The Crucible

Maddie Eddleman

Oct 30 2015

3rd Period

The Crucible (1996)

Drama

Daniel day-Lewis, Winona Ryder

The Truth:

        In 1692, an epidemic of witchcraft was condemned upon areas throughout the Massachusetts Bay Colony, one area specifically... Salem. Salem, populated by Puritans who viewed the world as temptation and sin they were to strictly abstain from, women and men were extremely conservative and strict with their rules and religion (of course, no witchcraft). One night, a group of young girls are found supposedly conjuring the devil. These girls, because of the ludicrous rules in place by the theocratic government in Salem, must falsely admit to performing witchcraft. The laws set made it impossible to deny attempting to summon the devil, therefore anyone accused would either die proving they were not a witch, or be executed after confessing. This creates a domino effect of accusations upon accusations (with no way to prove them) of witchery throughout the town. By the end of this outrageous town “witch hunt”, over 200 people were accused, and 20 executed. Later the State of Massachusetts admitted to these outlandish attacks on their people, and compensated the families of those accused.

The Film:

        Set in 1692,  in the Puritan town of Salem, Nicholas Hytner's The Crucible depicts an accountancy of the Salem Witch Trials, based on the play The Crucible. In the film, a group of young Puritan girls are chanting and dancing in the woods one night, attempting to bring a man in their lives to marry them. Reverand Parris, a father and reverend, sees this séance and immediately stops it and forces her daughter to tell him what happened. She denies the devil worship, of course, but does say they were chanting and dancing, and Reverend assumes such actions are witchery. The courts find out about this occurrence, and several court sessions take place, where the girls accuse other women in the community of witchcraft, as well. Because there is no way to prove or disprove the word of the girls, most of the women are taken into custody and imprisoned. One of which is the wife of John Proctor, Elizabeth, she is accused by Abigail Williams (a young girl hopelessly in love with John Proctor) of witchcraft. Of course Proctor's wife did not perform witchcraft, Abigail just wanted to rid John of his wife so she could marry him. Many other similar occurrences of jealous, immature girls happened throughout the movie. At the end, Elizabeth is saved from death because she is pregnant, however, John Proctor is also accused of witchery, and is publicly hung because he will not slander his name by admitting to such demonic actions.