My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!
– Arthur Miller
The Crucible, Act 1. Abigail sharply defends her reputation to her uncle, Reverend Parris, against rumors that she didn’t behave properly while working as a servant for the Proctors. In an outburst of temper, she calls Elizabeth "a gossiping liar." This is ironic, since Abigail’s main role in the play will be to lie.