Day of Wrath

In a Danish village in 1623, Herlof's Marte is accused of practicing witchcraft. The community's fear sparks rumors, and Anne offers Marte shelter in her home. The suspicion begins to ripple through Absalon Pedersson's household.

Anne provides refuge for Marte, hoping to protect her from the trials. Marte is soon discovered in the house, though it is suggested she hid there without help. The discovery heightens the danger surrounding Anne and Absalon.

Under torture, Marte confesses to witchcraft and to wishing harm upon others. She also threatens to expose Anne if Absalon does not intervene. The courtroom pressure tightens as the evidence points toward Marte.

Marte begs Absalon to save her from a guilty verdict, reminding him of how he saved Anne's mother. He pleads with the judges, but cannot overturn the outcome. Marte remains doomed regardless of his pleas.

Marte is burned at the stake while villagers look on. Absalon feels the sting of guilt for having once spared Anne's mother, now letting Marte die. The execution cements the harsh justice of the time.

Absalon wrestles with the moral cost of his past intervention to save Anne's mother. He carries the weight of a life spared and a life sacrificed. This guilt shadows him as the trials continue.

Martin, Absalon's son from his first marriage, returns home and is immediately drawn to Anne. The pair's growing closeness fuels Meret's suspicions about Anne's intentions. The household atmosphere thickens with jealousy and fear.

Anne is heard laughing with Martin, a sign that her feelings may be changing. Meret denounces Anne as a witch, further straining the family bonds. Tensions mount as trust frays and old loyalties are tested.

Absalon confesses that he married Anne without fully understanding her, and he apologizes for stealing her youth. He acknowledges the tragedy of a loveless union. His words reveal the emotional cost behind the outward arrangement.

A violent storm erupts while Absalon is away visiting a dying parishioner, Laurentius. Laurentius had been cursed by Marte during her interrogation, and his death is foretold. The storm seems to mirror the gathering catastrophe for the family.

Anne and Martin discuss their future as the storm rages. She admits that she has wished her husband dead, but claims it was only a thought, not an action. The confession cements the dangerous bond between them.

Absalon returns home and confronts Anne's confession of loving Martin. He collapses and dies, calling Martin's name, on his way back. His death shakes the village and ends the old order.

At Absalon's open coffin, Anne initially denies but finally confesses that she murdered him and enchanted his son with the Devil's help. The confession seals her fate in the eyes of Meret and the villagers. The moment crystallizes the tragedy of their intertwined lives.

Meret and the villagers denounce Anne as a witch in the aftermath of the confession. Martin supports his grandmother, severing Anne's remaining ties. The social and familial bonds fracture beyond repair.

With the confession and denunciation, Anne's fate appears sealed. The community looms with punishment and no clear path to absolution. The tragedy of blame and power within the witch trials is finally realized.