My Favorite things about Angelfire.
My Favorite Web Sites
Angelfire - Free Home Pages
Free Web Building Help
Angelfire HTML Library
HTML Gear - free polls, guestbooks, and more!
Gosh... you should feel special.. all this time.. lol
--------------------------------------------
S. Kristen Mason
The Crucible: In Comparison
While the play and movie The Crucible followed very similar story lines, it seemed as if they each carried a different overall picture. The play left the girls on a more softer note. As if perhaps their motives were not to kill or harm people, that they truthfully “believed” they were seeing spirits. That even the dreaded Abigail was suffering from an unknown cause that perhaps ushered her hallucinations. She seemed more crazy per say than actual evil. Such as in act three with the harmful spirit of Ms. Mary Warren.
From the play, Act three:
Abigail: Why-? Why do you come, yellow bird?
Abigail: Oh Mary, this is a black art to change your shape. No, I cannot stop my mouth; its God’s work I do.
As it seems that Abigail is the first to notice such a evil bird and her friends to follow, she is made out to be seeing things rather than in any type of threat. Not even the preacher in the room is able to see anything; therefore, leaving the reader in doubt that perhaps the girls don’t understand what they are doing. That Abigail is deeply troubled and her friends are to believing, because they look up to her. Yet in the movie the doubt of guiltiness was erased within the constant obvious plans of Abigail. The view of the other girls did not change as much as our Abigail, only to the fact that they seemed more brainwashed by her words than in the play. She came across as deceitful, and in full aware of what she was doing. She was a young, love struck girl and would stop at nothing to have her way. Perhaps is was the viewing of the character that gave this vibe or how everything you had read in the play suddenly came together. During Act Three the movie allowed the viewer to witness the timing of the events. Just when Abigial was coming dangerously close to being discovered she turns the tables around from her to the one girl that was standing up to her. The play gave us hope that these accusers could possibly just be naive while the movie threw the harsh reality of the girls motives.
The differences of the play and movie is what leads to such an opposite view. Abigail’s and John Proctor’s midnight meeting was much more emphasized in the play. John was furious with her. He explained how she was to be found out, how he wanted nothing to do with her.
From the play, Act Two:
Proctor: I will prove you for the fraud you are!
Proctor goes on to explain that he will do whatever it takes to prove her guilty, even that be confessing his own sins.
From the play, Act Two:
Proctor: I will tell them why.
Abigail: What will you tell them? You will confess to fornication? In the court?
Proctor: If you will have it so, I will tell it!
Never does Abigail take his threat seriously. Once again, showing her nieveness. He never mentioned confessing his sins to the court in the movie. There whole meeting here is somewhat less noticed, not as big of a deal. He wanted to explain to her that what she is doing was wrong , while in the play it is as if he is stuck on letting her know that she will not go far and as if to give her a chance to figure out what to do. In the movie, she seems much more seductive towards him, particularly during their this meeting. This making the element of their relationship much more than what was stated in the play. As in the play he is going not only on his wishes, but his wife’s at well. This meeting was much more detailed in the play then it was made out to be in the motion picture.
After Abigail’s and Johns meeting, the movie portrayed the event of Abigail getting stabbed with needle above her navel. This was blamed on Proctor’s wife; thereby, insuring her practice in the dark arts and her death. Once again, the screen play has made Abigail’s motives much more clear than the play. After their meeting, she knew that without Elizabeth’s death there wouldn’t be the slightest chance of her having the relationship with Proctor she had wanted. Yet, the play had this event scheduled much before their meeting. Thus, giving a hint of Abigail motives yet still leaving the doubt for imagination to fill in the blanks. Timing has made several differences.
And while Mary had made the poppet, that was supposedly used as a Voodoo instrument by Elizabeth, while setting beside Abigail as told in the play, one could only wonder if the doll had actually been noticed by Abigail at all; therefore, once again putting doubt in the readers mind.
From the play, Act Two:
Mary: Ask Abby, Abby set beside me when I made it.
Hale: Mary- You charge a cold and cruel murder against Abigail.
Mary: Murder! I charge no-
This conversation gives the opinion that even one of Abigail’s closet friends believe she isn’t out to purposely kill Elizabeth. Yet, the movie made it extremely clear that she had, after all, witnessed the making of the poppet. Once again, making it known that Abigail knew just what was going on.
There is yet another difference between the two Crucible materials supporting the different views obtained from each. There was no more talk of Abigail’s sudden leave from the town of Salem other than a brief discussion, yet the movie gave us something more. Although, the viewer still does not know the true and full motives of her sudden absence, they do gain a better understanding. The reason being is that before she left, she visited one person, this person being Mr. John Proctor himself. John has been put in jail and is awaiting his hanging. Abigail, knowing of this, does not leave before offering him the opportunity to join her. She confesses that she can pay the guard and he will be removed from the jail and free to travel with her.
From the Motion Picture, Act Four:
Abigail: I have money for the guard. I never dreamed any of this for you. I wanted you is all. Listen to me, John. I have money, we can see tomorrow on the ocean.
Proctor: Its not on a ship we will see each other again, Abigail, but in Hell.
This difference once again portrays Abigail’s true motives and Johns resentment of them. This scene proves to the viewer that she will and has done anything and everything to get her way. She did not visit Elizabeth, Proctor’s wife, and had no need to. She used every opportunity she had and knew this was her last. Once again, any doubt of guiltiness had been erased.
While the movie and play gave different overall views of the Salem Witch Trials one thing can be said. The power of lives is not to be taken so lightly. During the Salem Witch Trials nineteen women and men and two dogs were killed on accounts of witchery. All due to the accusations of young girls. Their deaths were not in just. Those who died, did so on lies. Since the trials all the victims have received apologies, but not so willingly. And while both versions of The Crucible may not be totally factual it has given many people a sense of the horror and tragedy that was alive in Salem, Massachusetts.
