"Abby's power arises from her ability to convert psychic abilities and the wilful pursuit of her own objectives into a genuine visionary hysteria.".
How far do you agree with this statement?.
There are three main parts to this statement: .
1) "her ability to convert her psychic abilities".
2) "her wilful pursuit".
3) "hysteria".
Abigail Williams is a mean and vindictive person who always wants her way, no matter who she hurts. She has created a riff in society by conjuring the idea of witchcraft. This hysteria has been allowed to continue due to Abby's "psychic abilities". Abigail is able to make people believe anything she says. Some of the things that she says she truly believes and this is why it is so easy for the people of Salem to believe her. In one incident Abigail claimed that Mary Warren was feeling cold, she believed in herself so much that she actually felt cold, "I - I know not. A wind, a cold, has come . She is cold, Your Honour, touch her!" Her "abilities" are a major threat to the people that are trying to prove her wrong. Not only is Abigail Williams convincing Salem but also she is convincing herself. She is able to convert what is in her mind to become real to herself and to others. Abigail's "abilities" seem to affect the rest of the girls as well as they seem to play along, in the courtroom, .
Mary: "Abby you mustn't!.
Girls: Abby you mustn't!.
Mary: I"m here! I"m here!.
Girls: I"m here! I"m here!.
Danforth: Mary warren! Draw back your spirits out of them!".
The group effort made by the girls is encourages Abigail's stories, which helps her convince the rest of Salem. It makes it almost impossible for her to be convicted, she could say anything and it would be believed all because of her "psychic abilities".
The second part of the statement is "her wilful pursuit". This is referring to why she is spreading these lies and why she has so much enthusiasm to get her results. Abigail's spiteful motif is causing mass hysteria and panic amongst Salem.