Crucible- Blame Essay

Macda Gerard
AP English 11: Mr. George
November 23, 2008
Crucible Paper


Who is most to blame for the chaos in Salem? Does a young teenage girl really have the ability to corrupt such a pious area? This once reverent and prayerful town does not seem so immaculate after Abigail Williams clandestinely places her seed of wickedness in the minds of the inhabitants. In her attempts to get revenge on Elizabeth, Abigail brings the entire town down as well. Abigail has an affair with John Proctor, accuses the innocent, and deceitfully manipulates others, thus making her most to blame for the turmoil in Salem.

Abigail developed a maniacal attachment to Proctor after their affair. Their feelings were not mutual considering the fact that Proctor consistently made efforts to push her away. Abigail, however, beginning to believe the only thing stopping her from being with Proctor was his wife Elizabeth, sought ways in which to get rid of her, such as drinking a charm. Abigail is given even more of a motive to seek revenge on Elizabeth, for Elizabeth put her out of the Proctor home. Abigail’s hypocrisy is further illustrated when she says, “She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! She is a cold, sniveling woman, and you bend to her!” (24). Amazingly, her duplicity is reaching such a depth that she is forgetting the fact that she slept with John Proctor. In Abigail’s efforts to seek vengeance, she is caught practicing the ultimate type of Devil worship—witchcraft, which initiates the accusations of the innocent.

Suspicions arise and rumors of witchcraft fill the town. Abigail, along with Tituba, are found practicing witchcraft in the forest, certainly something no other accused person had ever done. When confronted, Tituba lists off names of the others that were said to be associated with the Devil and is soon joined by Abigail. Abigail’s treacherous behavior is revealed through this act in attempting to remove the blame from herself and placing it on innocent people. This creates great commotion amongst the townspeople causing many men and women to be faced with two options: either deny associating with Devil and be hanged, or confess and face a prison sentence. Regardless of what occurred, Abigail was seen as a reliable witness, and the court believed all of her lies.

Danforth, being a prominent member of the court, would in fact question Abigail; however, her dishonesty was extremely deceiving. From the beginning of the play, Abigail lied which only led to more lies. Her consistent dishonesty was never exposed, blanketing her fraudulence with reliability. Abigail was aware of this and continued to accuse people of being witches, specifically Elizabeth, so long as she was not suspected to be a witch herself. She deceitfully used this power to manipulate others and was wiling to sacrifice the innocent in order to get what she wanted.

Abigail’s perfidious nature manifests itself in her trickery of others. During the interaction between Danforth, Mary Warren, Abigail, and Proctor, Danforth becomes suspicious of Abigail and questions her only to receive a slap of guilt: “I have seen my blood runnin’ out! I have been near to murdered everyday because I done my duty pointing out the Devil’s people—and this is my reward?” (108). Abigail’s façade of innocence instills a sense of shame within Danforth causing him to feel guilty for doubting her, when he certainly has reason to. Abigail’s manipulative nature is also revealed in her interactions with Mary Warren. She exploits Mary for her own purposes and falsely persecutes her when she is no longer of use: “unperturbed, continuing to the “bird”: Oh, 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” (115). Mary Warren attempts to stand up to Abigail but realizes that with Abigail’s cunning manner, it is not possible and she must give in.

Within society, it is despicable when one gets away with deceitful and devious behavior. Throughout the play, this is the case with Abigail. Some people would claim that Proctor was most to blame because he had committed the initial deed, however, it is nothing compared to Abigail’s deceitful lies, accusations, and manipulative behavior which led to the deaths of many innocent people. It is evident that she is responsible for the turmoil and disorder in Salem through her chicanery which accumulates throughout the play, making it impossible for anyone else to be most at fault.