Accusing Others is the Way Out
Millo Skhiri
Imagine living in a time where the people you know are being hung and hunted. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller The time is 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, and there is a witch hunt in progress; people are going around accusing each other with only having a little suspicion on a person. Characters charge their townsfolk of witchcraft to avoid being punished for their actions, and for their own gain.
In the beginning of the play, characters have suspicions that Abigail is taking part in witchcraft. Before the start of the play, Abigail was found chanting and dancing in the woods with others including Tituba, Betty, and more. Reverend Parris, who is Betty’s dad caught them and saw a horrible sight. Betty, his daughter, was seen passed out on the floor, and he brought her home. He called for help and townsfolk arrived. When they got there, they all gathered suspicions of the people that took part in the “witchcraft.” Abigail and Tituba debate who did witchcraft, saying, “Abigail: She comes to me every night to go drink blood! Tituba: You beg me to conjure! She beg me make charm- Abigail: Don’t lie! She comes to me while I sleep; she’s always making me dream corruptions” (pg. 44). Abigail knows the consequences of witchcraft, so she thinks quickly and blames Tituba, the Black slave of the Parris family. Ultimately, it was shown that Abigail deflected blame and suspicions onto Tituba for her own benefit.
Shortly after Abigail accuses Tituba, Betty wakes up from her “coma” and starts throwing blame. Betty starts listing names, “I saw George Jacobs with the Devil! I saw Goody Howe with the Devil!” (pg. 48). Later in the play, Miller reveals to us that Betty only fainted because she is scared of being caught by her dad, Reverend Parris. Knowing now that she faked it, we can see she was faking the whole situation, and so were the other women. When they were caught they blamed townsfolk for their to avoid punishment. Betty is only thinking of herself and her little ruse and clearly didn't notice what she creates.
Later in the play, Abigail throws the blame on Elizabeth Proctor for one specific reason, to get the man she loved. Abigail accuses Elizabeth of using poppets so Cheever goes to the Proctor residence to search the house for poppets Elizabeth could have in her possession. A poppet is like a voodoo doll; the only way to control someone with it is to have their blood on a needle in the doll’s body. Cheever arrives at the residence and talks with Proctor, “Cheever: Why, Abigail Williams charge her. Proctor: On what proof, what proof? Cheever: Mr. Proctor, I have little time. The court bid me search your house, but I like not to search a house. So will you hand me any poppets that your wife may keep here?” (pg. 73). In the beginning, we learn that Abigail and John Proctor are having a secret affair; John at the moment is “happily” married to Elizabeth. We were introduced to a rivalry between Abigail and Elizabeth because Elizabeth knew about the affair, so it wasn’t so secret after all. Abigail does whatever she has to obtain her lover. She accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft, so she would be imprisoned or die and she would get the man of her dreams. Abigail is once again accusing townsfolk of witchcraft for her own gain.
To avoid suspicion, characters in The Crucible accuse other townsfolk for their own gain, and to avoid punishment for their actions. After reading The Crucible someone can take away that people should always keep the outcomes of their actions in mind. A great example of this is when Abigail accuses Elizabeth of something false and could have gotten her killed. Lots of people got charged and multiple died. A reader can learn that blaming people is not the best way to handle a situation.
