Miller attempts to hold a Miller to what was happening in his own society and the policy of Mcarthyism. Abigail could be said to be Joseph Mcarthy in that she prosecutes others. Communism could be seen as the practise of witchcraft. “QUOTE”I think that Miller shows more dedication in making this comparison than developing her as an effective protagonist with depth.
Abigail is extremely persuasive, and it is this that causes the other character’s to go along with the witch hunts. In theory she shouldn’t be taken seriously, as she is an unmarried, teenage, servant girl with a low social status. Elizabeth Proctor tells people she has behave lustfully, lowering her reputation further. However she acts in the courtroom, for example when she says she can see a “yellow bird” and uses the power of female sexuality to control people, which was feared in the puritan society. Her “endless capacity for dissembling” gives her protection and support in accusing Elizabeth and allows her to begin her well thought out scheme to get John. When she feels threatened she attacks ruthlessly, therefore I believe her motivation is revenge as well as her desire for John Procter.
However, Miller did make it possible to have some sympathy with her character. In holding up a mirror to his own society, he shows what the puritan society has done to Abigail. As a playwright, he is motivated to show the weaknesses of his own society and therefore Abigail could be seen as the victim. The puritan society is which has turned her into this unhappy, yet diabolical character. The society in Salem was very restraining and so Abigail’s actions could simply be a teenager’s stereotypical need to rebel and break free. The name of the play “The Crucible” is a metaphor for the feeling of stifling, and this at least installs some humanity within her.
She has no family ties, her uncle thinks that children should be seen and not heard “QUOTE” and she seems uncertain of her security in her place in the home and in their relationship in saying “do you begrudge me my bed, uncle?” She is an orphan, and has seen her “parents heads smashed” on the pillow next to hers, an experience likely to disturb anyone. She doesn’t seem to trust her friends, they are more like minions who do her bidding out of fear. Therefore, the only person she truly felt she could trust was John Procter, who betrays her. “That’s done with”
Furthermore. I find it possible to have the same amount of sympathy with Abigail Williams as the protagonist, John Proctor. There is a strong theme of betrayal an abuse of trust: he was her employer and he has sex with her, he abuses his wife’s trust and he lastly betrays her trust in refusing to continue their romantic affair. Abigail is continuously represented as a silly teenager, both in her need to rebel and her jealous, obsessive crush on John Procter, therefore, despite her actions she is vulnerable and alone, with no trusting relationship or role model. According to Aristotle, the antagonist opposes the protagonist, however Abigail desires the antagonist “I know you”. Despite their conflict, John Procter and Abigail have many similarities in their aims. Both of them want something more than the Puritan society can offer them, John Procter is dissatisfied with the church and his home life, and Abigail seeks freedom and a trusting relationship.
Abigail makes the play an effective tragedy in that the audience find her devious actions entertaining, she is almost likeable in her wretchedness. Comparing Abigail to Elizabeth Procter who’s “justice could freeze beer” Abigail at least doesn’t play the martyr.
-unconving levels of evil
-unrealistic, little humanity within her
-will stop at nothing to achieve goals
-has no empathy
-Joseph McCarthy
-Steals money-however, could show fear=humanity, runs away
-Manipulative- shows dedication, and endless capacity for dissembling
-unmarried, orphan, servant=low social status
-could be seen as least complex character. Evil
-sent people to deaths. No remorse-compare to Iago
-wants to achieve goal of getting John Procter-humanity-love? Obsession? “Promise” quote
-revenge, salem witch trials, when threatened, she attacks ruthlessly. Quote about goody Procter
-affair with john procter, however only an impressionable teenager, with no real role model, how much can she be held responsible?
-John Procter was her employer, she’s underage, in his care, had sex with her, breach of trust
-adultery=sin, lack of religious devotion
-dance on his wife’s grave
-passion between Abby and john, fickle, cold, if loving relationship between John and Elizabeth, “your justice could freeze beer”
-jealous
-always implied that Abby seduced john, how much can john be blamed?
-acting, pretends she can see spirits, persuasive
-power
-".....Let any of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other thing , and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring with me a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it....."., people are afraid of her, actually rises in social status
-people believe she is actually doing good,
Wonder what she hopes to achieve after john Procter branneds her a whore, surely she does not belive he will want to be with her? Obsession turns to hurting him, pivot point
-holding mirror up to society. The puritan society, stifling, like a crucible has turned Abby into what she is, in turn causing deaths..link to McCarthyism
-Abby could be said to be the VICTIM
- parents died,”heads smashed on the pillow next to mine”, used almost as a threat, boasts of her power and lack of humanity, psycho.
-“Do you begrudge me my bed uncle?” no strong family ties
-friends are more like minians, mercy lewis her general than friends with emotional connection, therefore the only person she feels she has an emotional tie with is john, who rejects her.
-she seems to have control on chaos
Vindictive
-pre thought out, very decisive
" Oh, I marvel how such a strong man [can be with] such a sickly wife"(, vain
As Johnson and Johnson state, "To escape discovery and punishment, Abby fearfully diverts the attention from discovery of her own misdeeds by pointing her finger at others
-parris does not think that children need nurturing, just that they are young adults who will eventually grow up, parris is corrupt in himself, self obsessed, money greed
-lust, sexuality, feared in that society
“yu loved me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet”
-predictable in her selfishness
-spite
Offers to be whipped, shows she does not care for herself, self deprivating
In conversation Mary Warren pleads with Abigail to "tell the truth" and that she'll "only be whipped for dancin', and the
"dare not call out such a farmer's wife but there be monstrous profit in it. "
In this case, during the late 1600's women were defined by the success of their marriage, the obedience of their children, and the cleanliness and extent of their home. Abby does not apply to this
The salem witch trials could be said to be a pivotal point in the puritan society, respect for women
-he is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me!" Elizabeth is calling her a hoe, lowering her status even more
-acts superior, has a endless capacity for dismembering, how much of her front is a lie? She seems terrified underneath
-antagonist, someone who opposes the protagonist. Abby desires the protagonist
Miller must want her to have some character, due to including her history, contrast to mercy lewis, a one sided, evil character
Good job as an antagonist, shapes course of the play, brings protagonist to death
Similarities in john and abby…if told from abbys view could john be antagonist
Is john right?