Trials Of Witchery Essay, Research Paper

Trials of Witchery

Hey! You are accused of witchery! Just kidding, but during the Salem Witch Trials, in 1692, many people were accused of being witches or warlocks! The Crucible, a playwright written by Arthur Miller and a movie adapted from his play, focused on the trials, but were dramatically different. The cause of this, are the many different interpretations of the play. The following statements are the many different, but still entertaining ways the two are depicted.

The movie and the play of The Crucible, were both very interesting, but the film

had a few benefits on its side. The film can, and does bring out the setting, and often switches where scenes take place. This makes the audience more interested, but in the play the location of an event isn t well characterized. Another opportunity the film accomplished in using, were the conditions, which added to the mood of certain scenes. An example of this is when Elizabeth Proctor, an accused witch, is sent for from the court and it is raining when they pluck her from her cell, to be carried unsheltered to the courtroom. One last turn the film used the play couldn t, was that of the focusing on one character s facial expressions and emotions. The downside of that to the play was that all characters were present so it is not possible to do this technique.

Although the play is well written and very interesting, the film adds many events to draw in the audience, as well as adding action to it. A case with a dramatically different result than the play is when Abigail confesses that Tituba is who made them dance, but instead of threatening her like in the playwright, Tituba is actually whipped!

Another added bonus to the movie is that of when Elizabeth is arrested, but her sons try to fight the person locking her up. This doesn t seem odd until you fall back on the playwright where her sons are sleeping!

Similar to that last paragraph, the events that I mention aren t adapted from the play they are added scenes to the movie! In one extra scene, when Abigail is leaving the town to not risk being accused as a witch, she visits John Proctor (who is now in jail from accusation from Mary) to see if he wants to leave with her because she can pay the guard for his dismissal. The second scene added that I noticed was one of the horrible parts of the movie. In the scene people that have been characterized as witches are being hanged, for their actions that have obviously been misinterpreted.

Lastly, in the play some things are there that are not in the movie. First of all when Abigail leaves for ending the risk of being blamed for witchcraft, she isn t alone Mary Warren leaves with her for the same reason. Also in the play, when Abigail is stuck with the needle from Elizabeth s doll, Abigail is having dinner, instead of walking in the room with the needle in her.

I hope the paragraphs have been helpful in the comparison of the two differently presented methods. Whether reading the play, or watching the movie, the same point gets across to you but they are very differently shown. Just don t get caught up in hysteria in the way people think, like in The Crucible, or you really might be accused of falsely interpreted actions!