In The Crucible, Abigail Williams emerges as an enigma and a powerful symbol.
Abigail uncompromisingly maneuvers through the dense scape of fear, suspicion, and lies gripping Salem during its infamous witch trials.
Beautiful, cunning, and notoriously manipulative, Abigail becomes a pivotal figure within this dramatic narrative.
Her actions reflect more than just personal misgivings or misdemeanors; they encapsulate the essence of a community struggling with identity, morality, and self-expression.
The Crucible Quotes With Page Numbers
Abigail Williams Character Analysis
In Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” Abigail Williams is a complex and manipulative character driven by self-preservation and revenge.
She initially capitalizes on the town’s mass hysteria around witchcraft to deflect blame from herself by accusing other villagers.
This is seen when she adamantly denies conjuring spirits and accuses John Proctor of being a ‘gossiping liar’ to maintain her image.
She even threatens others with a “pointy reckoning” if they dare share the truth, swearing her capability based on her traumatic experiences.
Her manipulative nature extends to her relationships, particularly with John Proctor, whom she passionately desires. She often resorts to emotional blackmail and manipulation to get John’s attention, expressing her undying love and constantly reminding him of their past affair.
Abigail isn’t above using her newfound authority ruthlessly for personal gains. From claiming divine inspiration to detect “the Devil’s people” to threatening influential figures like Mr. Danforth, Abigail subtly weaponizes fear.
Despite being bound by the stern principles of Puritan society, Abigail Williams’ suppressed desires are reflected through her rebellious statement, “A wild thing may say wild things.”
This allusion shows her craving for freedom and her longing for a love that’s forbidden in her society.
All these actions point to her strategic intellect, embittered personality, and desperate need for control.
Abigail Williams Quotes Act 1
“Uncle, we did dance; let you tell them I confessed it—and I’ll be whipped if I must be. But they’re speakin’ of witchcraft. Betty’s not witched.”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail, Act One, Page 9
“Abigail: But we never conjured spirits.
Parris: Then why can she not move herself since midnight? This child is desperate!… Let me know what you done there. Abigail, do you understand that I have many enemies? ”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail, Act One, Page 10
“There be no blush about my name…[Elizabeth Proctor] hates me, uncle, she must, for I would not be her slave. It’s a bitter woman, a lying, cold, sniveling woman, and I will not work for such a woman!”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail, Act One, Page 11
“My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail, Act One, Page 12
“Now look you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam’s dead sisters. And that is all. And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail, Act One, Page 19
“Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it; I saw Indians smash my dear parents’ heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down!”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail, Act One, Page 19
“Give me a word, John. A soft word. Her concentrated desire destroys his smile.”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail, Act One, Page 21
“A wild thing may say wild things.”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail, Act One, Page 21
“I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near! Or did I dream that? It’s she put me out, you cannot pretend it were you. I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved me then and you do now!”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail, Act One, Page 21
“I cannot sleep for dreaming; I cannot dream but I wake and walk about the house as though I’d find you comin’ through the door.”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail, Act One, Page 22
“I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? I will not, I cannot! You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail, Act One, Page 22
“I want to open myself. … I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus. I danced for the Devil; I saw him, I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil. I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil. I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail, Act One, Page 22
Abigail Williams Act 2 Quotes
“Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God’s fingers?”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, John Proctor about Abigail Williams, Act Two, Page 51
Abigail Williams Act 3 Quotes
“I don’t my duty pointing out the Devil’s people—and this is my reward? To be mistrusted, denied, questioned like a –”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail Williams, Act Three, Page 100
“I have been hurt, Mr. Danforth; I have seen my blood runnin’ out! I have been near to murdered every day because I done my duty pointing out the Devil’s people – and this is my reward? To be mistrusted, denied, questioned like a – Let you beware, Mr. Danforth. Think you to be so mighty that the power of Hell may not turn your wits? Beware of it! There is – I – I know not. A wind, a cold wind, has come.”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail Williams, Act Three, Page 102
What are Abigail’s threatening quotes in The Crucible?
“Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it; I saw Indians smash my dear parents’ heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down!”
~Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Abigail, Page 19
What are 5 words that describe Abigail Williams?
- Abigail Williams can be described as manipulative, as shown by her attempts to control others through fear and deception.
- She is also vengeful, seeking to retaliate against those who have wronged her in her perspective.
- Ambitious, she is unafraid to go to great lengths to achieve her aims.
- Abigail is also seductive, using her allure to manipulate John Proctor.
- Lastly, she is deceptive, especially when she falsely accuses others of witchcraft to save herself.
What does Abigail symbolize in The Crucible?
In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Abigail Williams symbolizes Puritan women’s repressed desires and dissatisfaction. She uses her beauty, cunning, and manipulative traits to gain the trust, attention, and power of the townspeople that many women of her time aspire for.
Abigail’s character embodies the hidden defiance, unfulfilled wants, and manipulative potential within the repressed women of Puritan society.
What is Abigail jealous of?
Abigail Williams is jealous of Elizabeth Proctor’s marriage to John Proctor. This jealousy stems from her affair with John and her continuing desire to be with him, leading her to orchestrate Elizabeth’s accusation and arrest for witchcraft.
Who did Abigail accuse of witchcraft?
Abigail Williams, a character in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” accused Tituba of witchcraft. Additionally, Abigail and her friend Betty falsely accused several other townspeople of practicing witchcraft.