Why Is Abigail Wrong In The Crucible

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The events of The Crucible came from a completely different era from what we know today. Undergoing massive witch hunts and burning people at the stake were just God’s children doing their holy duties. But even with the pitiful tragedies occurring, Abigail’s demeaning and selfish measures stood out from all of the havoc. Her behavior could be blamed on her young age and immaturity, but Abigail’s initial longing to bewed John Proctor brought the witch trials upon Salem. Taking advantage of Salem’s deteriorating state, Abigail’s ingenuity flourished and began to inflict tragedy on many others through terrible, villainous actions. As the girls were caught dancing in the woods, Abigail took many precautions to avoid being a suspect of witchcraft, …show more content…
Even Abigail claims this when she shouts at John Proctor, “I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved me then and you do now!” (Miller 22). Abigail seems as a confused, naive love-struck girl that is only chasing what she thought she could have. But does an “innocent child” condemn several people to death, forge a framing of witchcraft, and steal from their own family? Abigail’s stake at an innocent character is gone by the first few pages of the Act One, once she beats Betty for speaking the truth. Again and again, her underlying true motive appeals to her wants, and only uses the excuse of love to reconcile morality. In literature, the simple outline of a story poses an protagonist and an antagonist facing a conflict. In The Crucible, Abigail’s actions clearly identify her as an antagonist with a selfish, villainous background. She continues to be the one character who can effortlessly be found inflicting difficulty on others for the benefit of herself. Without the troubles begotten by the infamous Abigail, the town of Salem would have been free of much pain, death, and

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