Creative Writing: The Salem Witch Trials

“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!” (Miller 1247). Abigail is concerned about what Elizabeth Proctor is saying about her around Salem.

C’mon Abby According to a 2002 study created by the University of massachusetts, 60% of all adults lie at least once,or even more within a ten minute conversation. This is beyond present, maybe even favored in Arthur miller’s The Crucible. This play takes place in Puritan times, in the year of 1692. Salem was usually a silent town, but after the night Abigail Williams and her group of friends went out to the woods to dance, conjure and creating a charm to have Goody proctor killed. Through lies, misinterpretation and exploiting others Abigail is responsible for having others be blamed and dodging being charged herself.

All in all, Salem was not particularly the bee’s knees in terms of racial acceptance and was not the best place to live if you happened to be a witch; but that’s not what will be discussed, the following essay recounts the stories of the victims

Abigail masters many talents, but her best talent; scapegoating, has convinced many of the people around her to disregard and free herself from possibly being accused. Abigail is in court and somehow the accusing finger is shifting towards her, to derail herself from that she screams: “She made me do it! She made Betty do

many similarities to the affairs that were unfolding around the author at the time of writing, the mass hysteria aroused by the communists ‘witch-hunts’ of cold war, 1950s America. As we follow the harrowing results of released repression, the hysterical accusations of Salem bears direct resemblance to communist McCarthyism as well as other similarities that unfold as the play narrates one of the most tragic periods of American history. Amidst the apparently insipid, puritanical village of Salem there was little controversy due to its populations consent to theocratic autocracy however this apparent peaceful, holy sanctuary was rife with evils that conjured the demonic hysteria throughout Salem village; these were caused by an amalgamation

Both Abigail Williams and the Putnam’s took advantage of this frenzy, and carried out their desire for revenge. In the recent past, Abigail had an affair with John Proctor, but John cut all their ties when his wife, Elizabeth found out. Abigail hates Elizabeth for taking John away from her. “It’s a bitter woman, a lying, cold, sniveling woman, and I will not work for such a woman!”

Preceding the horrific events of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, the village of Salem was experiencing many difficulties, and in spite of its name, it was hardly a haven of tranquility.(Marvel, 2002, p.14) The town faced varying problems ranging from factional politics, religious problems, and famine. The winter of 1691 leading up to the summer of 1692 brought a time of suspicion, accusations, and mass hysteria. Many accusers, who were often little girls, went through alarming physical symptoms, such as inability to consume and sleep, erratic behavior, seizures, and panic attacks. (Kinchlow, 2011)

Primarily, as referenced before, Elizabeth Proctor makes use of a dignified tone to help buttress her defense of her innocence. However, she also intertwines a confused and naive tone when she questions "[the significance] a needle" and the reason for Abigail's allegation (Miller 72). These questions demonstrate Elizabeth's ignorance and naivety of the matter. The fact that Elizabeth is as unknowledgeable as she is about witchcraft aids in not only making her seem innocent but also in hurting Abigail's reputation. Previously, Abigail's word had been deemed trustworthy and honest, however Elizabeth's questions and the tone used to express her confusion contradicts Abigail's claims.

Because of this, logic behind his actions become lost since he begins executing them with a desire to reform the corruptness of his crime. Elizabeth suggests to Proctor, that by telling the court that Abigail and the other girls bewitchments are of pretense, all women who were sentenced to death would be given their lives back. He knows that telling the judges is the most rational, but he pauses before making a choice as he responds “quietly, struggling with his thought” (53). His uncertainty shows his conflicting emotion because Proctor feels he cannot accuse Abigail because his guilt will not allow him to. But he coexisting feels the priority to accuse her in order to keep Elizabeth in high spirits.

This affair was never fully proven, but Proctor did say, “Abby, I may think of you from time to time but I will cut off my hand before I’ll reach for you again” (Miller 1140). Abigail was madly in love with Proctor and wanted Elizabeth out of the picture so she could have Proctor all to her self. Abigail was very jealous of Elizabeth. She thought that if Elizabeth would die, she would get Proctor all to her self. She accused Elizabeth of being a “cold, sniveling woman”(Miller 1140).

Abigail uses her power to make everyone have fear and to be intimidating by her and the girls. She basically threatens the other girls if they decided to go against her and she would not hesitate to accuse them of witchcraft of they did just like she did Mary

Pretense, sir” (Miller, 106). The girls turn on her and she again goes back on her story and doesn’t tell the truth. Because she is aware that she may not be believable in court, she goes mad and then, accuses Proctor of

Now we learn that all of the problems lead directly to Abigail. She is not to be trusted and would just bring pain. Abigail presence is felt throughout the story in many ways. At the beginning of Act 2, they are eating dinner and talking. After they're done, Elizabeth starts talking about how Mary Warren went to the court to accuse Abigail.

John fires back immediately telling Abby not to say a word about Elizabeth. Although John reassures her many times that he’s not with Abby anymore, she still worries that he’s having an affair because of the way Abby blushes around him at church. In the beginning of Act Two we witness a conversation between the Proctors which is an awkward conversation, where they share a kiss that has a “certain disappointment”

Abigail finally sees the outturn of her lies she has made for what she wants. Proctor is hanged which she didn’t attend to do, but now pays the price. She also found out what lying can do “They’re pretending, Mr. Danforth... Mary, please don’t hurt me!.”(miller 120-121). Lying has made her corrupt and is used to persuade to make harm with.