securing his love and a position for herself in his home. Thwarted in this and her plan revealed, she takes her revenge not only on the wife of the man after whom she lusts, but on a whole community who has frustrated her desires. Her hatred of Elizabeth is clear as she describes her to Parris as a "...bitter woman, a lying, cold, snivelling woman...[and] a gossiping liar!"(pp.20,21) Due to her hatred of Elizabeth and her lust for John, the audience becomes aware of the lengths at which Abigail will travel in order to break free of the moral inhibitions she is trapped by and surge into a position that satisfies her desires.
             BETTY: "You drank blood, Abby! You didn't tell him that!"
             ABIGAIL: "Betty, you never say that again! You will never – "
             BETTY: "You did, you did! You drank a charm to kill John Proctors wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!"
             ABIGAIL: "[smashes her across the face] Shut it! Now shut it!" (p.26)
             Abigail's vindictive nature is clearly evident here, when she hit's her cousin Betty for mentioning the events of the previous night. The reiteration of these events also illustrates Abigail's malicious and vengeful attitude towards Elizabeth Proctor, as she tries to kill her by means of prohibited actions, which were considered unforgivable in a Puritan society. As the play continues, Abigail's character is further developed, and once the witch-hunt begins she takes extreme joy in the attention she receives and in the suffering she is able, by her accusations, to cause others. Her actions in court, coupled by her bullying of her co-conspirators, are suggestive of manipulative, resentful, and malevolent characteristics, which in turn present the qualities considered to be that of human darkness. Yet, through all the hysteria, Abigail nevertheless refuses to become a victim. She counters John Proctor's revelations of her adul...