Background
Abigail's parents were killed by Native Americans while they were sleeping. According to her, she saw, "... Indians smash my dear parents' heads on the pillow next to mine." Apparently, it scarred her and was a reason for her cunning and twisted personality. She went to live with her uncle, Reverend Samuel Parris, and his daughter. She developed a relationship with a farmer, John Proctor, while in Salem, the town they lived in. Abigail was ruthless and would always manage to get others in trouble for what she did. One day, Reverend Parris caught her and her friends attempting to summon spirits to kill Elizabeth Proctor, John's wife. Abigail would let loose a bizarre set of excuses to cover up for what she had done. By the end of the Salem Witch Trials, about a dozen people were hanged for witchcraft, including John Proctor, who sacrificed himself for the truth.
Abigail's parents were killed by Native Americans while they were sleeping. According to her, she saw, "... Indians smash my dear parents' heads on the pillow next to mine." Apparently, it scarred her and was a reason for her cunning and twisted personality. She went to live with her uncle, Reverend Samuel Parris, and his daughter. She developed a relationship with a farmer, John Proctor, while in Salem, the town they lived in. Abigail was ruthless and would always manage to get others in trouble for what she did. One day, Reverend Parris caught her and her friends attempting to summon spirits to kill Elizabeth Proctor, John's wife. Abigail would let loose a bizarre set of excuses to cover up for what she had done. By the end of the Salem Witch Trials, about a dozen people were hanged for witchcraft, including John Proctor, who sacrificed himself for the truth.
Examples
Throughout the novel, Abigail concocts countless lies, most of them ridiculous and unbelievable. Her first lie, which started it all, was that Tituba forced them into committing witchcraft, when she was truly responsible for it. She then set off a chain of lies, with Tituba saying that she was controlled by the devil, leading to more lies on her part and Mary Warren as well. Due to her lies, almost a dozen people were forced to suffer death even though they were innocent. "I am but God's finger, John. If he would condemn Elizabeth, she will be condemned." ~Abigail Williams |
Effects
Because of Abigail's lies, she caused many people to be hanged unjustly. Even the two most prestigious, revered, and pure-hearted citizens of Salem, John Proctor and Nurse Rebecca, were put to death solely by Abigail's claim. Abigail even plowed through her feelings for John Proctor just to save her own miserable life. Not only this, she contaminated the minds of the entire Salem community, giving them the impression that witchcraft was an a actual, legitimate concept. They would doubt future generations as well for decades to come. Though she caused such a big ripple in her own community, she had to face the consequences for her actions, spending the rest of her life as a lonely prostitute in New York. This shows that when the power of words is misused, it can prove disastrous for those involved.
Because of Abigail's lies, she caused many people to be hanged unjustly. Even the two most prestigious, revered, and pure-hearted citizens of Salem, John Proctor and Nurse Rebecca, were put to death solely by Abigail's claim. Abigail even plowed through her feelings for John Proctor just to save her own miserable life. Not only this, she contaminated the minds of the entire Salem community, giving them the impression that witchcraft was an a actual, legitimate concept. They would doubt future generations as well for decades to come. Though she caused such a big ripple in her own community, she had to face the consequences for her actions, spending the rest of her life as a lonely prostitute in New York. This shows that when the power of words is misused, it can prove disastrous for those involved.
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Abigail finally starts to realizes the gravity of her actions <---------- |