The Crucible vs Real Life

The Salem Witch Trials were an extremely controversial period of time in our history. This was a time of suspicion and accusation of many innocent women and men that led to hysteria and complete turmoil in Salem Village. The Crucible portrays the Salem Witch Trials in a dramatic sense, but there are many similarities between the movie and the actual events. We can use these unusual events to compare to our own lives and learn from the mistakes of our past. I’ve found that although many differences are displayed between the movie and the actual events, the overall theme of The Crucible was accurate.
One of the differences was the relationship between John Proctor and Abigail Williams. In the movie, their relationship had a much more intimate history than what actually occurred. They portrayed the pair to have had romantic relations, which created a very large shift in the plot of the movie. In real life, Proctor and Williams had no connection other than living in the same town before the witch trials. Also, another major difference was the character of Giles Corey. In the movie, he was pressed to death because he wouldn’t give up a name.
In the actual events, Giles survived, but he was excommunicated from the church. He was very against the hangings that occurred, however, his name was re-entered onto the church scrolls in later years. The first similarity I noticed was the character of Reverend Hale. In the beginning, all he wanted was to use his church authority to help the people, but after the events got out of hand, he wanted nothing to do with the Salem Witch Trials. He was a large supporter of John Proctor. Another similarity was that all of this hysteria began in the home of Mr.

Samuel Parris, involving his daughters and their friends after incidents of witchcraft in the woods. Arthur Miller, the director of The Crucible, used an “artistic license” to dramatize the events, and to make the overall movie more interesting to the viewers. Some may find this tactic unjust, however, I find that the changes he made didn’t display an inaccurate version of the Salem Witch Trials. The largest change that he made to the story was the love connection between Abigail Williams and John Proctor, and although that was untrue to the
actual events, I found that it gave the movie an interesting twist. Besides the few differences, Miller stayed along the lines of the true story when it came to the actual hangings, character significances, and the tale of how the hysteria truly began along with who was primarily involved. When comparing the similarities and differences, numerous situations exist where the movie was spot on with the trials in 1692. Although there are significant differences, I believe that this did not take away from the historical facts, and that Miller properly used his artistic license.
The severe lies and accusations which occurred in Salem during these trials appear so extreme that it would be impossible to compare to life today. However, recurrently in our modern day, it seems that some still haven’t learned from the mistakes of the past. Although not as severe as the hangings and false accusations that were shown in the witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts, the “breaking of charity” still proves to destroy friendships and relationships today. An example of this kind of situation could be a jealous friend starting a nasty rumour.
Although it may seem harmless at first, the wildfire of gossip can travel even quicker the friend could imagine. If enough people believe and continue to spread the lie, this person could potentially lose many friends and have a lasting effect on their life, causing sadness and unjust treatment. Not to mention, the relationship between the victim and the rumour-starter would be severed until the situation is fully dissolved. Despite the fact that occurrences of this today rarely lead to death or the destruction of a close-knit town, the repercussions of lies can take a harsh effect on relationships to many people.
In conclusion, the details of the actual Salem Trials and the movie The Crucible have many similarities and differences that are portrayed throughout history. I believe that Miller’s use of an “artistic license” is justifiable, and also think that the events of the witch trials can even compare to situations in life today. It’s possible to learn many lessons from this severe religious type of control, and many different opinions are portrayed throughout both the movie and the actual happenings.