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Dima Ana-Maria, Engleza-Spaniola, Anul III

Elizabeth Proctor vs Abigail Williams

Arthur Miller has been a great writer and he has proved it through his works like All my

sons, The death of a salesman and I think his great work remains The Cruciable, being a

story inspired by the true events that took place in the past and by his personal life because of

the accusations brought upon him, that he was a communist. And he has puten soul and heart

because it was inspired by what happened to him, but to be able to achieve this in the play

Miller had to change Abigail and John Proctors age and speaks little about all his characters, we

can only see them through the eyes of the other characters.

From reading more and more about both of them I realized their powerful will, even thou

they are so different from one another they have something in common, both are stubborn and

ready to go till the end to achieve it. But I think among all the characters the most cold blooded

and corrupted is Abigail Williams while Elizabeth Proctor portrays the devoted wife ready to

die, and also a loving mother.

At the beginning of the play Abigail seems to only defend herself but she is carried away

and she finds a way to get rid of her rival, because that what is Elizabeth to her a spine in her

way to John Proctor, and to achieve this she will also condemn other innocent people for her

own desires.

Even thou her uncle is a priest of the village she does not fear God or his punishment nor

she speaks about Him, or takes His word with fear or much less regret what she has done like in

the part were she says to one of the girls Speak nothin of it in the village, Susanna, we can

clearly see she feels no remorse of what she has done she only is frighten of her uncle and of

what he might do, not that God might punish her for what she has done. And her uncle I think is

the same he does not fear the punishment of Got, but of the people that judge him for

everything like in the part when he speaks to Abby, you do understand that that I have many

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enemies? and this seems kindve strange for a priest and at that moment he shouldve been

afraid of God, not of the humans that He has created, and also he should have pointed out his

nice and the others girls before the town and punish them, and by not doing this, he becomes

as guilty as them, because he could have stopped them. She even acts like an grown up woman

ready to defend herself from a wife, with more rights then her and thinking She hates, me

uncle, she must.. Its a bitter woman, a lying, cold, sniveling woman its like she speaks and

describes herself in stead, but Abigail has a big pride I will not black my face for any of them!

and with a temper even grater, My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name

is soiled! knowing this wasnt true. Because this anger she feels towards Goody Proctor is seen

from the start because she was sow in love with John Proctor and she wouldve done anything

to get rid of her, even drink blood from an animal whishing for her death, one of the girls says it

aut laud, You drank blood Abby! ... You drank a charm to kill John Proctors wife!. But we

have to understand because she is a woman in love and it is said that one commits many

mistakes in that state, but hers seem irreparable because she even lies to John Proctor and she

feels no remorse in it. This shows that her love is egoist not pure and she even wants him to

leave his wife and children so that they can be together, and I think this hope is shattered in to

pieces when he tells her Ill not be coming for you more and she becomes even more filed

with anger when he defends his wife Youll speak nothin of Elizabeth! and the jealousy of heris filled up this part.

In act two we can finally see Elizabeth Proctor, and from the start she is described to us, as

having a soft voice and taking care of her children, she is a good woman that loves her husband

even knowing that he has been unfaithful to her, she remains by his side and defends him. But

that night her heart could feel that John had seen Abigail, again, and she kept quiet and didnt

say a word about it, she just served him his dinner. But when she caught him with the lie and

confronted him, You were alone with her Why, then, its not as you told me, this sowing

that she paid attention to every word he said.

Even thou she is a good woman she has pride, but not as much as Abby, and she tries not

to be step on, John if it were Abigail that you must go to just, would you falter now? I think

not and she does not stop until she finally says her mind, I see what I see, John, and even

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thou he defended her, before Abby, he speaks different now of her, showing a different side,

like an woman not capable of forgiveness Spare me! You forget nothin and forgive nothin.

Learn charity Woman. And in that moment, saying to her such hurtful words he doesnt realize

haw much he has hurten her, because for a woman who loves her husband is not easy to

accept his infidelity and much less if she ends up being the guilty one, by not being able to

forget, but she couldnt because all he was doing, was to remained her of his betrayal. She even

seems nave, when Mary Waren gives her the doll knowing of her involvement in the

accusations brought upon her neighbours by worshiping the devil, and she doesnt suspect a

thing, or questions the gift, she just accepts it, Why thank you its a fair poppet, and by

receiving it she condemns herself, by falling in Abigails trap.

Abigail Williams fights to destroy Elizabeth, she on the other hand fights to protect her

family even knowing that she will die, she is not afraid and defends her husband till the end,

while Abby abandoned him and ends up as a prostitute, and I think she chooses this life

because she is not afraid of the punishment of God.

But they also have something in common, the love they both feel for John Proctor, which is

also the reason that drives them to act the way they do. Even sow this feeling doesnt justifies

Abbys crucial acts against her neighbours, just to get revenge of them for rejecting her, and

the fact that she abandoned John also sows that her love wasnt that big, while Elizabeth isprepared to die with him. And her heart is broken with his death, the only good she sees is that

she had her last moment with him, sow she understands his decision, He has his Goodness

now. God forbid I take it from him.

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Bibliography:

1. The Cruciable by Arthur Miller.