Abigail In The Crucible

Abigail is the main catalyst of Millers play The Crucible. She is presented by Milller in a powerful, "strikingly beautiful girl" yet malicious with an "endless capacity for dissembling" which is stated in Act 1 when she is first introduced to the play. This portrays and gives the reader an indication immediately, that Abigail has an everchanging personality and can manipulate people in such a way that they "fall apart". As the play progresses this is brought to light, especially with characters such as John Proctor and Danforth.
Through Act 1, Abigail changes her character a number of times. We, as readers, never get to know her true character. In the beginning of the act she is almost portrayed as innocent, presented with "worry", "apprehension" and "propriety", shown in her stage directions such as "quavering as she sits". From this moment in time, the audience are unsure whether she is genuinely caring for her niece Betty or if she is diguising her true self with a selfless cover up. We learn from her dispute with Parris that she had been found dancing in the woods with
Tituba, and the other girls practicing "witchcraft" which at the time would have been considered an absurd, yet serious matter as Salem was a strict puritan society, under a theocratic system, where the laws of the town were built around religion and God. This meant that many believed in the supernatural "witches" and especially "the devil". If anyone was to break the laws of the theocratic system, they were considered to not only be going against the laws of society but also against God and therefore would be condemned.
Abigail confesses that she "did dance-and I'll be whipped if I must be" this indicates to the audience that she is a strong character as for a girl to take this type of punishment in society at the time, would have been a great deal especially taking into consideration her age. She also deomstrates guilt as she hangs her head in shame to Parris about "dancing". This is an incredible contrast later shown in Act 1 to the scene where Parris and the Putnams leave Abigail and the other girls in the bedroom together. Abigail begins with "hushed interpidation" a change from her earlier appearances with Parris. She is clearly portayed as the ring leader of the girls threatening to come to them "in the black of some terrible night" and "bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder" them, if they told of her drinking "a charm to kill John Proctors wife" which increases the dramatic tension and leaves the audience questioning why she may have done this.
In her threatening change, she unravels her violent side. A "pointy reckoning" obviously being that of a sharp object that woulld kill the girls, if they told of her mischief but also Millers use of stage directions as she "smashes" Betty across the face after revealing the charm she drank. The term "smashes" being a powerful phrase demonstrating the amount of force she used and anger behind her actions. In her threatening speech, we learn how her she watched "Indians smash" her "dear" parents head next to hers. This experience would ovbiously explain her malicious streak, having congealed her character but notice the use of the word "dear". This proves she has some sort of compassion for her loved ones, or she did have, which could further imply that her strength in character could be a front, in how she really feels.
Her softer side is portayed further when she is seen with John Proctor. From the first moment they are left alone, her tone changes yet again to a soft tone of admiration "gah! Id almost forgot how strong you are, John Proctor!" Immediately she is using flattery and has changed to a flirty, promiscuous character the term "gah" suggesting she has almost turned "weak at the knees" for him, She is massively attracted to him.
"I look for the John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart!" This clues the audience of their past affair indicating that Proctor has moved on and even though he may still be attracted to her, he is trying to put their affair behind him. Her jealousy is later revealed though, as the subject of Goody Proctor is brought up, referring to her as a "cold, snivelling woman" Abigail is obviously loathsome of Proctors wife which explains her callous accusations of Elizabeth to condemn her, going so far as to proceed to her death. We also learn of her hate towards the Salem society " I never knew what pretence Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenated men!" This is a key point that Miller makes about the society, of which they claim to live by high moral principles, evidence of her rebelling against the theocracy yet again with her affair.
On the other hand, being of a strict society and taking into consideration her age, is she really to blame? Being a typical teenage girl, she has no freedom to express herself therefore ends up in rebelling against the system. Adding to this, Proctor is obviously her first love and she is driven by her passionate love and lust for him throughout the play, the jealousy and bitterness of his wife reflected in her actions throughout the play and also to Salem as she makes them pay by creating the mass of hysteria in the the town are the cause of the book. But, arguing this further, this still doesnt imply that any of her actions were to a good cause and may still represent her callous nature, it does not excuse her for taking things to an extreme point.
In Act 3 she symbolizes the idea of hysteria when she sees the "yellow bird" and being the ring leader leads the other girls to follow suit out of fear.
Without the girls acting as well, Judge Danforth may not have believed in such a supernatural cause, as he was already starting to question her. She openly threatens him before her "sighting", "Let YOU beware, Mr Danforth." The emphasis on the personal pronoun of "you" being in italics, where the threat is aimed directly at the judge, to his soul and mind, italics adding to the force behind it. This shows her strength of character again, but she soon realises that this threat could obviously back fire upon her, therefore she quickly manipulates the situation, and utterly takes control by turning cold and seeing a "yellow bird" immediately sweeping the judges authority away, proving her "endless capactiy for dissembling" and her quick
wits.
After Act Three the audience do not see her again. We find out from Parris that she has run off, after robbing him and he is left "penniless" Why she has done this is not made clear, but perhaps she believed her luck could not last or furthermore she was guilt ridden and fled to obliterate her guilt. My response to Millers presentation of Abigail is that overall she is a considerably heart heartened character with callous, malicious streak, but her ever changing character presents her in such a way could convey that her callous ways are a cover up for her true character which is only portayed around her loved ones, i.e. John Proctor and the subject of her parents. However, it would be argued that the resentment she has for Proctor, for Elizabeth, and for the whole town of Salem makes her responsible as anyone for what happens during the play.