The Crucible #5

"And why not, if they must hang for denyin' it? There are them that will swear to anything before they'll hang"(Miller 69)

Proctor is the only one who is approaching the situation with logic. He, unlike the rest of the town, needs facts and evidence in order to determine whether or not someone is a witch. He knows that people will admit to anything out of fear, so the confessions of the women mean nothing to him. He perhaps looks at the witch-hunt as a cruel sort of sport for the town, as they have no other way to amuse themselves. One must wonder if his disapproval of the situation is only directed at the stupidity of others.

Cheever:"...The girl, the Willaims girl, Abigail Williams, sir. She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris' house tonight, and without word nor warning' she falls to the floor. Like a struck beast, he says, and screamed a scream that a bull would weep to hear. and he goes to save her, and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out. And demandin' of her how she came to be so stabbed, she...-testify it were your wife's familiar spirit pushed it in"(74).

I have to admit, that was genius. If there was any doubt as to the existence of a plot against Elizabeth earlier, it has been destroyed by now. It is now clear that Elizabeth's fears were not unwarented. Abigail used the ignorance of the town to her advantage, finding a way to get rid of Elizabeth once and for all. Abilgail had knowledge of the poppet's creation, and knew that the moment it was in Elizabeth's possession Elizabeth's fate would be set. All Abagail needed to do was stab herself with a needle and claim it was the work of Elizabeth. By her involvement in this it makes me wonder if Mary getting anything out of the plot.