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The Crucible By Nicholas Hytner

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Nicholas Hytner 's adaption of Arthur Miller 's The Crucible provides an interesting look into the life of the Puritans. The Crucible follows the small town of Salem as they are engulfed in the mass hysteria of witchcraft. A group of young girls are caught dancing in the woods, and thus fearing punishment claim that they were possessed by the devil. Soon the accusations run wild which resulted in the arrest of two-hundred peoples, and the execution of twenty. Today the film is regarded as an allegory for the McCarthy hearings though it also provides an intimate look into the closed societies of colonial America. The film displays some of the themes presented in Scupins book Anthropology of Religion. It has become the perfect contemporary depiction of the leviathan-like power the Puritan Church had over the community, and their ability to rule through fear. Furthermore, Salam was a small isolated town and was not exposed to outside ideas, this coupled with the Church 's power demonized any outside forces. The film also depicts women 's relationship with witchcraft, and how accusations were used by the patriarchy to maintain their power over women, and how the young girls were able to gain power and influence through the act of accusation. Before a more in-depth examination of how The Crucible works to display some of the themes presented in Scupin 's book, it is best to gain a better understanding of the Puritan communities of Salam. In 1692, the Puritans lived in a

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