The Crucible is a movie based on the true story about the witch trials that were held in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The movie is historically correct is the aspect that the trials started off from a group of girls trying to stay out of trouble by accusing people in the village that they casted their spirit onto them to make the young ladies act like they were being harmed by the so called bewitched. The movie is very good and properly explains how the girls started the whole thing.
The movie is set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. A time where many believed in witch craft and those accused of witchery would be hung or some other form of execution. In 1692 young girls would be in a lot of trouble if found dancing in the woods naked or trying to cast love spells on men. So when they were confronted on such accusations they lied and started to spread lies of witchcraft to stay out of trouble. As the movie continuities the girls have named many people as witches.
Since the incident took place in the 1600’s those accused of witchery were often hung within the next few weeks, and since there was no proof of being a witch the courts would believe the young girls no questions asked since they didn’t young girls such as themselves were capable of lying to such an extent. The main character in the movie is Abigail Williams. She is the main “ring leader” of all the of girls involved in the making of accusations of witchcraft.
She didn’t want to get into trouble when confronted about dancing in the woods so she blamed the house slave named Tituba. Since Tituba doesn’t want to be hung she claimed that the devil wanted her but she says she refused and that she is a woman of god. Soon after that all of the girls start to say that they saw towns people with the devil and that they would cast out their spirits onto the girls and make then do thing, or cause them physical pain. After many people are accused of witchery Abigail Williams accused a woman named Elizabeth Procter.
Abigail used to stay with Mrs. Procter and her husband John Procter but once Elizabeth found out that John and Abigail “knew” each other she let Abigail go and she then moved in with her uncle. Convinced that Elizabeth was tarnishing Abigail’s name in the village she called witchery on Elizabeth, thinking if she was out of the picture her and John could be together. After many more innocent people are accused of being a witch and executed one of the girls accuses John Procter so the other girls would stop accusing her of being a witch.
After this is done Abigail tires to get John out of jail and to run away with her, after he declines this she runs away by herself. Then Procter is offered to sign his name and admit to being a witch, he signs is name to the paper but refused to hand it over for all to see, he then rips up the paper and decides he would rather hang then sign away his good name. I believe that the movie is historically accurate and the role of Abigail Williams was very accurate.
She is just a young girl who wanted someone she knew she couldn’t have and she wanted to stay out of trouble. Elizabeth Procter is also protruded very well. She is a strong woman and just wants the best for her family. When given the chance to admit to the court about her husbands adultery and tarnish is good name to give a reason for Abigail to want to harm her and her family she stands by her husband and lies that nothing happened between the two of them, as most wives would. John Proctors character is also very accurate to what really happened.
He was attracted to another woman and did something he wasn’t proud of then tried to admit it to the courts. I think the actresses picked to play all the girls were excellent. It is easy to see how a group of girls would lie to stay out of trouble and I believe that they all did an excellent job playing their rolls. The judges in the movie were also historically correct. Since in the 1600’s it was a very religious time “dancing with the devil” was a very serous thing all the judges had to take the accusations very seriously and they all were very believable.
Over all I enjoyed the movie and would suggest it to anyone. It is a entertaining and historically accurate way to enjoy history. To imagine that this really happened and a group of young girls could sit back and cause so many deaths is a very surreal thing. It makes you ask you’re self “if I were in the same situation would I let all these innocent people die too? ” From the actors and the truth behind it all it was a very good movie and something that everyone should watch.
