The era when men and women were accused of witchcraft, and innocent citizens were dismissed, was not only a time full of grief but also a time where dishonesty was common, cruelty and neglect. Puritans believed strongly in self-discipline, prudence, hard work and prudence. Puritan society’s strict ideals led to women being constantly repressed and not being allowed to question them. Puritan women at the time were not valued and had to compete for attention from the local population. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible features Abigail Williams, who is both an instigator and a symbol of the Puritan women’s suppressed desires.
Abigail Williams is beautiful and has the respect young women in Puritan Society strive for. Abigail’s beauty distracts townsfolk from her lies. In the play’s beginning, Abigail is described as “…a beautiful girl with an endless capacity to dissemble” (1092). Because her beauty is more important than her ability to lie, she is often described as this. Her beauty acts to keep her honest and her lies from being revealed, something these women wish to also have. Elizabeth Proctor’s honesty is evident throughout the play. But she is still accused and dismissed of witchcraft. Elizabeth Proctor is older than Abigail and isn’t as attractive as Abby, but she is still taken seriously. Elizabeth is jealous of Goody Proctor’s stage directions. This is especially evident when you consider the attention John Proctor had once given Abby. Abigail can also manipulate the men of the town with her beauty. This era is one where women are not able to exert control over men. However, the beauty of girls allows them to achieve this power. Abigail uses her charm to win this kind of power over men. Despite her being only seventeen, men see her as more mature and older than she is. Her actions and cognitive thinking reflect this maturity. Men will lust after her because of her attractive appearance. She is able to control men. Although they may have good intentions and be honest with her, she can turn them from saints. Abigail embodies this trait many Puritan ladies aspire to: a strong, distracting appearance that allows her to plan her lies.
Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible,” depicts Abigail Williams in a highly manipulative and vengeful role. After Abigail rejects John Proctor’s advances, which she had been having an affair with previously, Elizabeth begins to pursue Elizabeth. “She is blaming me in the village! She lies about me! You should bend to her cold, sniveling woman! John’s affection can be achieved when Abigail uses pathos. Abigail thinks Elizabeth Proctor is the reason she is upset. But, Elizabeth Proctor’s jealousy over her marriage to John Proctor is the dominant emotion. She relies on trivial names to ask John questions. Abigail uses pathos in her most practical way when she cuts herself with a needle. “She fell to the ground tonight as she sat down for dinner at Reverend Parris. He shouted like a wild beast and she fell to the ground. He saved her by inserting a needle into her abdomen. And she demanded to know how she was stabbed. Abigail will try admirably to win John’s loyalty at this stage of the play. The group of spectators can accept that she hurt herself and used the dread of witchcraft in town to remove Elizabeth. Abigail Williams continues to be a manipulative, selfish and vindictive example throughout the play.
Puritan women are often poor in education. However, Abigail is intelligent and quick-witted, which makes her a clever and smart woman. Abigail’s quick and effective responses are what allow her to deceive people. She often finds herself in socially defeat situations, so she has to think fast and decisively in order for the town to change its beliefs. Mary Warren and John Proctor accuse Abby of pointing with fear…raising her terrified eyes toward the ceiling (1148).
Abby’s ability to quickly respond allows her to avoid negative attention and focus it on other characters. Witnesses are often unable to believe she is lying, as she can only act in one way. Abby’s intelligence and natural intelligence allow her to think up clever ways to defend herself against accusations. Abigail would have outperformed many other women if she had been half as smart as her. Although Abigail is not accused of witchcraft, the accused women are quick to convince the town. These women must be able to convince the town that they are not guilty of any evil acts. The town revolves around witchcraft and has little evidence. Martha Corey, for instance, reads her book to learn like Abby. The book is a mistake and she ends up reading and doing sinful things. She isn’t as smart as she wants to be and it ends up putting her life at risk. Women will have the ability to control their own lives and earn respect by attaining a certain level.
Many women from the Puritan society want to be as powerful as Abigail, and have as many rights over their fellow citizens as she does. Abigail’s cruelty makes young girls afraid and want to follow her path into a sinful world. Abby, in a way that is her own, is wickedly evil and the girls fear her. She is adept at convincing people to follow her. She has the wicked ability to manipulate girls into staying with her, even when she is in danger of being exposed. When she threatens the girls, she reveals her evil intentions. She says she will “come at [the girls] [in the pointy counting that will shudder[them]” (1077) Abby threatens Abby, along with other girls, if Abby’s cousin even gives a hint of Abby’s dealings to the Devil. She threatens her cousin, her adopted sister, to show that she has a dark side. Mary Warren’s daughters try to emulate Abigail, but they want to be more evil than Abby. Mary Warren starts to act like Abigail when Mary is falsely accused of witchcraft. Mary Warren learns to be resourceful and attract attention from others, even under difficult circumstances. The girls accuse random women of witchcraft and will continue to do so if placed in similar positions. Abigail, although vicious, is capable of engaging in terrible acts without regret. Abigail, despite being a brutal leader, can quickly attract loyal followers like Mary Warren or the other girls who danced through the woods.
Abigail, a beautiful young woman depicted in the illustration, is a representation of all Puritan women. Her beauty distracts from her lies and her intelligence allows her quick thinking and planning. Although she is considered evil, the Puritan society was a brutally evil one. It denied women the right to education, power, respect, and autonomy. Puritans beliefs led to more trouble for many villages. The wrongful deaths and destruction of culture was caused by the collection of lies.
