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Lies can hurt, but can they kill? In Arthur Miller's play 'The Crucible', there is a 17-year-old girl from Salem, Massachusetts, named Abigail, in 1692. She is the niece of Reverend Parris. She is also the former servant of John and Elizabeth Proctor. She was fired when Abigail and John were caught having an affair. Abigail abuses her power within Salem and brings destruction upon innocent people. Abigail begins telling rumors that the town has become infested with witches, and soon this rumor generates fear that spreads faster than wildfire. Abigail is to blame for the Salem Witch Trials because she lied from the beginning and lied about what happened in the woods and why she was fired from the Proctors, she pretended to be possessed in court at Mary Warren's trial, and she accused innocent people of witchcraft and ruined families lives.
One reason Abigail is to blame for The Salem Witch Trials is that Abigail lied from the beginning about what happened in the woods. Abigail believes she can get away by lying to her uncle, telling him, that Abigail is the first one to mention anything about witchcraft to her uncle in an attempt to distract her uncle from punishing her for dancing in the woods. Reverend Parris asks Abigail why she was fired from the Proctors, Abigail Abigail is lying to her uncle about the real reason she was fired by Elizabeth Proctor. The truth about the affair emerges at the trial of Elizabeth Proctor, she denies the affair happened when John told the truth. This lie was one of the first lies she told in the story. The lies unravel from there, until everything she says is false.
Another reason Abigail is to blame is, that she pretended to be possessed in court and lied to Danforth. When Mary Warren wins the trial, Abigail fakes being possessed by the devil. She is pretending to see things while accusing Mary Warren of being a witch. She then persuades the girls to join her, mimicking Mary Warren. This quote from The Crucible shows that. Abigail was afraid to let the court find out that all of them were lying and she started acting. She pretends she sees a bird and pretends that the bird is the spirit of Mary so she can wash away her suspicion of lying. She blames other people for witchcraft to deviate from being caught and called a fraud. 'Mary, this is a black art to change your shape. No, I cannot, I cannot stop my mouth; it's God's work I do. Mary, please do not hurt me!' Here, Abigail is saying Mary is trying to hurt her in her possessive state. She is saying Mary is changing from a person to a bird. She is saying that Mary is the spirit of the bird. Abigail is very manipulative and persuasive in this act. She is fooling everyone.
My last reason Abigail is to blame is, that Bigail is destroying people's lives by accusing them of witchcraft. She is accusing people who do not even understand witchcraft Abigail saw Mary Warren making a poppet for Elizabeth in court, and how Mary left a needle in the poppet's stomach. Abigail stabbed herself in the stomach with a needle and told the cops that Elizabeth's spirit pushed the needle into her stomach. She accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft because Abigail despises her and wants John Proctor all to herself. With Abigail stabbed, the court has no reason to suspect Abigail of wrongdoing and her injury incriminates Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail also blames Tituba saying; that Abigail is accusing Tituba of forcing Abigail and the other girls to drink Mrs. Putnam's baby's blood. Abigail is saying Tituba is a devil worshiper.
Some people, however, could sympathize with Abigail, saying that she had a terrible upbringing and that she was heartbroken when John Proctor went back to his wife. In this quote; Abigail is telling her uncle that she understands she has to be punished for dancing in the woods because when it is illegal. She says she can be whipped if it is necessary. This tells us that all of her misbehavior is reprimanded by whipping.! Abigail could be doing all of this because of her jealousy, driven by lust and her desire for John Proctor. That is why some could sympathize with Abigail.
This is proof that Abigail is the one to blame for The Salem Witch Trials. This is evidence that she lied about what happened in the woods, she pretended to be possessed in court, and how she destroyed countless lives just by false accusations and lies. Although some people could sympathize with Abigail, she will never be forgiven by anyone.
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