The Curse of Abigail Proctor Abigail Proctor is a character from the play "The Crucible" written by Arthur Miller. She is portrayed as a young, manipulative girl who starts the witch trials in Salem out of personal vendetta and jealousy. Throughout the play, it becomes clear that Abigail is willing to do anything to achieve her goals, even if it means condemning innocent people to death. Abigail's curse lies in her desire for power and control. From the beginning, she is shown as someone who craves attention and will go to great lengths to get it. This is evident in her manipulation of the other girls and her attempts to discredit those who stand in her way.
This is evident in her manipulation of the other girls and her attempts to discredit those who stand in her way. Her curse is not just the harm she causes to others, but also the destruction she brings upon herself. One of the main catalysts for the witch trials is Abigail's relationship with John Proctor, a married man with whom she had an affair.
Why did Joshua curse Jericho in Joshua 6:26?
After the Lord God gave the city of Jericho into the hands of Joshua and the people of Israel, Joshua pronounced a curse on the city: “Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho. At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates” (Joshua 6:26).
Prior to the battle, the Lord had declared Jericho, the first city to fall to Israel’s conquest of Canaan, to be wholly dedicated to Him: “The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury” (Joshua 6:17–19). The facts that everything in Jericho belonged to the Lord and that the collapse of the city walls was wholly the Lord’s work probably factored into Joshua’s warning not to rebuild the city.
First Kings 16:34 reveals that Joshua’s curse did come true during the time of King Ahab: “Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.”
Several important details must be noted. First, Joshua did not promise Jericho would never be rebuilt. Instead, he said the person who rebuilt it would be judged by the loss of his firstborn son and youngest son.
Second, God confirmed His word through Joshua, taking the lives of Hiel’s sons Abiram and Segub. At the beginning of the work (the laying of the foundation), the first son died; at the end of the work (the hanging of the gates), the youngest son died. This proved God’s faithfulness and revealed the consequences of sin that often affect one’s family members. Though the sin was Hiel’s, the consequence included the deaths of two sons.
Third, Hiel’s rebuilding of Jericho is included as part of a longer passage describing the evil that took place during King Ahab’s reign in Israel. Ahab took a pagan, non-Jewish wife named Jezebel and even worshiped her god, Baal. Further, Ahab had a temple of Baal built in the capital city of Samaria and erected an Asherah pole. The conclusion of this account is that “Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him” (1 Kings 16:33). During this wicked time, Hiel disregarded Joshua’s curse and rebuilt Jericho.
This moral low point in Israel’s history was also the point at which God raised up the prophet Elijah to fight against Baal, revive the hearts of the Israelites, and turn many people back to the Lord. After a three-year drought during Ahab’s reign, Elijah defeated the priests of Baal and helped begin a spiritual revival among the Israelites.
My father’s brothers with their wives did call on rare occasions and every other Christmas my mother’s childless sister came up from Copenhagen acting upper class with her husband who worked in a firm importing French cars and was the creepy owner of an 8mm camera he used for all kinds of things, and my grandparents would also come, their palms worn and hard, from another, more puritanical town in the same country, in the same fashion, by ferry, grey hair, grey clothes, standing windswept and grey on the quay waiting for my father to come down along Trondhjemsveien in a rare taxi to pick them up and sometimes I, too, was in that taxi and they looked so small next to their big suitcases.
Abigail sees Elizabeth Proctor, John's wife, as her main obstacle and targets her for destruction. Abigail's curse lies in her inability to accept the consequences of her actions and the damage it causes. She is willing to destroy her own reputation and the lives of others in order to fulfill her desires. As the hysteria of the witch trials grows, Abigail becomes more powerful and influential. She uses this power to manipulate others, often coercing them into confessing to witchcraft or pointing fingers at innocent individuals. Abigail's curse is also her downfall as she becomes consumed by her own lies and deception. She starts to believe her own accusations and loses touch with reality. In the end, Abigail's curse catches up with her. Her web of lies unravels, and she is forced to flee Salem to avoid being accused of witchcraft herself. Abigail's curse is not just the harm she inflicts on others, but also the self-destruction she brings upon herself. "The Curse of Abigail Proctor" serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked power and the consequences of one's actions. Abigail's curse is a reminder that our choices and desires can have far-reaching consequences, both for ourselves and those around us. It is a warning against the manipulation of others for personal gain and the destructive nature of revenge. Ultimately, Abigail's curse serves as a reminder of the importance of integrity and accountability in our actions..
Reviews for "Abigail Proctor: A Witch or Victim of a Curse?"
1. Mary Smith - 2/5
I was really disappointed in "The Curse of Abigail Proctor." The plot was incredibly predictable and I could guess what was going to happen next within the first 15 minutes of the movie. The acting was also subpar, with wooden performances from the entire cast. Additionally, the special effects were laughable and took away from any sense of fear or suspense the movie was trying to build. Overall, I found "The Curse of Abigail Proctor" to be a forgettable and lackluster horror film.
2. John Davis - 1/5
"The Curse of Abigail Proctor" was one of the worst movies I've ever seen. The storyline was confusing and convoluted, making it difficult to follow what was happening. The pacing was incredibly slow and there were long stretches of the movie where nothing of interest was happening. The supposed scares were incredibly cheesy and relied on tired horror tropes. I would not recommend wasting your time or money on this film.
3. Emily Johnson - 2/5
I had high hopes for "The Curse of Abigail Proctor," but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The characters were poorly developed and lacked depth, making it difficult to care about their fates. The dialogue was also clunky and unnatural, making it hard to believe the interactions between the characters. While there were a few moments of suspense, they were overshadowed by the lack of originality in the overall plot. Overall, I found "The Curse of Abigail Proctor" to be a mediocre horror film that offered nothing new or exciting to the genre.
4. Alex Thompson - 2.5/5
"The Curse of Abigail Proctor" had potential, but ultimately failed to deliver. The storyline had an interesting premise, but it was poorly executed and left many unanswered questions. The pacing was uneven, with long lulls where nothing seemed to happen, followed by rushed and confusing plot developments. The acting was average at best, with some performances feeling forced and lacking authenticity. While there were a few genuinely creepy moments, they were overshadowed by the film's overall shortcomings. I would recommend skipping "The Curse of Abigail Proctor" and opting for a more satisfying horror movie experience.