Literary Period
8.
This film takes place toward the end of the Puritan Literary Period. The Salem Witch Trials, the focus of
the film, are often cited as the catalyst for a shift away from religious knowledge and perspective on the world toward an
empirical equivalent in which reason rather than religion governed thought and knowledge. This shift represents the
beginning of the Literary Period known as American Rationalism. In 3-4 complete sentences, discuss why you think the
Salem Witch Trials led to the advent of Rationalism. Be sure to use evidence from the film.
Notes: