What does the term reddish work mean?

Answer 1

This is a reference to The Crucible by Arthur Miller, which was based on the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. In fact, The Crucible itself was written to mock Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-communist "witch hunts" of the 1950s. Anyway, at one point in the tale, Abigail Williams, the central antagonist, threatens her friends with physical harm if they don't keep up their ruse of being negatively influenced by witchcraft. I don't recall the exact words, but Abigail says something to the effect, "I've seen some reddish work done at night." The word "reddish" can be interchanged with the word "bloody," since fresh blood is indeed red. Abigail is referring to the slaughter of her family by Native Americans, which she witnessed as a young girl. Abigail successfully uses this as some kind of false proof of her own ability to unflinchingly conduct some "reddish work" of her own if her friends don't cooperate.