Abgail Williams character analysis

Abigail Williams The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller based on the Salem, Massachusetts witch trials. Throughout the play we meet many characters who are motivated by different things. Abigail Williams is one of the most prominent characters in the play. Abigail’s powerful, attention seeking and vengeful ways add to the drama in Salem as well as deepen the plot in The Crucible. Abigail could use her power in many different ways. The younger girls feared her, making it easy for her to have power over them. When the girls were questioned about their dancing in the forest Abigail threatens the girls by saying “Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you”(Miller, 19). All the girls did exactly as she said. Abigail knew how to use her power to get her way. Abigail could also make the girls pretend the witches’ spirits were being sent to them just by screaming and all the girls would do the same. With this trait, Abigail is able to make her lies more believable. Abigail always seeked very much attention. Whether it be from John Proctor, the man she had an affair with, or the court. She knew how to act in a way that would make people look at her and pity her. She blatantly cries to John Proctor “Pity me, Pity me!”(Miller, 22). She wants him to feel sorry for her so their affair will continue. She also could put attention on herself in the courts when her honesty was questioned. She put on an act like she was being possessed and people felt sorry for her. Abigail was desperately trying to seek revenge. Abigail’s motivation for the witch accusations was to get rid of Elizabeth Proctor, John Proctor’s wife. She was extremely bitter because her affair with John could not continue and John chose Elizabeth. First Abigail drinks a charm she believes will kill Elizabeth. When the charm does not work