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Giavanna Pitts

October 29, 2018

English 11 - Period 4

Mr. Price

The Crucible Essay

The Best Conspirator

Abigail Williams. The most manipulative and most memorable character in the play, The

Crucible. In this play, she is the villain along with a couple other characters. Abigail is on the

lower side of the hierarchy, she is one step higher than the enslaved people like Tituba. This

character loves to start trouble. She is almost always caught up in a lie, or trying to manipulate

someone. She feeds off of people’s fears and weaknesses, then manipulates them. Abigail had

some part in every major event that came about.

Throughout the play, with all of her actions, Abigail doesn’t have any bit of remorse in

her body. Of course one thinks, where does this evil come from? Although her actions are

merciless, they are a bit understandable. Early on in the play, we are told that Abigail watched

her parents die at a young age. “I saw Indians smash my dear parents’ heads on the pillow next to

mine.” Perhaps this is the reason why she acts the way she does. It’s no surprise that someone

that’s been exposed to brutality at such a young age would act upon it themselves. Another

reason why she’s so bitter could be that she has such a low social class. She’s only a step higher

than Tituba so, she doesn’t have a lot of power. That could be the reason why she’s so power

hungry and why she’d do anything to get that power. Lastly, she’s an orphan and that must mean

she doesn’t have a lot of attention from those around her. Plus, she’s still a child. She’ll do

anything to get that attention.

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One goal that this antagonist has is to “get” the very handsome, grown, and married John

Proctor. She would do anything in her power to get him - even if it means killing someone along

the way. It all started out with Abigail being John and Elizabeth’s (his wife) servant. She was

soon fired after Elizabeth found out that her husband was having an affair with Abigail.

Throughout the play, John Proctor soon realizes how crazy Abigail actually is. But this doesn’t

stop her. As the trials begin, Proctor realizes he can stop Abigail if he confesses to adultery.

Sadly this turns back on him, and leads to his own imprisonment and conviction as a witch. This

tragic love story ends with Proctor having to choose between living and confessing to being a

witch, or dying. Before he could make this choice, Abigail visits him in the jail and offers an

escape plan for them both. But, Proctor says no and chooses death.

Some even say Abigail is a victim in her society. She’s almost hated by everyone, some

even say she’s an abomination. As you’ve read earlier, she’s had a rough childhood and her

social status isn’t helping at all. Especially with her falling in love with a man she can’t be with,

living under the rules of her very strict uncle, and watching her parents die at a very young age.

All those combined have formed her into the crazy, vindictive person she’s evolved into.

In conclusion, Abigail is the most memorable, crazy, and vindictive person in The

Crucible. She got this craziness from her past, and from the chaos in her society. Although it is

common for teenagers like Abigail to get a little “boy crazy”, Abigail took it to far and her

actions ended up being fatal. Even in the end when she leaves town to go across the sea, her

previous actions still affect those who were accused. The life lesson to be learned from all this

would be to think about your actions before you make them; try not to act on your feelings.