The Crucible Abigail Williams Essay Sample

Do you ever wonder how the events of The Crucible could have ended much sooner? In the play, we see Abigail Williams and the other girls accusing the other women of witchcraft. Soon the entire town is filled with mass hysteria. This leads to deaths of innocent people and secrets being revealed. Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible is based on the Salem Witch in 1692 and McCarthyism. In his play he discusses the dark truth behind these trials and how not saying the truth can lead to terrible things. I believe that Abigail Williams could have ended the hysteria because she could have told the truth, she shouldn’t have sought revenge on Elizabeth Proctor, and she shouldn’t have threatened her friends and people of the village.

Abigail could have told the truth. According to The Crucible, “She made me do it! She made Betty do it!(Miller 592)” Abigail in this scene is lying, saying that Tituba was doing witchcraft and was forcing her and her cousin Betty to join in with her. Instead of lying, Abigail could have told the truth and said that she was the one doing the witchcraft. According to the Crucible, “Why? Why do you come yellow bird?(Miller 651)” Abigail is claiming that Mary Warren is sending her spirit onto her. Rather than being upset at Mary Warren for telling the truth about her making the poppet she should have just told the truth and said she did it so the hysteria would end. 

Abigail shouldn’t have sought revenge on Elizabeth Proctor. According to The Crucible, “The girl, the Williams girl, Abigail Williams, sir. She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris’s house tonight, and without a word nor warning she falls to the floor. Like a struck beast, he says, and screamed a scream that a bull would weap to hear. And he goes to save her, and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out. And demanding of her how she came to be so stabbed, she testify it were your wife’s familiar spirit pushed it in.(Miller 619)” Abigail is claiming that Elizabeth sent her spirit after her. Instead of making up this story and stabbing herself, Abigail should realize that the affair that she had with John was a mistake and that Elizabeth was his wife. According to The Crucible, “She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! She is a cold, shivering woman, and you bend to her! Let her turn you like a- (Miller 578)” In this scene Abigail is talking to John Proctor claiming that his wife is a horrible person who is spreading her name around. Also, she is trying to convince Proctor to be with her instead of Elizabeth. Alternatively Abigail could have said that his wife was a good person instead of trying to seek revenge.

Abigail shouldn’t have threatened her friends and other people of the village. According to The Crucible, “ Let either of you breathe a word about the other things, I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you (Miller 597)” In this scene Abigail is threatening Mercy Lewis and Mary Warren. She is threatening them to make sure they don’t speak a word about the actions that happened out in the woods. Instead of threats, Abigail could have let her friends tell the truth so madness wouldn’t have started. According to The Crucible, “Let you beware, Mr. Danforth. Think you are so mighty that the power of Hell may not turn your wits? Beware of it! (Miller 646)” Abigail is threatening Danforth by saying that he isn’t excluded by the Devil’s wrath. Alternatively she could have told the truth about the situation instead of making drama and threats. 

There are many ways that Abigail could have ended the hysteria but these are the main ways how. Hysteria is a common thing that happens amongst people but if it goes too far chaos will ensue, like the incidents of The Crucible.  Abigail was so sought of getting John Proctor that she turned the whole village into chaos and many people died due to this. If she would have told the truth and not threatened people things would have turned out a lot different.