The Crucible: Analysis of Themes and Symbols

The Crucible: Analysis of Themes and Symbols

3. a) Evil in the disguise of goodness

i) Abigail Williams denies ever seeing a dress lying on the grass after her uncle, Reverend Parris, had told her that he himself had witnessed someone running naked through the trees in the forest .

Abigail was amongst the many girls who were in the forest dancing when Mr. Parris arrived.

Abigail taunts Betty and even beat her after Betty had tells of what wrong Abigail had commited while in the forest that same night but had not confessed her act.

"Betty? Now, Betty, dear, wake up now. It's Abigail. I'll beat you, Betty! I talked to your papa and told him everything. (11)

Abigail drinks blood while in the forest as part of a ritual ceremony. The main goal for her drinking the blood was to set a charm upon John Proctor's wife, Elizabeth, in hope that it may kill her. Abigail plans to remove Elizabeth from being with John Proctor so that she may replace her for she loves John.

Betty quotes that Abigail has indeed drank blood.

"You drank blood, Abby! You didn't tell him that!" ... "You did, you did! You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife!' (19)

Abigail smashes Betty across the face and tells her to never repeat what she has spoken.

Therefore, earlier in the story Abigail shows how she can be persuasive and manipulative in displaying a false innocence but later shows her dark, evil and aggressive personality.

ii) Betty suddenly awakes from her deep sleep by possession of the devil. She lets out a deathly scream and clasps her ears to the sounds and mentioning of the lord's name in the hearing of a psalm.

Abigail: "She heard you singin' and suddenly she's up and screamin!" (24)

Mrs. Putnam: "The psalm! The psalm! She cannot bear to hear the Lord's name!" (24)

Betty's rebellious action in refusing to hear the Lord's name and anything Holy clearly proves that something evil has possessed her, an innocent being, which relates to the theme of evil in the disguise of good.

iii) Poppets are dolls that can be signified as cursed dolls. Dolls which could be used to harm others by terrorizing possessions and evil spirits.

A poppet/voodoo doll was found within John Proctors house where he claims he has never recalled it ever being in the house before.

Proctor: "Here now! Mary, how did this poppet come into my house?" (75)

Mr. Cheever finds a needle stuck within the poppet.

Cheever: "Why- it is a needle! Herrick, Herrick, it is a needle!" (74)

The needle signifies that it has been purposely placed in the poppet as a way to harm someone through witchcraft.

Mary warren confesses that she was the one that placed the needle but unintentionally to use against anyone and says that she had been sewing earlier that same day.

What Mary Warren did not know was that by her sticking the needle in the dolls abdomen, it had the same affect upon Abigail Williams that same night.

Rev. Hale: "Abigail were stabbed tonight; a needle were stuck into her belly-" (76)

Therefore, the voodoo doll even though it may look harmless but it has succeeded in inflicting harm upon a person and can be seen as a cursed threat.

iv) Giles Corey claims that Thomas Putnam is falsely accusing others of being possessed or have commited the crime of witchcraft. The reason for this Giles believes is that the accused will be trialed and if sent to jail or hanged, they forfeit their land and it is auctioned. Mr. Putnam is a wealthy man who is able to afford land and is accusing others so that he may do so.

Giles: "If Jacobs hangs for a witch he forfeit up his property- that's law! And there is none but Putnam with the coin to buy so great a piece. This man is killing his neighbours for their land!" (96)

Therefore, Thomas Putnam may seem like an ordinary person though he is well off but in real sense is claimed to be accusing innocent lives just so he can claim their land. He is murderous, greedy and a liar.

v) Abigail spots a yellow bird while in the courtroom amongst John Proctor and Mr. Danforth. The bird seems to be some sort of illusion Abby sees by her being possessed.

Abigail: "Why-? Why do you come, yellow bird?"

"My face? My face?" (114)

Abigail is in the state of possession of something evil and seems to cause her halucination.

Abigail: "Oh, Please, Mary! Don't come down."

"Mary, please don't hurt me!"(115)

"The wings! Her wings are spreading! Mary, please don't, don't - !"(117)

Therefore, the yellow bird is viewed by Abigail that poses as a threat and a disturbing spirit that is haunting her during the time she spent in the courtroom. The bird can be considered a form of evil through a creature that is morally good and is of God's creation.