Crucible Essay

Telling what seems to be a small lie can harm others more than it harms you. Being honest is better than people being killed over false accusations. In the play â€Å"The Crucible† Arthur Miller creates foil characters between Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Proctor. Foil characters in a story is a technique used to contrast characters. In the play Abigail Williams portrays herself as an innocent girl being afflicted by the devil. In the play Elizabeth portrays herself as a good wife being accused of witch craft because Elizabeth envy’s her. Based on the play â€Å"The Crucible† Arthur Miller portrays Abigail & Elizabeth as foil characters; Elizabeth being a honest woman and Abigail being a dishonest harlot. Elizabeth is a honest woman because she doesn’t lie. John Proctor realizes the only way to prove Abigail is a liar and dishonest is to confess. So he confesses to to the court; Abigail denies this making Danforth confused. Proctor tells Danforth â€Å" [Elizabeth] will never lie Mr. Danforth† (III, 92). Elizabeth is an honest woman because an honest woman would never lie. Danforth no longer knows who to believe on whether or not John Proctor committed lechery so he questions Proctor â€Å"Your wife (Elizabeth) you say is a honest woman. Proctor: In her life she has never lied†¦my wife cannot lie (III, 111). She is a honest woman because she won’t lie and hasn’t lied in her life. Therefore, in the play â€Å"The Crucible† Elizabeth portrays a honest woman because she does not lie. Abigail Williams portrays a dishonest harlot. John proctor confesses his sin to having an affair with Abigail and he tells the court â€Å"She wishes to dance with me on my wife’s (Elizabeth) grave!†¦God help me, I lusted and there is a promise in such sweat. But it’s a whore’s (Abigail’s) vengeance and you must see it(III,94). By John confessing his affair with Abigail he proves that not only is she dishonest for wanting to dance on Elizabeth’s grave; but she is a harlot for having sexual relations with a married man. Reverend Hale sides with John Proctor by saying † I believe [John] pointing at Abigail: This girl has always struck me false† (III,114). Everyone is realizing Abigail is a dishonest harlot and cannot be trusted.  The court is now seeing her for who she truly is. Abigail is a dishonest harlot because she constantly lies and commited adultery with John Proctor. In the play â€Å"The Crucible† Arthur Miller uses foil characterization, He portrays Abigail as a dishonest harlot that cannot be trusted and Elizabeth as a honest woman that is mistaken as a bad person. Elizabeth is a honest woman, she has never lied which makes her trustworthy. Abigail is a dishonest harlot that can’t be trusted, partially why she later runs off to Boston. Telling a lie may not hurt you but it may hurt others. Elizabeth was a good wife whose husband was killed because Abigail envied her. Although Abigail never meant for John to die it was her fault because of her lies and dishonesty.