Abigail William’s Manipulation

“Pride is a mask we make of our faults” states the Hebrew Proverb Quotes. In the play, The Crucible, Arthur Miller instills a sense of pride in his main characters, including Abigail Williams, who is too proud to admit her wrong ways. People around the world, of all cultures, have a sense of pride in them which an individual must adhere to, to keep his /her self-respect. The dishonesty and possessiveness of Abigail Williams emphasizes that pride can drive the mind to manipulate others even if it is unjust. Abigail Williams is introduced as an extremely beautiful girl with an ability to disguise her emotions and she uses this pretence to manipulate the various members of the community like Reverend Parris and Mary Warren. Abigail is introduced as having “endless capacity for dissembling. Now she is all worry, apprehension and propriety” (Miller, I.30-31). Her “capacity of dissembling” indicates that she often conceals herself behind a false mask, hiding her true intentions. When the author uses the word “Now” he indicates that at this moment she is feeling “worry, apprehension and propriety” but it could change later on. Her ability to change her emotions shows that she can put with up false pretences in order to stop the person from reading her and understanding her true intentions. Abigail pretends as though a spirit has come on her when “[she] is looking about in the air, clasping her arms as though cold” (III.802-803). Other girls follow her charade. They all blame Mary Warren for this ‘witchery’ who is “terrified, pleading”. Mary soon realizes that she cannot win and claims “[Proctor is] the Devil’s man” (III.108-109). Abigail’s manipulation of the girls deceives the court by shifting the blame away from her and towards Mary Warren. Abigail’s false charade shows that she holds enough power to make others follow her in her dishonesty, even if it is considered a “sin”. As Reverend Hale questions Abigail if “Tituba ask[ed] [her] to drink [a charm]” (I.897),