Abigail Williams Character Analysis in The Crucible

The 17-year-old niece of Reverend Parris. Marauding Native Americans killed Abigail's parents when Abigail was young. While a servant in John Proctor's household, Abigail briefly became John's lover before Elizabeth found out and fired her. Abigail is beautiful, intelligent, crafty, and vindictive. She's also a skillful liar. She is the leader of her group of girlfriends and is willing to do anything to protect herself.

Abigail Williams Quotes in The Crucible

The The Crucible quotes below are all either spoken by Abigail Williams or refer to Abigail Williams. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? I will not, I cannot! You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 22

Explanation and Analysis:

I want to open myself! . . . I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for the Devil; I saw him, I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 45

Explanation and Analysis:

A man may think God sleeps, but God sees everything, I know it now. I beg you, sir, I beg you—see her what she is . . . She thinks to dance with me on my wife's grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a whore's vengeance.

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 102

Explanation and Analysis:

Abigail Williams Character Timeline in The Crucible

The timeline below shows where the character Abigail Williams appears in The Crucible. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...Parris, her father and the minister of the Massachusetts town of Salem, his 17-year-old niece Abigail Williams, and his slave Tituba. When Tituba asks if Betty will be all right, Parris... (full context)

...Reverend Hale from the nearby town of Beverly to come investigate. As Susanna leaves, both Abigail and Parris caution her to keep quiet about what she's seen. (full context)

Abigail tells Parris about rumors that witchcraft caused Betty's faint: a crowd has already gathered downstairs... (full context)

...he should say he discovered his daughter and niece dancing "like heathen[s]" in the forest. Abigail admits they danced, but says that's all they did. Parris says that if the girls... (full context)

Abigail insists there was no witchcraft, but Parris says he saw Tituba chanting over a cauldron.... (full context)

Parris asks Abigail why Elizabeth Proctor dismissed her from her job as an assistant in the Proctor household... (full context)

Parris turns to Abigail, who admits Ruth and Tituba conjured spirits, but insists she wasn't involved. (full context)

Mercy Lewis, the Putnam's servant, enters with word that Ruth has improved slightly. Putnam and Abigail convince Parris he should speak to the crowd gathered downstairs. Parris agrees to lead them... (full context)

When Mercy and Abigail are alone, Abigail tries desperately to wake Betty. At the same time she and Mercy... (full context)

Betty suddenly wakes and huddles against the wall, calling for her dead mother. Abigail tells Betty not to worry because she told Parris everything. But Betty says Abigail didn't... (full context)

When he's alone with Abigail, Proctor mentions the town's rumors of witchcraft. Abigail dismisses them, steps closer to Proctor, and... (full context)

Betty doesn't respond to Hale's question, so he turns to Abigail. She repeats that they were only dancing. When Parris mentions he saw them dancing around... (full context)

Troubled, Hale asks Abigail if she conjured the devil. Abigail says Tituba did. As Mrs. Putnam goes to get... (full context)

Tituba responds that Abigail begged her to conjure. But Abigail says Tituba often "sends her spirit out" and makes... (full context)

Suddenly Abigail stands up and shouts that she too wants to confess, to return to God. She... (full context)

...be hanged unless they confess. Proctor can't believe it, but Elizabeth assures him it's true: Abigail leads the other girls in identifying witches. She urges a resistant Proctor to go to... (full context)

...push Proctor to go to the judges, it comes out that he was alone with Abigail at Parris's house. Proctor had left that part out when he told Elizabeth the story... (full context)

Proctor and Elizabeth know Abigail is behind the accusation. Elizabeth says Abigail wants to replace her as Proctor's wife. She... (full context)

Just as Hale is about to leave, Elizabeth persuades Proctor to speak up about Abigail. The news shakes Hale, who points out that many have confessed. Proctor counters by pointing... (full context)

...get Mary to explain, Cheever discovers a needle stuck in the poppet's belly—just that night Abigail fell screaming to the floor, and a needle was discovered stuck into her skin. Abigail... (full context)

When they're alone, Proctor tells Mary she will testify against Abigail in court tomorrow. Mary says that Abigail will charge Proctor with lechery (excessive and indulgent... (full context)

...Danforth that the other girls are lying. The girls are brought out to face Mary. Abigail denies the charge, but Proctor says Abigail has often laughed at prayer, and that Abigail... (full context)

Danforth seems to believe Mary and turns back to question Abigail, but Abigail suddenly shudders and claims to feel a cold wind. The other girls follow... (full context)

...and to make no signs of any sort. When Elizabeth enters, Danforth asks her whether Abigail and Proctor had an affair. Elizabeth hesitates, agonizing, then says no. As she's being led... (full context)

Abigail screams again that Mary's spirit is attacking her. The girls start repeating whatever Mary says.... (full context)

After a moment's indecision, Parris reveals that Abigail robbed him of thirty-one pounds and then ran off with Mercy Lewis. He thinks they... (full context)

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Abigail Williams Character Analysis

Abigail Williams Quotes in The Crucible

Abigail Williams Character Timeline in The Crucible

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