The Salem Witch Trials In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

The Salem Witch Trials took place in Salem, Massachusetts, and lasted from February 1692 until May of the following year. In the early months of 1692, Betty Parris and Abigail Williams suddenly became afflicted with a sickness that caused spasms, fever, and contortions. Shortly afterward, seven more girls became sick, bringing the total to nine. The girls were examined by the local doctor, William Griggs, who claimed they were bewitched. Following the diagnosis, the girls accused Tituba (a Barbadian slave), Sarah Goode, and Sarah Osbourne of bewitching them. Sarah Goode and Sarah Osbourne both denied the charges, but Tituba, knowing she would be found guilty, confessed that the devil had visited the three of them together. In her confession,

Focusing on the town of Salem, where the infamous trials began, director Nicholas Hytner shows how a group of innocent girls started a massive uproar. After John Proctor, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, breaks off his affair with a young Abigail Williams, portrayed by Winona Ryder, Abigail and a group of friends are found dancing and singing in the woods by Reverand Samuel Parris (Bruce Davison). Following Abigail's lead, the girls begin to accuse various townspeople of witchcraft in order to save themselves from being accused. When the slave Tituba (Charlayne Woodard) confesses, the town becomes convinced that the devil is among them. Realizing their power, Abigail and the other girls point their fingers at those they dislike, including Elizabeth Proctor (Joan Allen), the wife of Abigail's former lover. This historical drama brought Arthur Miller a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the International Press Academy, and the British Academy of Film and Television Art (BAFTA). Joan Allen received nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press, the International Press Academy, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, along with a win from the Broadcast Film Critics Association in the same category. Paul Scofield received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor, and nominations from