Hester v Abigail

Hester Prynne in the Scarlet Letter and Abigail Williams in the Crucible have situations that share many similarities. Heir fates, however, are complete opposites. An examination of these two works shows that a combination of family, culture, and personal attributes combined to determine each woman's individual fate.

In the Scarlet Letter, Hester has a child to care for. Pearl is her daughter and the evidence of her sin, but this family tie ironically brings her salvation by giving her purpose. The presence of her husband is a second way in which family influences Hester; his presence keeps her fearful and obedient for much of the book, giving her the time she needs to come to terms with her past. The culture, too, allowed Hester to find salvation in the isolation it forced on her. After many years, the letter turned into a symbol of Hester's righteousness, and she was welcomed by her society, completing her salvation. It is Hester's personality more than anything else that saves her. First, her sin is committed out of love and not from any negative motive, and second, her quietness and industriousness afforded her the time for self-reflection that led to her change and salvation.

Abigail, in contrast has no family in the Crucible. She latches on to John Proctor as a sort of father/husband substitute, reflecting the twisted nature of her character. Her manipulation of the other girls also reflects the lack of early family relationships. The culture of Salem in the play is also different from Boston in the Scarlet Letter; the people are far more selfish and greedy, and the availability of land creates a very different dynamic amongst the people that fosters Abigail's evil tendencies. At heart, however, Abigail is simply a self-centered and shortsighted girl. These two personal attributes are the main cause of her downfall, just as Hester's innate goodness is the main source of her salvation.