Examples Of Abigail's Motives In The Crucible

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The play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, consisted of a series of witchcraft trials that took place in Salem during the seventeenth century. Many were put on trial due to insufficient evidence and they could not do anything about it because the courts mindset was witch against victim. The characters in, The Crucible, were motivate to falsely accuse their neighbors of witchcraft for manipulative and malevolent reasons. Abigail’s motives were evil and selfish. Thomas Putnam’s bitterness drove him to accuse witches. Lastly, Mary Warren was scared and coerced which forced her to do this. The characters lied to the court which resulted in imprisonment of many as well as death. Abigail falsely accuses others because she is evil and selfish. Abigail began the witchcraft trials so she would not get into trouble. This is exposed in Act I when Abigail and girls were found in the woods dancing naked around a kettle. Reverend Parris discovered them doing this, however, did not tell anyone of that night until later on in the play. Betty becomes “bewitched” from that night and when John Hale, a Reverend and witchcraft expert, comes to examine her Abigail admits to dancing in the woods, but not to conjuring spirits. The girl start naming names of witches to revert the attention from them and unto …show more content…
The characters falsely accused their neighbors of witchcraft for malevolent and manipulative reasons. This set the witchcraft trials into motion and panic and fear flooded Salem and its residents. In conclusion, the character Abigail was evil and selfish and accused others for her own benefit. Thomas Putnam was begrudging because of how Salem, his fathers will, and personal issues treated him and his family. Marry Warren was scared and coerced because Abigail was a prominent figure that intimidated her. All this lead to the deaths of innocent people, which will forever be remembered in history because it left a scar on Salem,