The Crucible. How far is Abigail responsible for the events that ensue in act three and four?

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How far is Abigail responsible for the events that ensue in act three and four?

Abigail Williams is responsible to a great extent for the events that ensue in act three and four. She uses imperative, aggressive language and exclamatives to force the other characters to comply with her will, which directs the events of acts three and four. She exclaims in act three, ‘Mr Danforth, he is lying!” when John Proctor confesses his adultery with her. Her use of language here is intriguing, not only because she lies fearlessly in court, but because she vehemently denies the accusation, forcefully proclaiming her innocence to the court. The force with which she speaks is highlighted by the use of an exclamation mark, onstage this would be powerfully said by the actress portraying Abigail, increasing her credibility with the judges onstage, but reducing her credibility with the audience, as from the past appearances, it is blatant that she uses her power when she is feeling vulnerable, shown in act one where she is ‘shaking Betty’ violently to wake her when she believes she may be accused of witch craft. This apparent conviction convinces Deputy Governor Danforth of her purity, thus leading to Proctors eventual death in act four.

        Furthermore, Abigail’s effect on the structure shows that she is responsible for the events that ensue in act three and four. Abigail initially affects the structure in act one, where she does not deny witchcraft was practised, instead accusing Tituba for the activity discovered by Parris. She directs the blame from herself to Tituba, and encourages the illusion of witchery, viewing Tituba as an easily overpowered, defenceless part of society, which is structurally profound.

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This diversion of guilt results in the witchcraft scare, and ultimately the deaths of the characters who are sentenced to hang in acts three and four. She is described as ‘instantly’ pointing at ‘Tituba’, and exclaiming ‘She made me do it!’ This exclamative again showcases Abigail’s utter selfishness, as she uses not only aggressive language, but also her physicality to impose her way of thinking upon others. Abigail refers to Tituba at ‘She’, using the pronoun rather than her name to dehumanize Tituba, objectifying her, thus making it easier for others to also blame her, saving Abigail from any form ...

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