It seems that Abbigal refuses to believe that Proctor had no intention of leaving his wife for her. He gave her only the promise that a stallion gives a mare. Unfortunately, this left Abby feeling jilted and desiring vengeance. Due to the religious climate of the times, it is easy for the town to succomb to hysteria. Abby’s tales of spirits being sent out seem credible and John Proctor is an easy target and victim because of a minor indescretion. The children are indeed rattling the keys to the kingdom in this play and the townspeople are buying their stories.
Posted in Proctor as Victim September 9, 2008
It is my opinion that Abby is the victim in this play despite the fact that hysteria overtakes her in court in Act III. At the beginng of the play, Abby is merely a girl clowning around in the woods and drinking charms to make her beloved return her affections. When he ends their relationship, she states that John Proctor, put knowledge into herheart and showed her what pretense Salem was. Unfortunately, Abby’s innocence is lost and she’s tossed out of the metaphorical garden of Eden. Abby can never tear the light of Salem’s hypocrisy out of her eyes. The metaphorical tree of knowledge has been eaten from, but we must ask who handed Abby the apple? It is unfortunate that Proctor exposed this world of false Christian men and women to Abby because now she can’t return to her edenic/innocent state. It is this knowledge that intensifies Abby’s paranoia, and her desire for vengeance. Proctor is the catalyst and therefore leads the people of Salem to their greatest downfall.
Posted in Abbigail as Victim Tagged: He gave her the apple afterall September 9, 2008
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Posted in Blogging Issues September 8, 2008
