Abigail Williams To Blame Essay
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a horrific event that occurred in Salem, Massachusetts. Women of all ages were accused of being a witch, and if they didn’t confess they would be put to death. The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, shows how neighbors would accuse each other for revenge. Although many might first blame Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris is responsible for the deaths in Salem.
In the first act, Reverend Parris pushes Abigail, his niece, to admit to conjuring spirits in the woods. In the beginning, he sees Abigail, Tituba, and other girls in the woods dancing, and he assumes that it was witchcraft. He confronts Abigail about the situation, and she denies all of it. Because of this, he uses guilt to push her into confessing. To illustrate, Parris states, “you have compromised my very character. I have given you a home, child, I have put clothes upon your back, now give me an upright answer!” (1027). From this, we know that he was using the fact that he looks over her in order to convince Abigail to confess to something she did not do. After this, he continues to threaten her and eventually forces her to confess. Parris explains, “for now my ministry’s at stake, my ministry and possibly …show more content…
Proctor avoids going to church, for the reason that Parris preaches about “hellfire and bloody damnation” (act 1). When Proctor says this, Parris starts to get very defensive, saying that he is the priest, therefore he is the “lord's man”. In act 1 of the Crucible, Reverend Parris states, “there is either obedience or the church will burn like hell is burning”(act 1). This means that if the people of Salem do not do as he says and respect him, the church will metaphorically go down in flames. He believes that just because he is the priest, everyone has to do all he says no matter what. Again, he brings up hell, it almost seems as if he talks more about hell than he talks about
In the first act, Reverend Parris pushes Abigail, his niece, to admit to conjuring spirits in the woods. In the beginning, he sees Abigail, Tituba, and other girls in the woods dancing, and he assumes that it was witchcraft. He confronts Abigail about the situation, and she denies all of it. Because of this, he uses guilt to push her into confessing. To illustrate, Parris states, “you have compromised my very character. I have given you a home, child, I have put clothes upon your back, now give me an upright answer!” (1027). From this, we know that he was using the fact that he looks over her in order to convince Abigail to confess to something she did not do. After this, he continues to threaten her and eventually forces her to confess. Parris explains, “for now my ministry’s at stake, my ministry and possibly …show more content…
Proctor avoids going to church, for the reason that Parris preaches about “hellfire and bloody damnation” (act 1). When Proctor says this, Parris starts to get very defensive, saying that he is the priest, therefore he is the “lord's man”. In act 1 of the Crucible, Reverend Parris states, “there is either obedience or the church will burn like hell is burning”(act 1). This means that if the people of Salem do not do as he says and respect him, the church will metaphorically go down in flames. He believes that just because he is the priest, everyone has to do all he says no matter what. Again, he brings up hell, it almost seems as if he talks more about hell than he talks about