The Crucible Essay

Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Proctor play many roles in The Crucible. Abigail and

Elizabeth have very different personalities. Abigail contributes to the story in a negative way.

While Elizabeth, on the other hand, doesn’t have as great of an impact on the story. While

reading The Crucible and comparing the roles of Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Proctor, we

noticed the roles were significantly different.

In the first place, Abigail is the antagonist throughout the story. She makes false

accusations that lead to the death of many people in Salem Village. Based on the quote, “I saw

Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the

Devil!” (Miller, 2016, pg. 48) we can conclude that she did not see any of those people with the

Devil because she never saw the Devil herself. Abigail said the names of those people simply

because she wants to shift the blame. Along with Goody Osburn and others, she also accuses

Elizabeth Proctor.

Correspondingly, Elizabeth Proctor, although she is not the main character, plays a

significant role in the resolution of the story. For example, “John, it come to naught that I should

forgive you, if you’ll not forgive yourself. It is not my soul, John, it is yours” (Miller, 2016, pg

136). In other words, Elizabeth seems like she does not have control over the situation, but, she

is influencing John with what she says. Elizabeth, in the end, defines the outcome of John

Proctor’s life.

Given these points, Abigail plays the role of “the whore” in The Crucible while Elizabeth

plays “the virgin mother.” They both play essential roles in the story, although very different.

Each of them impacts the story changing the course of the lives of people in Salem Village.
Many people died due to Abigail’s accusations, and John Proctor dies due to Elizabeth refusing

to forgive him. Both, in the end, cause a life to be lost.