Crucible- Abigail Williams Essay Example for Free

Crucible- Abigail Williams Essay Due to our nature, the human race will do astonishing things in the name of love and fear. Abigail Williams in â€Å"The Crucible† is a fantastic example of this. Not only are her actions absurd to try and gain John Proctor’s whole hearted affection, who was her lover, but also to gain submission of an ample portion of Salem due to fear. A large part of the submissiveness was gained by her ability to manipulate others, especially those she knows well. She starts the fire of hatred, for witches and the townspeople, within Salem. The fuel was already there; all that was needed was the last spark to get the flame going. Abigail was this spark, created by her insatiable lust for John Proctor. She instigated the witch trials, and used the produced hysteria in an attempt at personal gain, using a step by step plan. This plan developed through the play, feeding Abigail’s ambition and power. Step 1. Manipulate the town’s girls into doing witchcraft in the woods. Abigail convinced some of the teenage girls in Salem to join her in the woods. Being unmarried teenage women in this time period, they had little to do, minimal social status, and undoubtedly yearned for adventure. There were only two people lower than them in status, and that would be Abigail and Tituba because Abigail was an orphan, and Tituba a black slave. She convinced Tituba, to sing songs from Barbados about witchcraft. Abby then persuaded Ruth Putnam to believe that Tituba would be able to conjure up the spirits of her dead siblings. If it worked then she could bring to light the mystery behind all of her dead siblings. In getting others to do it with her, she will not be the only one to be punished, therefore spreading the blame across many, and if caught the blame could be transferred to the one with the least status, the slave- relieving Abby of punishment. Step 2. Drink a potion to acquire John. While in the woods Abigail drank a charm in an attempt to kill Mrs. Proctor, which in her eyes is the only person between her and John. â€Å"You drank blood, Abby! You didn’t tell him that!† (Betty, A.1, p.1244). This quote begins to give the reader an idea of what Abigail will do to gain Proctor. It would take quite a drive for someone to willingly drink blood, and in drinking it, wish death upon another person. This was a very Puritan society, and all of her actions would be looked down upon by the townspeople. First she entered the forest (the place of the Devil), then she danced (unacceptable for women of that age), then she drank a charm of blood (not accepted by society), and lastly in drinking that charm she is wishing ill upon her ‘neighbor’ which is going against one of the Commandments. The Bible was the law at the time, and going against its foundation was disgraceful. Step 3. When discovered, blame Tituba. When Abigail is being questioned by Parris, the day after being caught, about the girls’ doings in the woods, she gives away little. She reveals â€Å"We did dance, uncle, and when you leaped out of the bush so suddenly, Betty was frightened and then she fainted. And there’s the whole of it.†(Abigail, A.1, p.1238). This sentence shows an insight to Abby’s manipulative power over Parris. Fainting from fright from being caught by her father doing an illegal activity could be an explanation for Betty’s inactivity. Abigail admits to what he saw, but makes it hard for him to push the question further when she says the finalized statement ‘there’s the whole of it’. The affirmation also denies any other doings, saying the girls are innocent. Parris then grasps at another chance to question Abby, this time about possible rumors of her in the town. She skillfully maneuvers around the interrogation, and then is saved by the entrance of Mrs . Putnam. Goody Putnam reveals her and her daughter (Ruth)’s desires to figure out what caused her children to die in infancy. Step 4. Exploit Tituba’s weaknesses, while hiding behind lies. When questioned Abigail turns the accusation to Tituba saying she was alone in conjuring the spirits of Ruth’s siblings. This brings the pressure off of Abigail and onto two other people. She can then sink into the background, becoming invisible while Parris and Hale interrogate Tituba. Tituba is the unhappy slave, with witchery songs, low status, and desiring to be free and return home. Due to this, Parris and Hale break Tituba down till she admits to contracting with the devil. In a frenzy to bring pressure off herself and avoid hanging, Tituba then goes on to state names of women in the community. Sarah Good and Goody Osburn are first. Then Abigail stands up from the shadows seizing the chance of being able to accuse people and bring the attention to her in a positive way by saying â€Å"I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus! I dance 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!† (Abigail, A.1, p.1263). These exclamations go against what she has previously sworn, yet no one seems to notice anything besides her confession and the names she says. Abby repeated the names Tituba already said, along with another, therefore strengthening the accusations while playing on the slave’s incompetence of missing one of the people, which strengthens her own position. Step 5. Use newfound status to demolish those who oppose her. Since there are so many people being accused, the town gets an aura of being unsafe and corrupt by the Devil. This causes the accused to accuse others, from old rivalries and suddenly having a chance to comeback, or from being interrogated till they give up names, multiplying the numbers, while they also believe the accusations out of fear. Fear of being accused, of being witched, or of getting hung for disbelieving the court and the Bible. In Act II sixteen people had warrants sent out for their capture. Abigail continuously accuses people who confess, adding to her credibility. She also has fainting incidents, trances, and other public displays which she credits to others using demonic powers on her, sending the message that she is an innocent orphan being harmed by the Devil because she is standing against him. This helps her gain pity, and brings more citizens to her side. An example is when Mary Warren tries to testify against Abigail, Mercy, and Susanna. The girls exclaim that Mary has sent her spirit out in a wind to make them cold. This is proven by their exclamations. Mercy: â€Å"Mary, do you send this shadow on me?† Susanna: â€Å"I freeze, I freeze!† Abigail: â€Å"It is a wind, a wind!† Danforth: â€Å"Mary Warren, do you witch her? I say to you, do you send your spirit out?†(A.3, p.1307) Danforth’s question seems to state what the other girls were implying. This goes to show what some acting can bring upon a girl and a town. By faking a wind, the girls make Mary’s testament against them invalid, therefore increasing Abigail’s power within the court, and getting rid of another challenger. Step 6. Secure Goody Proctor as a witch using credibility established within the court. After accusing Elizabeth in Act 2 because of alleged use of poppets, Abigail has to make sure there is no way out for her. When this is done and she is hung she can finally have her love, John Proctor. The townspeople generally ignore evidence and support her claims of witchery, most likely out of fear of her power. John Proctor is one of the few willing to stand against her. After many attempts, all of which failed, John resorts to drastic measures. He admits to committing adultery. â€Å"I have made a bell of my honor! I have rung the doom of my good name- you will believe me, Mr. Danforth! My wife is innocent, except she knew a whore when she saw one!†(Proctor, A.3, p.1309) In this statement, Proctor not only admits to adultery, and tries to protect his wife; he also calls Abigail a harlot. Abigail is astounded by his reveal, and undoubtedly worked up by his language towards her. This is the point where Abby seems to realize that Proctor does not love her and that she won’t ever be with him, even if Elizabeth dies. Her plan has failed, and everything she has done was for nothing. Her astonishment turns to resentment, for she then makes no attempt to same John when he is sentenced to hang. Her only thoughts now seem to be of self preservation. She was the ring leader of the witch trials, and with them coming to the end, and no chance of being with John, her power will soon be gone. She steals her uncle’s savings then flees the city. She lost a love she never truly had, and in the process left behind a broken, manipulated town. Love and fear are two of the most influential emotions, and in â€Å"The Crucible† both are experienced firsthand through Abigail. The author, Arthur Miller, uses this to his advantage making the play and characters relatable to the audience. These universal themes are relevant at all times in history which is why the play is still shown to this day. Abigail is not only a great example of those traits, but also reflects a maniacal manipulator existing in many societies. This along with other traits makes her the most important character to the play, along with the witch trials which she helped instigate for personal gain. It’s amazing what a teenage girl in a small town can do with a few words and manipulation.

David Livingstone :: History

David Livingstone David Livingstone was one of Africa’s most important explorer. He lived from 1813 to 1873. He was originally a Scottish doctor and missionary. Livingstone was born on March 19, 1813, in Blantyre, Scotland. In 1823 he began to work in a cotton-textile factory. While studying medicine in Glasgow, he also attended classes in theology, and in 1838 he offered his services to the London Missionary Society. After completing hid medical course in 1840, Livingstone was later sent as a medical missionary to South Africa. In 1841 he reached Kuruman, a settlement founded in Bechuanaland, now Botswana, by the Scottish missionary Robert Moffat. Even though the Boers, the white settler, mostly of white background were extremely hostile to him, Livingstone kept trying to make his way northward. He married Mary Moffat, daughter of Robert, in 1845. Together, the Livingstones traveled into regions where no other European had ever been to. After crossing the Kalahari Desert in 1849, he discovered Lake Ngami. In 1851, accompanied by his wife and children, he discovered the Zambezi River. On another expedition while looking for a route to the interior from the east or west coast, he traveled north from Cape Town to the Zambezi, and then west to Luanda on the Atlantic coast. Then, retracing his journey to the Zambezi, Livingstone followed the river to its mouth in the Indian Ocean, in this way discovering the great Victoria Falls in Zambezi. After Livingstone's explorations, a revision of all the contemporary maps took place. He returned in 1856 to Great Britainm, where he was already acknowledged as a great explorer. He wrote a book called Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa which made him famous. He resigned from the missionary society, and in 1858 the British government appointed him British consul at Quelimane, what is now in Mozambique, for the east coast of Africa and commander of an expedition to explore east and central Africa. In 1859 he explored the Rovuma River and discovered Lake Chilwa. During his exploration of the country around Lake Nyasa, Livingstone became greatly concerned over the depredations on the indigenous Africans by Arab and Portuguese slave traders. In 1865, on a visit to England, he wrote Narrative of an Expedition to the Zambezi and Its Tributaries, including a condemnation of slave traders and an exposition of the commercial possibilities of the region, now mostly part of Malawi and Mozambique.

Is Macbeth a Shakespearean Tragic Hero? Essay

In many of Shakespeare’s plays a tragic hero appears and is often the focal point. In order to conclude whether Macbeth’s character falls in to that particular category. I need to consider what factors create a tragic hero. The tragic hero often originates as a figure of greatness and someone with a high social status. His greatness often degenerates due to a character flaw of some kind. The essence of many of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes is that the seemingly good parts of their character turn against them and instigate their downfall. The character always suffers, which creates sympathy within the reader, especially as it is in contrast with previous happiness. Often the actions of the tragic hero create self-inflicted suffering. Other people are generally affected by his tragedy, but on differing scales depending on the play. A deep internal battle often rages within the tragic hero as he battles with his conscience, but he doesn’t often listen to reason. A key factor of the tragic hero is that the audience radiate much pity and sympathy for the character. Even though he has done wrong, he was once great, and he may feel remorse for his actions. At the end of the play the tragic hero invariably dies. This is often for political reasons, or for morale impact. Goodness must always prevail. One of the first factors I stated that creates a tragic hero is someone of greatness. Macbeth has much respect from others because of his braveness on the battlefield. â€Å"For brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name- Disdaining fortune with his brandish’d steel.† Macbeth clearly has earnt praise from his peers and conducts approval from those of a higher social status. He is a loyal warrior, whose efforts are also acknowledged by even the King. â€Å"He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust.† Duncan recognises Macbeth’s greatness and evidently has a high opinion of him. He respects Macbeth to the point where he invests much trust within him and almost views him as an equal. These feelings from a King hugely re-enforce Macbeth’s greatness. â€Å"No less to have done so, let me enfold thee And hold thee to my heart.† This implies a close relationship of affection. Such a close bond conveys that Macbeth must appear a patriotic, and just man especially in the eyes of the King. He is rewarded by adopting the title of Thane of Cawdor. He is growing in social status which is another common trait of a tragic hero. The reader is soon to learn that despite the fact Macbeth appears to be a great man, there are many flaws in his character, the most poignant being excessive ambition. â€Å"Stars hide your fires Let light not see my dark and deep desires.† Macbeth appears shocked at his own evil thoughts. The witches’ prophecies have instigated the ambitious part of his nature to be accentuated. â€Å"†¦let us speak Our free hearts to each other.† Banquo does not share Macbeth’s ambition, so Macbeth lies to his friend. The reader starts to see the extent of Macbeth’s ambitious nature. â€Å"And live a coward in thine own esteem I dare do all that may become a man.† A huge character flaw of Macbeth is that he is easily influenced. Lady Macbeth holds so much power over him, and can manipulate him. She overpowers and influences Macbeth greatly and creates a reaction in him that favours her. This easily influenced part of his nature is also shown when the witches’ prophecies instigate evil thoughts within him. Another common flaw in a Shakespearean tragic hero is jealousy. Macbeth displays this very frequently. â€Å"(Aside) The Prince of Cumberland: that is a step On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap For in my way it lies.† Macbeth is jealous of Malcom, as he is the son of Duncan, this instigates more evil, murderous thoughts within Macbeth. This excessive ambition, jealousy, and easily influenced nature turn Macbeth into a murderer. Despite this, Macbeth knows that Duncan’s murder is not just. Macbeth continually battles with his conscience during the play, and much of this guilt is radiated in his soliloquy, when he can show his true feelings. † †¦As his host Who should against his murderer shut the door Not bear the knife myself.† Macbeth knows his role, as host should be to protect his guest: â€Å"here in double trust.† Macbeth acknowledges the fact that Duncan sees him in a great light and has great respect for him. Macbeth refers to the murder as â€Å"the bloody business.† A euphemism is utilised as Macbeth cannot accept what he is about to do and cannot face up to this evil side of his character. â€Å"This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill, cannot be good.† Indecisiveness is heavily portrayed here as Macbeth is in a deep internal battle. He knows that treason is wrong, but he also longs to be King, he tries to convince himself his actions can be justified, but his conscience tell him otherwise. Macbeth wants to protect his own title and image, and doesn’t want to face up to the consequences of murder, but still agonises over the decision. Macbeth is evidently suffering greatly because of his conscience. He feels extremely guilty, but tries to hide this fact. We see much evidence of the effect his conscience has on Macbeth after the murder of Duncan. â€Å"Is this a dagger which I see before me? The handle towards my hand?† This quotation conveys to the reader the extent of Macbeth’s suffering. He is affected mentally as he hallucinates and is haunted by disturbing images. â€Å"I had most need of blessing and ‘Amen’ Stuck in my throat.† Macbeth is denied the ability to turn to God. In killing the King he has commited treason against God, so his faith is refused from him. Insomnia is inflicted upon him, and Macbeth can find no solace. â€Å"We have scorched the snake, not kill’d it† This quotation conveys that Macbeth has no peace and stability; he knows he will need to keep on killing. He states his mind of â€Å"full of scorpions† clearly showing he is extremely traumatized. Macbeth progresses to be almost envious of Duncan and Banquo. â€Å"Better be with the dead†¦ Than the torture of the mind to lie In restless ecstasy.† The murders have affected him in such a way that Macbeth yearns for the appealing peacefulness of death. These hint at primary suicidal thoughts, a hugely troubled mind is conveyed. We see more evidence of Macbeth’s guilt causing him great suffering when Banquo’s ghost haunts him. He can no longer keep control of himself, and his mental instability is conveyed to his peers. â€Å"Thou canst not say I did it; never shake Thy gory locks at me.† Macbeth visualises this apparition. His mental state is to the extent that he not only acknowledges the ghost, but also interacts with it, even though he is in the presence of his peers. Macbeth is highly affected by this hallucination. Not only does it affect opinion of him, but leaves him troubled and confused. Self-inflicted suffering is a poignant factor within a Shakespearean tragic hero, and another factor that applies to Macbeth. His conscience creates the ghost to be another reminder of the evil he has done. He cannot escape his guilt that his owns flaws and his own faults have manifested. Clearly the murders are having disastrous effects on Macbeth, but his actions also affect others. Macbeth’s need to kill results in him planning the murder of Fleance and Banquo. He is jealous of Banquo because he knows his children will never be King. â€Å"Upon my head they plac’d a fruitless crown And put a barren sceptre in my gripe.† Macbeth has a great determination to remain King and to protect his status. He almost becomes obsessed by it, and taking people’s lives becomes meaningless and just inevitable steps for him/ † Give to th’edge o’th’sword His wife, his babes and all unfortunate souls That trace him in the line.† He is portrayed as being more than willing to kill innocent women and children if they threaten his reign as King. Macbeth is a ruthless tyrant in protecting his throne. Macbeth’s actions do not just affect other people, but the earth itself. Macbeth has murdered the King, who was appointed directly by God. This Divine Right of the King means God will punish all earth fro allowing this act of treason occurs. Displeasing God is another common factor within a Shakespearean tragic hero. † Some say, the earth Was feverous and did shake.† This quotation infers how nature is heavily disrupted. Lady Macbeth is deeply troubled as a result of her husband’s actions. She is traumatised by her conscience, and her guilt overwhelms her. â€Å"Doctor Remove from her the means of all annoyance And still keep eyes upon her.† The Doctor appears adamant that Lady Macbeth will commit suicide, so advises Macbeth to watch over her. She hallucinates and mirrors other forms of suffering that Macbeth radiated. Eventually Lady Macbeth does kill herself, as she has been so heavily affected by her husband’s deeds. As a result of Macbeth’s obsession with remaining King, he proves to be an inefficient one. He is too preoccupied with his guilt and determination the whole of Scotland suffers from his lack of devotion. † Alas poor country Almost too afraid to know itself†¦ Where sighs, and groans, and shrieks that rend the air† This is yet another trait of a tragic hero. He, whether inadvertently or not, greatly inflicts suffering on others. Despite all of this, the reader still feels a sense of pity towards Macbeth. He was once great, and one of the great factors in him turned around to be his downfall. In many ways, Macbeth was influenced into his actions. To begin with the witches planted the idea into his mind, and pushed him into justifying his actions. Lady Macbeth instigated the murder, and manipulated him to carry through with this deed. The inferiority of her gender meant she needed him to act through. â€Å"But screw your courage to the sticking place And we’ll not fail.† Macbeth is very easily influenced, so can be manipulated continually by Lady Macbeth. We also feel a sense of pity, because Macbeth is so heavily affected by his actions. He is traumatised and destroyed. He often shows remorse and regret fro his actions. â€Å"Wake Duncan with thy knocking: I would thou Couldst.† Macbeth is tricked by the witches’ prophecies. He takes the apparitions literally and is lulled into a false sense of security. † For none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth.† We feel pity as Macbeth’s trust and faith in the witches’ predictions cause his death. He is tricked into feeling protected, but the witches’ words have other meanings. Readers often feel pity for the Shakespearean tragic hero, but despite this fact we accept he needs to die. Political and moral reasons dictate this fact. If he had lived, then murder and evil could be justified. Treason against the King or Queen or ultimately God could go unpunished. Resulting from the readers’ accumulating sympathy for Macbeth, there is some apparent sadness surrounding his death. He is extremely brave which creates much admiration fro him. â€Å"Though Birnam Wood be come to Dunsinane And thou oppos’d being of no woman born, Yet I will try the last. Before my body, I throw my warlike shield.† Macbeth knows his death in an inevitable fact, but despite this he fights to the bitter end. We see some of Macbeth’s past greatness in his last moments. Macbeth can be portrayed as a victim, this fact and the fact that he does adds to the effectiveness of the play. It instigates a variation of emotions within the reader, which makes it an intense experience. Without Macbeth’s death, much of this would be lost. This ending complies with a tragic heroes exit to a play. I conclude that Macbeth can indeed be classified as a Shakespearean tragic hero. He radiates all of the factors I first portrayed a tragic hero to have. Macbeth falls from greatness due to a character flaw, his suffering is self-inflicted and this affects others. A continual battle with his conscience is conveyed within Macbeth, and the reader is made to pity him. We are left with a classic version of a Shakespearean tragic hero, and a very compelling character. Macbeth exuberates all of the common characteristics of one of Shakespeare’s favourite classifications, but is still an original figure, which greatly adds to the effectiveness of the play.

Essay about The PATCO Strike and The Rise and Fall of...

The PATCO strike began on August 3, 1981 with over 13,000 people walking out. nbsp;This illegal act was met with a quick response from President Ronald Reagan (Sconberger p 1). nbsp;Reagan told the strikers, Either return to work within 48 hours or be fired from government service for breaking the oath of office not to strike (Sconberger, special report, p. 12). nbsp;While roughly 1,200 workers returned to work, another 12,000 remained on strike and were promptly fired nbsp;(Sconberger p 1). nbsp;This caused a serious safety problem for the airlines, inconveniences for many Americans, and lost profits for many businesses. nbsp;Controllers needed to be replaced and it needed to be done fast. nbsp;As a result, their were many†¦show more content†¦nbsp;The PATCO continued the problems which unions were having and probably contributed to the continued weakness of the union movement in the United States. nbsp;(Reynolds p 421).p Airline History: nbsp;Prior to PATCOp The nations air traffic controllers became organized in 1968. nbsp;Like many Americans, they wanted 8 hour days, better pay, and 5 day weeks. nbsp;However, unlike many unions in America, PATCOs industry was highly regulated and subject to frequent political scrutiny. nbsp;In 1958, the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) was created in order to improve safety in the rapidly growing airline industry. nbsp;This had become a growing concern as the airline industry took off. nbsp;However, in 1963, there was a major collision in midair, which could have been prevented by air traffic controllers. nbsp;Since 1961, no new air traffic controllers had been hired, even though the number of flights had been increasing rapidly. nbsp;Also, controllers were being forced (under the threat of being fired) to work six days a week for upwards of 10 hours per day. nbsp;Also, a lot of equipment was archaic and unable to handle this rapid increase in flights. nbsp;Some of the equipment was dated to World War II and was literally falling apart. nbsp;The FAA was under a lot of pressure to make the airways safe. nbsp;This pressure was in turn placed onto the controllers. nbsp;Needless to say, all of these conditions did not make controllers happy andShow MoreRelatedThe Legacy Of The 1980 S1232 Words   |  5 PagesRepublican Party and Conservative movement still revered in the 21st century. This period is marked by a man that represented and embodied the goals of their party, Ronal Reagan, who was elected to the office of President of the United States of America in 1981. His economic policies, communications strategies, and personality are traits that conservatives strive to emulate looking to him as the model Republican. In a time were communism was America’s greatest threat, Ronal Reagan found himselfRead MoreLabor Is Not A Simple Construct2398 Words   |  10 Pagesagain played an important role in labor. The Lynn Strike of 1860 would not have been as effective if it were not for women. Women helped form the â€Å"social networks that made the demonstrations even possible.† They also held their own female-only rallies that carried signs that demanded they not be treated like slaves and if they are given fair compensation then they would be more than happy to return to work. Women would ultimately abandon the strike resulting in its failure. During the ProgressiveRead MoreRonald Reagans Inaugural Address3044 Words   |  13 PagesIn 1980 America was faced with an economic crisis for the ages and they chose Ronald Reagan to deal with it. By the end of Jimmy Carter’s presidency the interest rate was 15.26 percent, inflation was at 12.5 percent and unemployment at 7.1 percent and these rates were still on the rise.[1] Coupled with an economy that was not growing, these rates pushed the United States into a recession. Due to the current situation President Jimmy Carter had put us in, Ronald Reagan was elected in a landslide victory