The Crucible 2 Essay, Research Paper

In the book, The Crucible, Abigail Williams and her childish friends take advantage of the situation in their hometown of Salem, Massachusetts. At the time, there was a lot of tension about the discussion of witches and virtually anyone who was accused of being a witch was proven a witch. On page 33 of the book, there is a quote that points out the underlying plot of the book. Sex, sin and the Devil were early linked is how the quote starts out and it describes the relationship between John Proctor and Abigail Williams.

Although it does not happen in the book, it is known that John Proctor and Abigail Williams have an affair. Abigail Williams is in love with John Proctor and is willing to do anything to marry him or to keep the relationship going. So within the first few scenes of the book, John Proctor is told by his housekeeper, Mary, that his wife, Goody Proctor, has been accused of being a witch. Although Mary is sworn by the court not to tell who said it, John has good idea that it was Abigail Williams who charged her. After all, Abigail Williams wants to keep her affair with John Proctor therefore would accuse Goody Proctor so she could have John all to herself. John then has a private discussion with Abigail telling her that he will never love her (Abigail) again and that he will seek revenge on her if his wife is hung. Throughout the book, the affair is mentioned. Hence, Sex, sin, and the devil are all linked because by John having an adulterous affair with Abigail (sex, sin) his wife is accused of having a relationship with the devil. Therefore, most or all of the events surrounding John and Goody Proctor involve the adulterous behavior with Abigail.

Another big part of the play Abigail s constant fainting in court because of the so-called spirits. John Proctor wants to hear none of this and his housekeeper, Mary, who was a part of the fainting group, admits that they were all faking it. When John takes this claim to court, the judge asks Mary to faint on the spot then. When she can t, John shocks the whole courtroom and confesses his sin of adultery to the judge. The judge then asks that Goody Proctor confirm the adultery charge by asking her when the Proctors fired Abigail as their maid. To save her husbands good name, Goody Proctor says that she fired Abigail because she was a bad worker. Then John Proctors best claim yet is turned down and Goody Proctor stays in jail. That also has to do sin because lying is a sin.

Finally, one can see how John Proctors adulterous relationship with Abigail Williams resulted in his wife s conviction of having a relationship with Lucifer. Sex, sin and the devil were all linked