The Puritans were a group of very religious people who travelled to the Americas to escape religious persecution. Their religion was heavily focused on the fear of Hell and sinning. This fear lead to the Salem Witchcraft Trials. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller many women portray different roles. In the play, Abigail Williams, Mary Warren, and Elizabeth Proctor all portray the difference in the treatment of women during that time. Abigail Williams is treated with more respect than the other two woman, because she was the first girl to to lie and give up the names of other people she claimed she saw with the Devil. Abigail was the niece of Reverend Parris who was the priest in Salem during the time of the witchcraft trials and was highly respected. Reverend Parris had been raising Abigail ever since her parents died when she was young. Abigail is confronted by Reverend Parris as to why she was dismissed from her nanning job with the Proctor’s. Abigail in this moment becomes very defensive and blames her release on the fact that the mother of the kids that she nannied for demanded that Abigail …show more content…
Elizabeth Proctor was the wife of John Proctor, and discovered the affair between John and Abigail. In the beginning of the play while all the girls are dancing in the woods with Tituba, Abigail drinks a potion to kill Elizabeth, when all the girls are together in Abigail's house, Betty says “you did, you did! You drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!” (Miller 919). Abigail tries to kill Elizabeth so that her and John can be together, this is the first time Abigail really threatens Elizabeth. Abigail accuses Elizabeth Proctor of being a witch multiple times throughout the play. Finally, Abigail stabs herself in the chest with a needle and claims that Elizabeth sent out her spirit and that Elizabeth’s spirit jabbed it into