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Who Is Giles Corey A Complex Character In The Crucible

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Courage, weakness, and truth are personality traits that many authors incorporate into their characters. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller has three characters that are strong representations of these character traits. The Crucible is about these three things, which are represented by Giles Corey, Mary Warren, and Reverend John Hale. Corey represents courage perfectly in The Crucible. Corey has enough courage to accuse Thomas Putnam of “reaching out for land” in court (Miller III,1074). Accusing Putnam shows that Corey is brave enough to accuse a powerful and influential man in the courts of trying to steal his neighbors land. Putnam has the power in Salem to have Corey accused of being a witch in court by persuading his daughter, who is one of the afflicted, to say that Corey is one of the witches tormenting the young girls in Salem. Also, Corey refused to give up the name of the man who provided him with information about Putnam’s plan to steal his …show more content…

From the time that Hale arrived he didn’t make any assumptions as to whether there were witches in Salem; he only sought out the truth in facts and real evidence. He never wanted to “look to superstition” unless he could prove it (I,1042). Throughout the play Hale urges Judge Danforth to look into the idea that Abigail might be lying. He really beings to push Danforth when Rebecca Nurse, Martha Corey, and Proctor are accused of witchcraft and refuse to plead innocent and falsely accuse other members of the community as witches. Hale tries to persuade Danforth to see that “it is a lie! [And that] they are innocent!” (IV, 1104). Throughout the entire play Hale tries to gather evidence that will lead him to the truth, only to be disregarded by Danforth. If the courts had listened to Hale and been as concerned with the truth as he was many innocent people would have

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In this scene the reader gets a taste of another Giles Corey encounter of humorous behavior. Miller uses Giles to commence comic relief many times in the play in order to sort of budge the reader and say “hey you can laugh a little”. Giles character is of which you would say is a prideful yet brave individual that says whatever he wants in order to bring the play from a meditative tone to a more giddy tone. Miller does an excellent job to making this character accomplish this rhetorical device by adding Giles humorous lines in the most serious parts of the play such as here when he is making his claim to try to get his wife out of jail because she is innocent. He says that this is not a hearing and they can't arrest him unless he is in the

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261 Words | 2 Pages

I think one of the characters that changes the most throughout the book would be Giles Corey. At the beginning of the crucible everytime something goes wrong everyone thinks its Giles fault. Giles has been in court over 30 times, but overtime in the book Giles changes into a much better man. Giles said, “ I never said my wife were a witch, mister Hale; I only said she were reading books.”

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626 Words | 3 Pages

“That’s God’s truth; he nearly willed away my north pasture but he knew I’d break his fingers before he’d set his name to it.” This quote was stated by Giles Corey, an 83 year old man who, he and his wife, were accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials. Giles was very determined, however he always tried to stir up trouble. I feel as though I can relate to Giles Corey; we are both extremely stubborn, exceptionally loyal, and immensely sarcastic.

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507 Words | 3 Pages

Giles Corey is an old eager to fight resident of Salem… Giles fate turns tragic when he, in a way, accuses his wife of witchcraft, when he out loud wonders about the strange books that she reads at nights. He isn’t very educated and is on his third wife, Martha. Since he isn’t very educated he cannot read the way that his wife does, and is suspicious because the other two wives he had did not read like Martha either. He then asks Reverend Hale a simple question that is misinterpreted.

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834 Words | 4 Pages

In Arthur Miller’s story about the horrific result of the Red Scare and hints of communist connections for the certain events that occur, The Crucible, one of the major themes that Miller shows throughout the novel is that not everyone will believe what society thinks is true. In the Novel, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the sparking of witchcraft and sorcery starts of with Betty not being able to Awaken from what seems as an endless sleep: “ … Betty. Child. Dear child. Will you wake, will you open up your eyes!

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(35) This shows that Hale is so involved in his work that he could possibly end up accusing someone who was not guilty of witchcraft. Hale seems overly conscious about his own life and his duty to serve the people to find the devil in Salem; he doesn’t seem to like the idea that he himself could be wicked. This shows that Hale too, did not show himself to be truthful and courteous when it came to the

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Hale acknowledges human’s mortality more so than Danforth who believes his word is the final say. Furthermore, Judge Danforth appears to only be concerned with having those who were jailed, confess to being witches whether they were or not. All those who do not confess to conspiring with the devil in his eyes are evil and those “who weep for [them, therefore] weep for corruption” (134). In contrast, Hale is desperate to save the innocent from their inevitable doom because he believes “life is God’s most precious gift” and “no principle [] may justify taking it” (122). He even encourages Elizabeth Proctor to “prevail upon [her] husband to confess” because “God damns a liar less than he that throws his life away for pride” (122).

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At the same time he is doing his duty of making her confess. Nevertheless, Reverend Hale knows that John and Elizabeth are innocent, and that Abigail Williams and the girls are guilty of witchcraft.” You are goodwife Proctor”(2. 266-267). He could have done something more than just trying to convince Judge Danforth that they are innocent.

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“Character Analysis over The Crucible” Arthur Miller is a commonly-known playwright, most famous for his 1953 play, The Crucible. The basis for The Crucible came from the witch trials which occurred in Salem, Massachusetts during the puritan era. Miller even uses some of the same characters in his dramatized play that were a part of the original witch trials in Salem. However, Miller made a few alterations to the historical members of the Salem society in order to suit his dramatic purpose in The Crucible, particularly Abigail Williams, John Proctor, and Reverend Samuel Parris.

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In the beginning, he believes the girls and the accusations they are making, but then he becomes doubtful. He first questions himself when he delivers the news to John Proctor about his wife being mentioned in court. He says, ““God forbid such a one be charged” (64) because Elizabeth was a very honest and uptight woman. He had also just been to Rebecca Nurse’s house to warn her she was accused of witchcraft, which was appalling to some people because of her caring, generous persona. Many innocent seeming people were being accused, and Hale didn’t know whom to trust; he couldn’t trust that he was making the right decisions for these people in

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1779 Words | 8 Pages

In Arthur Miller's play, dignity and reflection of one's self plays an important role in what makes up a person's character. Through John Proctor's actions and words, Miller's element of tragedy that emphasizes laying down one's life for personal dignity is demonstrated in The Crucible as people will go any extent to accomplish their desires and fight for their beliefs, despite the consequences because they are trying to protect who they are. Tragedy lies within

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819 Words | 4 Pages

Hale went to the houses of those accused because he was starting to worry that they were actually innocent. He acknowledges, “No man may longer doubt the powers of the dark are gathered in monstrous attack upon this village. There is too much evidence now to deny it” (II.469-473.). Hale tells John and Elizabeth how the accusations are attacking the village, and how there is more evidence making it more difficult to not believe Abigail’s lie. Hale is worried that innocent people are being accused, but he also feels obligated to agree with the court.

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609 Words | 3 Pages

The witches are on the hunt for the innocent souls of Salem with Hale stating, “The Devil is alive in Salem, and we dare not quail to follow wherever the accusing finger points” (Miller 1251). Hale is determined to use God’s mighty hand against the “evil witches”. This shows that Hale is faithful to Abigail’s accusations against the common people of Salem. At first, Reverend Hale is eager to prosecute, but as more innocent people are condemned, his compliance turns into distaste. His dissatisfaction eventually turns into rage when Hale shouts, “I denounce these proceedings!”

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626 Words | 3 Pages

Reverand Hale is responsible for the witch trials becase he lends his expiertise in the matter to Abigals advantage. On many occasions, Hale supported some of Abigals clames in the court, and without his input on the matter the claims may have never been taken seriously by the Judges. Hale believes the girls and supports Abiglals claims until Elizebeth and Rebecca are arrested, and at that time he relizes that the girls are a fraud. Even though Hale is now on the accused side and is trying to keep them from hanging, the damage is already done, and without Hale, the court might have not taken Abgigal seriously. But because Hale is supposed to be "the expert" they believed him.

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525 Words | 3 Pages

To begin, when hale arrives in salem his books show how much he knows about witchcraft. As the play progress he starts to notice that the events in salem are not witchcraft. He notices that it is just people accusing other people they do not like. Next, Hale goes into salem confident it is witchcraft. When hale arrives in salem, he believes the girls and what they are saying about witchcraft and the people they are accusing.

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