Abigail+Williams

Abigail Williams

(1) Abagail represents the philosophy of egoism in the play as she accuses others of witchcraft, lies about being attacked, and flees Salem leaving the mess that she created.

"Abagail: I never sold myself! I'm a good girl! I'm a proper girl!...She made me do it! She made Betty do it!...She made me drink blood!"(40-41, Act One)

"Abagail: Oh, Mary, this is a black art to change your shape. No, I cannot, I cannot stop my mouth; it's God's work I do...Oh, please, Mary! Don't come down"(107, Act Three)

"Parris: There is news, sir, that the court-- the court must reckon with. My niece, sir, my niece-- I believe she has vanished...I think they aboard a ship. My daughter tells me how she heard them speaking of ships last week, and tonight I discover my--my strongbox is broke into."(116-117, Act Four)

(3) Abagail had answered the essential question with her decision at the end of the play. This decision was to leave Salem along with the situation she had created through a series of lies. Abagail wanted to live rather than maintain her personal integrity which why she left in the end.