The Crucible, by Arthur Miller provides a provoking story of how a young orphan by the name of Abigail Williams, uses her skills at manipulation and leadership to control a group of girls into falsely accusing many innocent people of witchcraft. This leads to the arrest and deaths of many people living in the village of Salem, Massachusetts. Abigail especially accuses the wife of John Proctor; a man she prior has a sexual affair with. Out of spite Abigail accuses Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft in hopes of reflourishing the relationship between John Proctor and her. Abigail uses the help of the girls to credit her accusations and gain influence over the court officials in their decision making on these accusations. Salem’s oppressive society against women,
…show more content…
As illustrated at the end of Act II of The Crucible, Elizabeth Proctor is taken away by Cheever because she has been accused of witchcraft by Abigail Williams. While Abigail had been eating dinner with the judges and other magistrates of the Salem courts, she pulls a long needle out of her stomach, asserting that Elizabeth had sent her spirit to stab her with it. Abigail claims that Elizabeth has a poppet that she uses as a voodoo doll and that they will find a needle in the poppet exactly where the needle is in Abigail’s stomach. Nonetheless, later that night Elizabeth Proctor is taken from her home on charges of witchcraft. Karen Bovard remarks in Women in Literature: Reading through the Lens of Gender that, “It is her genius at manipulation which propels the girls from a position of powerlessness to pinnacle of importance as "officials of the court"(60)”, (82). The girls consistent accusations brings them from a point of powerlessness to acquiring power equivalent to the court officials. They exert absolute power over a group of seemingly sensible mature
As illustrated at the end of Act II of The Crucible, Elizabeth Proctor is taken away by Cheever because she has been accused of witchcraft by Abigail Williams. While Abigail had been eating dinner with the judges and other magistrates of the Salem courts, she pulls a long needle out of her stomach, asserting that Elizabeth had sent her spirit to stab her with it. Abigail claims that Elizabeth has a poppet that she uses as a voodoo doll and that they will find a needle in the poppet exactly where the needle is in Abigail’s stomach. Nonetheless, later that night Elizabeth Proctor is taken from her home on charges of witchcraft. Karen Bovard remarks in Women in Literature: Reading through the Lens of Gender that, “It is her genius at manipulation which propels the girls from a position of powerlessness to pinnacle of importance as "officials of the court"(60)”, (82). The girls consistent accusations brings them from a point of powerlessness to acquiring power equivalent to the court officials. They exert absolute power over a group of seemingly sensible mature