Giles Corey Character Analysis

Everyone wants to protect their friends and families, but many people can never fully achieve it. They’re usually scared away from the consequences or leaving their friends behind for self-interest. In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, friends and families are pitted against each other in the midst of witch hysteria. Everyone is betraying and accusing fellow townspeople. Giles Corey, unknowingly put his own wife into jail, is the strongest against this hysteria. Amongst the chaos, Giles Corey becomes the most fearless and righteous man of Salem because of his stubbornness to protect his friends and family, loyalty towards his fellow friends, and love for his family. Giles Corey will do everything in his power to protect his family and his
After being left out of jail, Elizabeth Proctor answers John Proctor’s question about Giles, “So [Giles Corey] stand mute, and died Christian under the law. And so his sons will have his farm (Act 4, 135).” Giles knows that if he confesses about being or not being a witch, he’ll lose his farm and his children won’t have anything when their father dies. If Corey did confess he is a witch, he would still be alive, but he’ll lose all his property. Thinking about his family, he sacrifices his own life in hopes of giving his children a better life. He is the epitome of a good father. Besides being a good father, Giles is also committed and good husband. After Giles interrupted the court and tells Danforth his story, Danforth ask Giles a plethora of questions, and this causes Giles to break down in tears and say, “I have broke charity with [Martha Corey], I have broke charity with [Martha Corey] (Act 3, 86).” Giles feels completely guilty about causing his wife’s arrest. This is his drive for him going to court, so throughout his confession, he’s thinking about any way he can save his wife even if it may cause him problems. Giles is a husband and father who do anything for best of his family, no matter the