ENGLISH LITERATURE l GRADE 12
The Crucible
Arthur Miller’s, “The Crucible” is a play whereby the themes of deception and
manipulation, portrayed by antagonist Abigail Williams, are central to the tragic
consequences in the play. Her destruction roots from her affair with married man, John
Proctor. It later gives rise to avenging Elizabeth Proctor in numerous ways.
Firstly, Proctor and Abigail's concealment of their affair enables Abigail's vindictiveness
and allows her to gain power in Salem, leading to disastrous consequences. Still in love
with Proctor after their brief affair, she lies to the court and condemns Elizabeth as a
witch, in a desperate, jealous attempt to win him back and take Elizabeth’s place as his
wife. Abigail is the ringleader of the girls, and the progenitor of the false rumors that
spiral into the witch hunt. Thus, she embodies falsehood, in a stark contrast to
Elizabeth, who is a symbol of truth. Her violent nature is made evident in the play, as
she threatens the girls with physical violence and “smashes Betty across the face” in an
effort to silence her. Abigail maintains an air of innocence which convinces the judges of
her credibility. However, Abigail becomes aggressive and defiant when people question
her accusations and her character, implying that they are undermining the power of the
court.
Furthermore, Abigail and the girls plant a poppet in Elizabeth’s house, in an attempt to
frame her as an individual guilty of witchcraft. As Abigail stabs the doll with a needle in
its stomach before leaving it on Elizabeth’s shelf, she is able to pretend that her own
stomach is injured from Elizabeth’s practice of voodoo with it. The poppet is a symbol of
childhood and girlhood, and the play’s depiction of it as a tool for malicious revenge
represents the loss of innocence and pretense that arises out of the witch hunts. Miller
illustrates the danger of mass hysteria, as he depicts the young group of girls, led by
Abigail, become manipulated into condemning innocent townspeople to death; thereby
losing their innocence and moral virtue.
To conclude, Abigail Williams is the driving force to which the loss of many innocent
lives were put in jeopardy. Abigail lies to conceal her affair, and to prevent being
accused of witchcraft. In order to avoid severe punishment for witchcraft and adultery,
as well as attempted murder for plotting Elizabeth's death, Abigail shifts the focus away
from herself by accusing others of witchcraft.
