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In The Crucible, what does Reverend Hale mean when he says, "Mary—you charge a cold and cruel murder on Abigail."?
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Reverend Hale's statement to Mary Warren implies that Abigail Williams is guilty of attempted murder. Mary reveals she made the poppet and inserted the needle, with Abigail witnessing this. Abigail then falsely claimed Elizabeth Proctor's spirit attacked her, intending to have Elizabeth executed for witchcraft. This false accusation is tantamount to murder, as it could lead to Elizabeth's death. Mary is frightened by the implications, but John Proctor insists she testify against Abigail.
When Mr. Hale tells Mary Warren, the Proctors' servant, that she charges "a cold and cruel murder on Abigail," he means that, according to what Mary has just told everyone, Abigail is guilty of attempted murder. Abigail herself did not physically commit a murder, but if she truly saw Mary stick the needle in the poppet's belly and then claimed that Elizabeth Proctor's specter pushed it into Abigail's own belly, this would constitute evidence enough to convict Elizabeth of witchcraft—a conviction that would result in her hanging. Therefore, Abigail would be guilty of giving false testimony that results in Elizabeth's death, a charge tantamount to murder. Mary is terrified of Abigail and tries to back down once she realizes where the line of questions has led her, but it is to no avail, especially after Elizabeth is arrested and carted away in chains. John Proctor will force her to go...
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to the court and testify against Abigail in Act Three.
In this scene, Mary has just told everyone in the house that the poppet they found there was indeed hers, and that she sewed it in court that day. She adds, "I-I believe I did, sir" when asked if she was the one to put the needle in it. Even better, she says, "Ask Abby, Abby sat beside me when I made it." So, if this is true, and Abby saw her put the needle in the poppet's belly, then that means that Abby stabbed a needle into her own belly, and then accused Elizabeth Proctor of doing it, through her spirit as a witch. That means that Abby was plotting Elizabeth's murder. Which she indeed was; Elizabeth already suspected it. Earlier in that act Elizabeth had stated ominously and incitefully, "She wants me dead, John, you know it!" Unfortunately, no one but John (and Elizabeth) really believes that Abby is capable of such malicious intents, and Elizabeth is wisked away to jail, all because Abby was an opportunistic plotter who schemed to get here there.
In The Crucible, what does Hale mean by "Mary—you charge a cold and cruel murder on Abigail"?
They are accusing Elizabeth of witchcraft involving a needle. She supposedly left it in the stomach of a doll Mary was knitting.
Things are getting fully hysterical here in the witch trials in Salem. Mary has been sewing a doll, and apparently she left one of her sewing needles in its stomach. Abigail uses this to accuse Elizabeth of murder.
MARY: Murder! I charge no…
HALE: Abigail were stabbed tonight; a needle were found stuck into her belly….
ELIZABETH: And she charges me?! (Act 2)
Abigail was actually saying she had stomach pains. The stomach pains were supposedly caused by the needle. She is accusing Elizabeth because she wants revenge against her because Elizabeth kicked her out of the house for having an affair with her husband. Elizabeth was supposedly using witchcraft, using the doll as a surrogate, like a voodoo doll, using the needle in the doll to murder Abigail.
Elizabeth if furious about being accused, of course, and shouts, “The girl is murder! She must be ripped out of the world!” (Act 2). It adds an extra element of craziness to the trial. Instead of just meekly taking it or proclaiming her innocence, she says she wishes Abigail dead! She seems to know that hysteria has taken them all, and claiming that she didn’t do it, or there is no such thing as witchcraft, will do know good. Instead, she is cam (after this outburst).
ELIZABETH: I will fear nothing. (Takes shawl from wash stand, he puts it on her. They cross R. Cheever exit R.) Tell the children I have gone to visit someone sick…. (She breaks off, goes out.) (Act 2)
Abigail was sitting next to Mary the whole time. She knew where the needle was. This means she stuck the needle in her own belly to frame Elizabeth. She is one cold and crazy girl. She will go to great lengths to get revenge. She is using the system, and the current political and religious climate, for her own ends.
Miller was making a statement about the ends to which people will go, and why we have to stop them. He wrote this play in response to the McCarthy hearings, but he was also talking about all threats to democracy and the American way of life. People get caught up in mass hysteria all the time, and we have to know when to say enough is enough.