Who Is The Protagonist In The Crucible

There are many riveting characters in The Crucible by Arthur Miller; Abigail Williams being one of them. Abigail is a fast, lying, and a cunning girl. She is promiscuous as in fast because she has been seeking John Proctor's love and expressing her love for him since they had a one night affair. She says "Give me a word John a soft word" (Miller, 1953, p.1219). John seems to not feel the same way towards her as she feels toward him, so he pulls away. Despite John's feelings she continues to pursue him. Most if not all Abigail's actions have revolved around her love for John Proctor. Everything she has done was to not let their secret affair get out and for her and John to be together. Abigail's skill of being a liar is shown in the beginning of the play. Uncle Reverend Parris caught Abigail doing witchcraft in the woods, but instead she lies about it. She says, "We did dance, uncle, and when you leaped out of the bush so suddenly, Betty was frightened and then she fainted. And there's the whole of it" (Miller, 1953, p. 1219). Wanting to avoid getting in trouble and wanting to make other people responsible for what she has done, Abigail lies. Likewise she is a cunning person when it comes to Elizabeth Proctor. Elizabeth is John Proctors wife, who Abigail sees as the wall in between John and her. So she decided to do something about it
The conflict is about the conspiracy of witchcraft in the woods of Salem, Massachusetts. Reverend Parris caught Abigail, Betty, and other girls dancing naked in the woods, which to him appeared to be witchcraft. Abigail and Betty come up with a plan to deny it all and avoid their punishment. They shift the focus to others by accusing them of witchcraft and this does nothing, but intensifies the problem. This conflict seems to bring out the lying, cunning, and fast ways about her. Basically bringing out the worst of her, but it is all for herself