Tituba of Salem Village

The Reverend Samuel Parris is a hypocrite who attempts to use religion as a way to ensure his financial stability and secure his reputation in the Salem community. He uses Christianity as a weapon, and his unrelenting campaign to eradicate witches from Salem reveals his own callous heart, lack of compassion, and hard and unforgiving judgmental attitude.

Parris is a failure in business, as a minister, and even as a family man. Rumors circulate about Barbados of his incompetence and his lack of business savvy. He falls back into a career in the ministry even though he never finished ministry studies. He arrogantly resists accepting the appointment at Salem because he feels such a small remote village is beneath him. He deals with the people of his congregation as if they should be grateful to have him as their minister. He has little interest in the spiritual health of his community or his role as their minister. His relationship with his congregation is, from the beginning, contentious. He is selfish and greedy. His only real concern when he arrives at Salem is to ensure he gets free firewood during the hard New England winters and that he is guaranteed ownership of the house and the two acres upon which it sets.

However, the best indication of Reverend Parris’ hypocritical personality is his harsh treatment of Tituba after she is accused of witchcraft. His primary concern is not the well-being of a gentle and kind slave he knows well and who has been part of his household and has raised his daughter because of his wife’s frail health. Rather he worries about his reputation. In demanding Tituba sign the confession he wrote for her and hitting her repeatedly until she signs the document she cannot even read, Parris reveals his cold heart, bullying nature, and lack of Christian compassion.

Abigail Williams is the antagonist in the novel. As the character who most sustains the hysteria over witches in Salem and uses the intolerance and bigotry of the Puritan settlers to create the panic, Abigail compels the plot.

Abigail Williams is an orphan being raised by her uncle and aunt and is always aware of that emotional distance and their protective love for their “real” daughter, Betsey. Three years older than her cousin, Abigail yearns for attention. Given the loss of her parents, Abigail hungers for some level of control in her life and is more than willing to rat out others as a way to feel that empowerment. She betrays the stowaway Pim for no reason but to feel that power.

Initially seeing Tituba as an exotic Other, Abigail quickly learns how to manipulate the fears and intolerance of those in Salem as a way to orchestrate the brutal witch hunt. She looks for the weaknesses of others, determined to use them to her advantage. She preys on the trusting nature of others, particularly the girls she manipulates as part of her trumped-up witch hysteria. If it begins as a game for Abigail, she comes to understand the power of her accusations and willingly plays into the drama of demonic possession. Her fits—screaming about a room, flapping her arms wildly, even barking—all become part of her theatrical performance without regard to the implications of those she accuses. That she hurts others never bothers or concerns her. When Tituba admonishes her for teasing little Betsey, Abigail makes Tituba into her sworn enemy. That motivation alone sustains Abigail’s witchcraft accusations.

Thus, Abigail is heartless, really conscience-less. Tituba believes Abigail is not evil but merely starved for love and understanding. Yet Abigail uses people without regard to their humanity, a measure of her sociopathic personality. She thinks only of herself and relishes the feeling of power over others, even if that power leads to others’ suffering and humiliation. She never expresses regret for the pain she causes the men and women imprisoned and executed unjustly for sorcery.