The Witch, a 2015 folk horror film directed by Robert Eggers, is also stylised as The VVitch (with two Vs instead of a W). Although this is his first time in the director’s chair, he already bears the hallmark of a man who will produce the critically praised The Lighthouse. The film’s box office earnings were equally astounding. It generated well over $40 million while having a $4 million budget. Here’s why this film attracted so much interest and helped Anya Taylor-Joy and Robert Eggers become household names. Spoilers ahead for The VVitch / The Witch’s plot and resolution.
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The VVitch The Witch| A Summary of the Plot
William, a settler from New England, gets expelled from the community and relocates with his wife Katherine, daughter Thomasin, son Caleb, twins Mercy and Jacob, and a young child named Samuel to a secluded area.
Samuel goes missing one day when Thomasin is playing with him and is never seen again. The family convinces themselves that a wolf has abducted the child despite the fact that it is obvious that evil forces are at work. Yet, the mother is extremely traumatised and lacks the willpower to forgive Thomasin.
There is a food shortage as winter draws closer. William wasn’t much of a farmer, the traps were empty, and the corn harvest wasn’t as abundant as the family had planned. In an effort to find something on his own, Caleb ventures into the woods, but he also disappears.
One evening, Caleb comes home in a catatonic state while deliriously murmuring a bizarre plea. The family soon begins to have suspicions that a witch in the forest may have abducted some of their loved ones. The allegations gradually pit the family against one another, as supernatural forces choose them one by one.
On an apple, Caleb chokes to death (a strong biblical reference). The twins, transfixed, recite the prayer to Black Phillip and fall to the ground; they are never seen again in the film. While Thomasin murders the mother, the goat kills the father, who is then buried beneath the stack of firewood. The Witch’s epilogue depicts Thomasin entering the woods and joining the witches as they dance the Sabbath around a fire. Whether this is her illusion or something true is left up for interpretation.
Honesty, The Witch |The VVitch
The early settlement of New England produces a strong environment in terms of both the topography and the atmosphere. The environment is made authentically authentic by the improvised clearing, the primitive hovel, the crude goat corral, and the henhouse. Even the simplest of modern landscaping concepts after tree removal was challenging back in the day.
The language in the film is the next aspect that deserves praise. The cast made every effort to maintain the Early Modern English of the original Puritan settlers. It is evident even in the movie’s stylised title, The VVitch rather than The Witch.
William does a good job of capturing the religious radicalism of the time as well as the views of the early Puritan settlers. In the modern world, where this historical drama is set, religion permeates every facet of daily life. Although William may have seemed radical to us, he most likely wasn’t more zealous than the majority of his contemporaries.
The notion of the expert frontiersman is one thing I found to be really intriguing. Being the patriarch of the family, William is expected to be tough, tenacious, and competent. She does, however, indicate that Thomasin can’t hunt, can’t raise crops, and that his wife henpecks him during one interaction. This was definitely true for many people during that time, yet we seldom see it depicted on TV.
Biblical References in The Witch |The VVitch
The folk narrative components are heavily woven into the scenario of the film, which is categorised as folk horror. Other than this, the movie is filled with other biblical allusions.
First, the expulsion of the family from the plantation is meant to resemble Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden. It’s possible that the apple tree that Caleb mentions and later chokes on is alluding to this.
From their father’s pride to Caleb’s lust, every member of the family is guilty of a sin.
Also, Thomasin must first liberate herself from the farce of patriarchy in order to develop into a witch. The youngest member of the family, Samuel, is sacrificed at the beginning of the film. The next member of the family to perish at the hands of the witch is Caleb, the oldest son. In the end, Black Phillip kills the father, William, and he is buried behind a pile of chopped firewood (the fruit of his masculine labor). Thomasin’s mother’s murder completes the bargain and puts her firmly on her chosen course.
Who is Black Phillip, asks The VVitch (The Witch)?
The devil is frequently depicted as a billy goat. The Black Philip, the family’s black billy goat, completely fits with this.
Answers to Commonly Asked Questions
What makes it known as The VVitch?
The Early Modern English spelling of the word Witch is used in the title VVitch. This is one of the instances where the movie strives to be as accurate to the early New England colonisation period. Together with spelling, archaisms and pronunciation are also significant in the film.
What is it about, asks The Witch The VVitch?
A folk legend about early witches in colonial New England is the subject of the film. It modifies the majority of popular notions about witches. In addition, it shows how a depressing, lonely farmstead is the ideal location for a blend of superstition and mass hysteria. It’s not apparent whether supernatural components are real till the very end or whether they’re just hallucinations.
The VVitch: Why were they exiled, The Witch?
Although facts are unknown, the family was thought to have been exiled due to a theological disagreement. William is an egotistical individual who likely believed that only him could correctly understand the Bible.
What did the witch do to the baby, asked The VVitch -The Witch?
There are two explanations for the witch’s decision to sacrifice the child. She might have first refreshed her body with the innocent’s blood. This is a widespread myth that may have its origins in the film. Second, witches are frequently portrayed in today’s culture as early feminist figures who were persecuted and tortured by the patriarchal society. It may be a metaphor for putting an end to patriarchy to sacrifice a male from a patriarchal household.
What happened to the twins, The VVitch -The Witch asked?
Although it’s not confirmed, it’s more than likely that the twins passed away off-screen. It is doubtful that they were ritually sacrificed like their younger brother Samuel because they were baptised.
What became of Caleb, asked The Witch?
When Caleb got lost in the woods, he came across a stunning young lady. Caleb was abducted, cursed, and suffered from an unidentified sickness by the woman, who later revealed to be a witch. Caleb succumbs to his injuries and passes away a day later.
Caleb came upon an attractive young woman after getting lost in the woods. The woman, subsequently recognised as a witch, kidnapped Caleb, cursed him, and caused him to experience an unspecified illness. A day later, Caleb succumbs to his wounds and dies.
The final scene of the film The VVitch shows Tomasin becoming a full-fledged witch. The scene is simple, albeit it’s not obvious if what she sees is real or a hysteria-induced hallucination. A Witches’ Sabbath dance is seen, or at least how it is portrayed in folklore, taking place around a bonfire.
In The VVitch, who played the witch?
Even though we know that Bathsheba Garnett (old) and Sarah Stephens played the witch, this remains unclear (young). Even still, towards the film’s conclusion, we can clearly see that there is a large coven of witches nearby; Thomasin even joins them.
Conclusion for The Witch -The VVitch
In the end, the movie’s portrayal of witchcraft is based entirely on folktales. This film truly embodies the definition of a period drama. The VVitch is as evocative as it can be while placing a strong emphasis on authenticity. The colour scheme, lighting, soundtrack, and cinematography all effectively heighten the sense of being on a New England farmland in 1630. Overall, it’s a movie that’s absolutely worth seeing.
What did you think of The Witch’s (The VVitch’s) storyline and resolution? Please comment below.
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