Another place where fear is used to foreshadow what would happen is throughout the entire conversation with Reverend Parris and Abigail, his niece, one of the dancing girls. Happening short after the beginning of the play, both characters show signs of fear. Abigail was ‘quavering, as she sits’. She the ‘lowers her eyes’ as she is lectured by Parris. These signs of fear not only shows her fear of Parris, it also suggests that Abigail has a reason to be afraid. She may be afraid of her of Parris finding out something he does not know, which is revealed as her conjuring of spirits later in the play. Parris also show signs of fear. He explained that his ‘ministry is at stake’ as he tried to convince Abigail to tell him the truth of what happened. Again, Miller is using this fear to suggest that something bad would happen.
Miller also uses the theme of suspicion to set the scene of what would happen. Reverend Parris suspects Abigail is not telling him the truth: ‘…I know you have not opened with me.’ This suspicion is shown a few more times in Parris’s conversation with Abigail: ‘…for God’s sake tell it to me.’ This creates an uneasy feeling for the audience. It suggests that the truth is not told and she knows something that could get her in trouble. The audience would be prompt to think of what the truth is. Their predicted truth would prepare for what would happen later in the play.
Suspicion is also shown later when Thomas Putnam and his wife enter. Putnam is a vindictive villager, who is always thinking people are against him, and a leading role in the witch-hunt. He explains to Parris that ‘there is a murdering witch among us’. Miller uses this suspicion of Putnam, again to show that something is wrong. Mrs. Putnam also shows her suspicion as she later on says ‘There are wheels within wheels in this village, and fires within fires!’ This again shows that things may not be as they seem. The suspicion suggests to the audience that something bad is to happen.
The exaggerated superstitious behavior of all people is Salem also suggests something bad would happen. Miller uses superstitious bigotry of people to show the overreaction and the hysteria people are in. ‘The rumour of witchcraft is all about;’ as Abigail explains to Parris. The ‘Devil’, ‘spirits’ and witches are often mentioned and blame on. According to Putnam, ‘The Devil may be among us’. These people of Salem are overly superstitious, and they take what they believe as reality. This will suggest to audiences of less religious faith that there is an overreaction to what has happened. Miller uses this overreaction to show that things will go wrong.
In conclusion, all of the ways in which Miller uses to show of the tragedy to come are all suggesting the way the characters think. There is always too much of different of an emotion. There is too much superstition, too much fear and too much suspicion. The overflow of negative emotions in the characters will suggest to the audience that something bad would happen.
