In 1692, in the town of Salem, Massachusetts, several young girls experienced a conjured illness, triggering the beginning of mass hysteria in the town. The unexplained illnesses were thought to be the devil’s doing; using witches to stain the town. The hysteria spread within the strictly religious town and allowed for revenge and old jealousies to be rekindled. Women and men fell victim to the young girls and were condemned to hang. The unimaginable events that took place became known as the Salem Witch Trials. The trials brought Arthur Miller to write The Crucible, depicting the unfortunate events. Throughout The Crucible, a young girl named Abigail Williams uses her cunningness and deceitfulness to get what she wants. Her jealousness and lack of moral and ethics gives her the ability to condemn innocent beings to death, without any questions.
Abigail Williams is seen as “seventeen and strikingly beautiful” (138). However, she is selfish, and an excellent liar. When questioned about what had happened in the forest, she saves herself by saying she and the girls were only dancing. Abigail lies with the intention of keeping herself out of trouble. Abigail is later interrogated about the night before. She says it was Tituba’s idea and Tituba immediately confessed. Abigail is jealous and sees how Tituba is praised after she confesses; as Gods light in the world, looking for evil. Abigail accuses several women of working with the Devil so she too can be praised (158). Everyone looked beyond her deceptiveness and thought what Abigail was saying true. Abigail’s jealousness of Tituba provoked her to accuse innocent women of witchcraft. Abigail is also dark and cruel. She says to Betty and Mercy that if they speak a word of what happened in the woods, “I will come to you in the black of some terrible nights and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you” (144). Abigail proves she would do anything to keep herself out
Cited: Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. McDougal Litell Literature: American Literature. Evanston, IL: McDougal Litell.132-208. Print