The Character Abigail in the Play the Crucible

In the play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, the author argues/ implies that people can be easily manipulated by fear. The character, Abigail has many faults. In this paper I will explain if Abigail deserved the blame for the outcome. I will also support my argument with evidence from the play. Abigail has so many faults. Some of her faults are she craves attention, affection, interfering with others relationships, selfish, manipulative, and an amazing liar. She craves attention by influencing the minds of her “friends” with thoughts of witchcraft, and her being the whole cause of all this witchcraft stuff. She wants so much affection, for example her acting out when Elizabeth Proctor kicked Abigail out of John and Elizabeth Proctors house and practicing witchcraft to kill Elizabeth Proctor. She interferes with other relationships but her having an affair with John Proctor and her falling in love with him. She is selfish because she only cares about herself in the situation of her getting blamed for witchcraft she throws everyone under the bus to save herself. She is an amazing liar by her having all the town believe that her and the group of girls were under the “influence” of the devil so that’s the reason why they’re acting the way they are.

“ABIGAIL, with a bitter anger: Oh, I marvel how such a strong man may let such a sickly wife be PROCTOR, angered at himself as well: You'll speak nothin' of Elizabeth!” this quote relates to my second paragraph because of her attitude and her interfering with other people and being manipulative she angered proctor and interfere with their marriage he still cares for his wife and doesn’t want her named slandered. Act1 Pg. 46 “Abigail she always sings her Barbados songs, and we dance.” This quote relates to my paragraph because Abigail is lying and being manipulative she is giving her blame to Tituba by saying she sings her Barbados songs which is lie those are her witchcraft song.

Abigail’s faults are quite obvious like everything she has done and how it has effected everyone in the town. I do not think that Abigail does deserve all the blame for the outcome of the play. I think that she shouldn’t get blamed for the outcome because she has gone through a lot in her life like seeing her parents get murdered right in front of her at a very young age, and her being all alone. She does live with her uncle and has a cousin around the same age maybe a little younger but she has no parents telling her what’s wrong and what’s right. I feel like after going through the trauma that she went through that person is never the same that they once were, like you get careless and just want to ruin everything that is going right or when other people are happy you need to get in between them to ruin it. ”Proctor you know me better . Abigail I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near! Or did I dream it? Its she put me out you cannot pretend it were you. I saw you’re your face when she put me out and you loved me then and you do now!” Proctor abby that’s a wild thing to say. This quote relates to my third paragraph because it talks about Abbigail is asking proctor how lonely and alone he feels and try’s to relate to him so they can have something in common so she can manipulate him to be with or admit he loves her she is interfering again with his marriage. Act 1 pg 33.” Abigail I never sold myself! I’m a good girl! I’m a proper girl!” This quote relates to my paragraph because Abigail is manipulating Tituba and lying to public.pg45 act1

There are many reasons why Abigail should not be blamed for everything but there are some reasons why she should too but I am more on the side that she shouldn’t be blamed. Abigail has gone through so much at such a young age, she has no one to guide her through life and I think that why she acts the way she does. Abigail has no sense from right to wrong as a result of this she should not be held responsible for her actions. I think that Abigail is upbringing has a lot to do with her actions and decisions that she makes. She caused a lot of controversy in the town with all the towns people but a lot of them don’t know her struggles she went through after her parents past away. ‘Marry warren she tried to kill me many times. goody proctor.’ This quote explains how malicious Abigail is and her trying to take everyone down with her because she is still scarred. “proctor ill whip the devil out of you”this quote shows how Abigail turned proctor against his wife.

In conclusion, Abigail should not be blamed for the outcome of the play. She has many faults all bad one some are really big and some small faults. She acts out a lot and needs attention on her all the time because she has no one to give her that kind of guidance from like a parent, family member or friend. Abigail has been through a lot in her life and this is the way she is, all the towns people including John Proctor probably doesn’t even know the struggles she went through. Abigail was an amazing lair and manipulated a lot of people throughout the play and I think that’s where people think she is to be blamed but I don’t.

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