sin, Mary” (Miller, 1993). Abigail is aware that if she alleges someone, the adults and the law court will have assurance in her. The narcissism and egocentrism of Abigail lead her to accuse others. Abigail and the other girls are taken apart by judge Danforth when he tells Mary to pull back her spirit out of them. This proposes that the misses, particularly Abigail, are a liability since they continuously allege others and make the suspect victims.
In addition, the preceding of Abigail disturbs her as an effect of countersigning her parent’s demise. Betty, a cousin to Abigail, calls out for her deceased mother. Abigail screams and says that she witnessed Indians crash her beloved parents’ head on the cushion after hers and has visualized some reddish labor done in darkness. The witnessing of her parents’ torture deviates her in an undesirable way. She persistently portends others to be certain that they listen and have faith in her. Despite being affected by the historical involvements, the present understandings are extremely disturbing to her too. John Proctor is a man who is concerned with Abigail, and this makes her feel more influential and persuades her that he is similarly in love. She gets cleared of all those who are in her way by condemning them. Elizabeth, John Proctor’s wife, gets alleged, and Abigail articulates to John that he is singing secret melodies that his wife will be suspended, “unexpressed, hidden force” (Miller, 1993). Abigail Williams cannot be exempted since she triggered the disorder and affected the existence of hundreds.
Abigail is daydreaming, and it is appropriate for her age. She is a seventeen-year-old child who fantasizes about the perfect man “Abigail Williams, seventeen… a strikingly beautiful girl” (Miller, 1993). She does, though, have astute observation and a strategy-planning aptitude that show adulthood far beyond most other personalities. Labeling herself a witch grants her immediate prestige and notoriety in Salem, which equates to dominance. Abigail utilizes her power to instill fear and terror in others. She scares the other girls with brutality if they do not go through with her schemes, and she is not afraid to accuse them of witchcraft if their allegiance turns out to be false. Mary Warren is an example of this.
In conclusion, some elements and individuals are known to have backed and played a significant role in the court cases. It is also known that a significant portion of it was done to settle ancient grievances and deal with personal agendas. Even still, it cannot be denied that Abigail was the catalyst for the Salem witch. The Crucible’s Abigail Williams is culpability for the situations that happened. Her present and past occurrences are the ones that resulted in her actions. Nevertheless, she cannot be exempted and is not a fatality of the social order. Abigail witnessed her parents’ murder, had a matter with John Proctor, and endangered those who mounted on his affairs. Apart from Abigail’s tough opening, she should not opt to reprove folks of being sorceresses. Abigail Williams is an unscrupulous, self-interested individual. Though she is only seventeen years old, she still is capable of making correct; moral choices yet selects undesirable activities. Generally, Abigail’s life involvements destructively disturb her, which provokes her to make dreadful choices.
Reference
Miller, A. (1953). The crucible 3rd ed. Penguin Books.