Abigail’s Obsession for Power in The Crucible Essay Example

Frederick Lenz once wrote “Most people abuse power. They use power to dominate others. They use powers to destroy others. Ultimately when you do this, you lose it.” That’s what Abigail does in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible. In the play, Abigail is a 17-year-old girl who lives in Salem in 1692. Abigail accuses innocent people in Salem of witchcraft to gain power and get what she desires, causing mass hysteria in the town. In the play, Abigail chases power through dishonesty, abuses the power she gained, and ends up powerless.  

In Act 1, Abigail shows characteristics of becoming a villain by being dishonest and selfish. When Parris questions Abigail about her situation with the Proctors, Abigail gets defensive. Abigail says with a temper, “My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!” (12). Here Abigail explains to Parris that Elizabeth is blackening her name in the village, Abigail claims that she is a good soul and Elizabeth is full of lies. If Abigail valued honesty, she would have told the truth and accepted what Elizabeth was saying about her. With Abigail being selfish and only caring about personal gain, she lies and accuses Elizabeth of being a gossiping liar. This shows that Abigail is developing characteristics of becoming a villain. Later in the day, Abigail wakes up Betty after speaking with Parris. Betty says in shock, “You did, you did! You drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!”(19). Here Betty realizes that Abigail did not tell Parris about the charm that she drank to try and kill Elizabeth. Abigail claims that she told Parris about everything that happened in the forest. Abigail does not tell Parris because she knows that she will be in trouble and hung for witchcraft. She is selfish considering that she attempted to try and kill Elizabeth for her benefit, to get with John. This shows that Abigail is further lying for personal gain. Later in Betty’s bedroom, Abigail is questioned by Hale, one of the ministers. Abigail says, “She made me drink blood”(43). Here Abigail explains to Hale that Tituba made her drink blood, she lies and puts the blame on her friend. Abigail changes her story of no witchcraft taking place, to saying that Tituba made her drink blood. This portrays the selfishness Abigail has developed, she lies to keep her reputation safe, even though she was the one who drank blood in an attempt to kill Elizabeth. Abigail continues to make up lies throughout the act. 

In Act 2, Abigail goes from having some power to abusing it for her own personal gain.

When Proctor asks Elizabeth about what’s happening in court, Elizabeth talks about the girls. Elizabeth explains, “Abigail brings the other girls into the court, where she walks the crowd will part like the sea for Israel. And folks are brought before them, and if they scream and howl and fall to the floor–the person’s clapped in the jail for bewitchin’ them”(52-53). Here Elizabeth explains what Abigail and her friends are doing in court, she describes them screaming and acting bewitched. Abigail’s willingness to bring innocent people to court and have them jailed shows how she is abusing her power to benefit herself. She benefits herself by getting the court to believe her lies, which is helping her gain more power. From the court's perspective, Abigail is helping them get rid of witches. Later in Proctor’s house, Cheever is talking with Hale and Proctor about the poppet. Cheever says, “Tis hard proof! I find here a poppet Goody Proctor keeps. I have found it, sir. And in the belly of the poppet a needles stuck. I never warranted to see such proof of hell”(75). Cheever finds a poppet with a needle in its belly and uses it as evidence. He explains to Proctor that Elizabeth is guilty of stabbing Abigail with a needle. Abigail is aware that she is gaining the trust of the court and people in Salem, so she stabs herself with a needle and blames it on Elizabeth. She abuses her power by accusing Elizabeth of stabbing her with a needle, because she is jealous of Elizabeth’s relationship with John. She is attempting to get rid of Elizabeth so she can be with John. If Abigail did not care about personal gain, she would not have accused Elizabeth. A moment later in the same conversation, when Cheever walks in with the warrant, Proctor rips the paper. Proctor says in anger, “If she is innocent! Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God’s fingers? I’ll tell you what’s walking Salem–vengeance is walking Salem. We are always what we were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law! This warrant’s vengeance! I’ll not give my wife to vengeance!” (77). Here Proctor explains to Hale that the people in Salem are being controlled by Abigail and her friends. He is frustrated because the warrant is Abigail trying to get revenge on Elizabeth. Proctor refuses to give his wife up to a warrant that is vengeance. Proctor shows his anger towards Cheever and Hale because they are believing Abigail’s lies. Abigail has gained enough control over the people in Salem where she can abuse her power by accusing innocent people and get away with it. If Abigail valued honesty, she would have told the truth about Elizabeth and the warrant would not exist. But, she only values power and personal gain.

In Acts 3 and 4, Abigail continues to abuse her power, but then loses her power. After Mary is told to faint but cannot, Abigail sees the opportunity to turn on her. Abigail says, “A wind, a cold wind has come”(108). Here Abigail is pretending that Mary is sending a cold wind onto her. The moment Abigail is questioned by Danforth, she gets defensive and does not hesitate to turn on Mary. Abigail avoids Danforth questioning her because it could ruin her reputation, so she abuses her power by putting the spotlight on Mary and pretending to be bewitched. Abigail’s actions portray that she only cares about her own power and personal gain. A minute later, after Abigail accuses Mary of sending a cold wind, Proctor speaks up. Proctor says, “On the last night of my joy, some eight months past. She used to serve me in my house, sir. A man think God sleeps, but God sees everything, I know it now. I beg you, sir, I beg you, see her what she is”(110). Here Proctor admits to the court that he had an affair with Abigail in an attempt to damage her reputation. He wants the court to see Abigail as the real person she is, a manipulative liar. Hale is the only person in court who agrees that Abigail is abusing her power and accusing others of witchcraft. With the people in the court having this new information about her after John Proctor admits the truth, Abigail begins to lose power. Three months later, Parris goes to Hawthorne after being robbed and tells him important information. Parris says, “I cannot think they would run off except they fear to keep in Salem”(127). Here Parris explains that Abigail and Mercy feared staying in town, so they ran off. Abigail lost all of the power she gained through accusing innocent people in her community. In addition, all of the power she gained was worthless to her since she was scared that the rebellions happening in Andover would also happen in Salem. Abigail and Mercy fled Salem after losing the control and power that they once had.

Abigail begins by chasing power, abuses the power she gained, and ends up losing everything. In the beginning, she lies and accuses her friends of witchcraft to keep her reputation safe and gain power. She continues to abuse her power by accusing people of Salem for crimes that they did not commit. Finally, she runs away from Salem in fear and after losing all of her power. All it takes is one false accusation to ruin someone’s life. People often believe what they hear even if it’s not true, and it’s hard to repair a person’s reputation after it’s been damaged. That’s what we learn in The Crucible.

Works Cited

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York City, Penguin Books, 1985.