The Crucible

"The Crucible" is a story of the extremes that the Salem witch trials went too. Nicholas Hytner recreated The Crucible for a movie version. I thought that the movie version was very good, and it was a good compliment to the book. By watching the movie, I feel like I go t a better understanding of setting and the staging of it all. I also think that the actors used to portray the characters in the book were pretty good. I especially liked the rugged and testosterone driven John Proctor, and the evil little Abigail Williams played by Wynona Ryder. I feel like the classic written by Arthur Miller could never be improved, but the movie acted as a learning guide to further understand the book.

The Crucible begins with a recreation of the event which set all the trials into motion. A group of Salem girls gathered in the woods. They sit around a kettle, and led by Tituba, a slave from Barbados, they dance, wishing for men that they love to fall in love with them. Parris stumbles upon the dancing girls, and two of the girls fall into a coma. Of course, witchcraft is suspected as the cause we later find out that if the girls say its not witchcraft, the will be hung. This fact is troubling to them, so they admit, and are not hung. They then realize that now they can accuse anyone of witchcraft, and they will not be second guessed.

Of course, this power is strong and an almost satanic sensation comes upon the girls. As Abigail now has this power, she knows what she wants to do. She yells and admits that she is under the control of Satan. Then, she starts yelling names of people she saw with the devil, and sign in the devils book. The rest of the girls know what she is doing, and they begin naming names as well. But, Abigail has a deeper motive and more emotionally misguided. She is in love with John Proctor who once had an affair with her. Proctor's wife, is one of the names mentioned by Abigail. This proves that Abigail will do anything to get