The Crucible Essay, Research Paper

Abigail Williams portrays Miller’s affair with the inner voice and guilt. Arthur Miller saw guilt as a habit of mind capable of being over come. It is seen in Abigail who exhausts her conscience to get herself out of trouble by accusing Tituba, and then to seek revenge on the adults who make her life miserable. Abigail Williams seeks the devotion of John Proctor who was a very proud man, who was considered a leader by many of the town s people. John Proctor’s mistake was having an affair with their servant Abigail. Later, he regrets having this affair, and he wants Abigail to forget that it ever happened.

John Proctor seems to be faced with trouble dealing with his conscience. John knows that he is a ’sinner’. He knows that his affair with Abigail was wrong, because he feels it is wrong. Even though Abigail still lusted for him, he said: ” I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby ” (Miller, p. 23).

Although John confessed the affair to his wife, she never fully forgave him. ” You have a faulty understanding of young girls. There is a promise made in any bed “(Miller, p. 61). Goody Proctor says this to John explaining that Abby is now expecting an commitment. John replies ” The promise that a stallion gives a mere I gave that girl “(Miller, p. 62). Telling Elizabeth that he did not make any promise nor will he in the future.

Abigail does not want to let him go, she wants him to decide between his wife, Elizabeth Proctor or herself. Abigail Williams despised Elizabeth, because When John confessed to Elizabeth, she fired Abigail. Also Abigail is still in love with John, and she thinks that if she kills Elizabeth, she will run off with John. Abigail wanted Elizabeth dead, and she would do almost anything to have her way, including witchcraft. One night Abigail drank blood and cast a charm to kill Goody Proctor.

Abigail tries too hard to give people the impression that she is a very tough person. In Act One she says, ” I saw Indians smash my dear parents’ heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down “(Miller, p. 20). From this we get the impression that she might be a little bit mentally disturbed and hostile. The way that she acts in front of John Proctor shows that she is not as sure of herself as she would like us to believe.

John Proctor had an affair with Abigail, but for him it was just lust, while Abigail believed it to be true love. She told John that he loves her, and once she destroys Elizabeth, they will be free to love one another. Because of Abigail’s distorted plan to obtain John for herself, Elizabeth is arrested. John is disgusted at this, but can do nothing to show Abigail that he is not in love with her.