‘Abigail Williams is the most important character in The Crucible, whether she is on stage, or not.’ Discuss this statement, with reference to language, structure and dramatic devices. The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller, and is about the persecution of persons falsely accused of being witches in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692, based on a true story. Many people died in villages after a series of lies and unjust practices, which is the core foundation of the play, the illusory untruth and the dishonesty of sly females to their male counterparts, and in some extent to other females; trying avoid the unmerited punishment of execution. Abigail Williams, after having had an affair with a married man named John Proctor,
For example, “I have been hurt Mr. Dan forth, I have seen my blood runnin ‘out! I have been near to murdered every day – and this reward! To be mistrusted … “(Abigail Williams, 70). That Abigail said to Danforth, and is significant because Abigail threatening him who falls for it. Also Abigail say Danforth is tainted by devil and not her.
When Abigail cries for heaven, Proctor is infruriated and grabs her by the hair: " Whore! Whore!" He realises he must confess his sin of lechery. Any respect he had would diminish so we see how far he is willing to go. Shame-faced, he tells the judges: " I have known her."
A crucible represents the events in the town because it suggests how the town is boiling due to all the incidences going on within the society and how the court is trying to purify Salem of witchcraft and evil. The poppet represents the witchcraft within the play, because these types of dolls are connected to voodoo and other superstitious deeds that the Puritans considered evil. As it was found in the hands of the accused Elizabeth Proctor, they immediately concluded she was associated with witchcraft, this is obvious when Ezekiel Cheever says “’Tis hard proof! I find here a poppet Goody Proctor keeps.” When Abigail accuses Mary Warren of sending her spirit out to harm her in the church, Abigail uses the symbol of a bird and relates it to evil when she says “Why do you come, yellow bird?” Throughout history, bird
The matter it is based on dates back to the 1600’s and is readily identifiable to the Salem witch trials. During this period in history, women were accused of being witches for the most ludicrous reasons, and were burned at the stake. The statement Van Allsburg is making by relating his plot to something so historic is to intensify his message that we should learn from the mistakes made by others throughout history and improve from them. As opposed to just moving around in circles, in the much worn footsteps of others. The composer is communicating his belief that while human beings claim to be educated, just and accepting, we can sometimes be quite the opposite.
The Crucible: A Test of One’s Morals The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play based around the witch trials of 1692. Throughout the story, many characters are at crossroads with themselves, questioning their own beliefs. The word “crucible” also means a “severe moral test”, which most characters go through at some point in the play. The most prominent situations in which crucibles are present include the situations of Abigail Williams, John Proctor, and Reverend Hale. The task Abigail has to complete is to continue to pretend to see the devil.
Throughout the entire play, Abigail Williams uses her good name to control Salem by accusing people of witchcraft, which results in the deaths of many people in the town. After witnessing Tituba confess to Reverend Hale, Abigail confesses “I saw Sarah Good with the devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the devil!” (Miller 189). Abigail realizes that by giving the names of people she saw with the devil she can control Salem because she has a good name and people will listen to her.
I personally have experienced a witch hunt, which had gradually stalked its way into my life as the courts had done to idealized characters Taul, 2 such as Rebecca and Proctor. In my situation, I had done something with “friends” that I could not take back, and the truth, receiving punishment in itself, was nothing compared to the punishment my mind would torture me with upon the utterance of a lie. I could easily make the reference to the character Dimmesdale in Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter. His truth would hurt
Such an atmosphere is always indicated with evil. Therefore the audience is given some indication that the evidence of play was also be tragic. The three witches have enter, there were various prediction regarding the role of the witches in the play. Amongst most commonly discussed theory it is believed that the witches are symbolic representation of the evil in the world. Another theory suggest that the function of the witches is to act as a symbolic representation of the evil in man's mind.
Andrew Davies purposely used that technique to mirror Shakespeare’s thematic technique to create similar effect. I also noticed that the positioning of the character is quite interesting, in every conversation between Jago and Othello, Jago is always the one in higher position. This aims to symbolise Jago’s power, control and manipulation over Othello. This also gives an imagery of Jago being the puppet master who controls everything behind the scene. Shakespeare’s Othello is a tragedy so it is most crucial that the adaptation keeps the important aspects which make the play what it is.