Examples Of Abigail's Reputation In The Crucible

In olden times, witchcraft was considered a crime and was punishable by death. In the play, a rumor is spread that there are witches the town and that they were spreading witchcraft. Many villagers including respectable figures were accused, bringing up the idea that witchcraft was fallacious. In “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, Miller writes how the play isn’t about witch hunting but instead human and societal flaws of the villagers through Reverend Parris and his concern about his reputation, Abigail and the lies she spreads, and Danforth for his unwillingness to change the hanging charges. Reverend Parris illustrates that the play isn’t about witch hunting but rather human and societal flaws because his is more concerned about his reputation in town compared to the welfare of the girls. At the beginning of the play when Parris is praying for his daughter to wake, he calls
During the questioning, Parris tells Abigail “But if you trafficked with the spirits in the forest I must know it now, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it” (Act 1, pg 10). This demonstrates that Parris only cares about himself because although his daughter will not wake, he manages to connect what happened in the forest to his own personal problems. He didn’t have to bring up his enemies when questioning Abigail but he did, demonstrating a human flaw because he chose himself over his daughter. This demonstrates that the play is about human and societal flaws instead of witch hunting because Parris’s motives for questioning Abigail were to see what can be used against him rather than finding the source of the witchcraft. Furthermore, when Abigail runs away with Parris’s money, he whines that he is broke,