In Arthur Miller's "The Crucible", the character Abigail is used as a tool to convey to the audience the hypocrisy and irony of their society. The time of Salem is used as a metaphor for the society that Miller himself was a part of and through his use of the Salem witch trials has been able to comment on the foolish hysteria that gripped the United States in the McCarthyism time period. Abigail's character is at many times an ambiguous character that although recognizes and is able to exploit human weaknesses and flaws, is often naïve and childishly selfish. Abigail arises a range of emotion in the audience that although often tends towards her being the perpetrator of conflict, also at certain times awakes a sense of sympathy towards her as being the victim, involved in a far greater scheme.

Abigail shows the audience that looks can...