From tyagi@bjt.net Mon Dec 30 08:08:12 1996 Return-Path: tyagi@bjt.net Received: from kudonet.com (kudonet.com [165.227.52.1]) by bitsy.hollyfeld.org (8.7.4/8.7.3) with SMTP id IAA04600 for ; Mon, 30 Dec 1996 08:08:09 -0500 Received: from kudo20.kudonet.com by kudonet.com (SMI-8.6/SMI-SVR4) id DAA18406; Mon, 30 Dec 1996 03:51:26 -0800 Received: by kudo20.kudonet.com (SMI-8.6/SMI-SVR4) id DAA27955; Mon, 30 Dec 1996 03:43:05 -0800 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 1996 03:43:05 -0800 Message-Id: <199612301143.DAA27955@kudo20.kudonet.com> To: tyagi@hollyfeld.org Subject: Witchery/9612.crucble.ph From: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (nagasiva) Reply-To: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (nagasiva) X-Status: Status: O >Path: kudonet.com!news.scruz.net!miwok!bdt.com!fsc.fujitsu.com!agate!howland.erols.net!feed1.news.erols.com!insync!news.azstarnet.com!in1.nntp.cais.net!news2.cais.com!news >From: Paul Hume >Newsgroups: alt.religion.wicca,alt.christnet,alt.paganism,alt.magick >Subject: Re: The Movie, The Crucible, Sucks!! >Date: Sat, 28 Dec 1996 10:28:32 -0500 >Organization: William Blake Oasis >Lines: 56 >Message-ID: <32C53CA0.2291@lan2wan.com> >References: <19961228014000.UAA28937@ladder01.news.aol.com> <5a2h0s$idl@sjx-ixn7.ix.netcom.com> >Reply-To: paulhume@lan2wan.com >NNTP-Posting-Host: 205.177.8.66 >Mime-Version: 1.0 >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.0C-KIT (Win95; I) >Xref: kudonet.com alt.religion.wicca:34907 alt.christnet:138537 alt.magick:77790 Nella - Good. Now go and look at (better yet, read) The Crucible again. Miller doesn't give a rat's ass about "witchcraft" as we discuss it in Neopaganism. If he even knew this kind of thing was around in 1955 (when he first wrote The Crucible), it would not have mattered as far as the play's intent goes. In his view (original production) it doesn't matter if there were rituals and orgies in the woods or not. The witch craze was the target for self-righteous, and fearful, persecution of "the other" - and then ignited greed in some, a chance to settle scores in others, and political ambition in yet others, at the expense of those caught in the madness - John and Mary and the others, but also Abby and Mary Warren. Look at the reaction of Abby when Mary W. wants to recant. They are trapped in their own nightmare. If you poked your head outside of the limited literary world of Neopaganism from time to time, you would know that The Crucible was originally written as a direct challenge to McCarthyism, which was in full swing at the time. THAT is what the witch hunt in the play represents. I am looking forward to seeing the film, not least since Miller wrote the screenplay, to see how he handles the contemporary view of his classic work on panic, on mob fear, and law as the tool of ignorance. Only 6 people shown hanged? Well darn darn darn. I don't know if the film includes the speech (its not by Danforth, but the local minister, whatisface, which is a crucial part of Act III in the stage text, which describes the impact of the trials, the fear, the mass arrests -the desolation of the economy, cows moaning with distended udders in farms from Salem to Andover. You want Miller (and actors like Scofield) to portray cardboard villains in place of Danforth and the others. You are in the wrong market, Nella. Comic books are down the street. If the ministers and judges are simply dirty old men, leering at their victims, then there is no conflict, no hideous irony of concern for the safety of their community driving people to vicious extremes. No acting worth a damn, for that matter. The corruption of Danforth's search for truth by political expediency, his almost manic need to get Proctor to confess, is a key part of the drama. (Yes, I have played the role, so of course view it as central to the piece (g)). You want a document about witchcraft - the Crucible transcends that petty topic and was never intended to cater to that particular need. Paul