Giles Сorey Character Analysis

Giles is among the noble characters within the play. He is an embodiment of sheer willpower to the rest of the characters. Eventually, they look up to him or feel intimidated by him. This depends on the actions they have committed themselves.

Earlier within the play, Giles perceives the possibility of witchcraft within Salem as interesting. For this reason, he asks reverend Hale the reason his wife can make him lose focus on his reading just by her presence in the room. However, in the middle of the play, after his wife gets arrested for witchcraft, Giles discovers that he has committed an error.  He then accompanies John, and they proceed to the court in order to inform Danforth of this wrongdoing.

Likewise, Giles is witty enough to notice that Putnam is exploiting the allegations of witchcraft as a front to intimidate the accused into surrendering the land they have been fighting over for many years. Giles also declines to make a confession that he partook in witchcraft even during his torture aimed at obtaining a confession.

In such a city whereby many folks tell lies in order to save themselves from trouble, and falsely accuse their neighbors instead of standing up for the truth, Giles sets himself apart from them as an ideally brave and noble man- a very rare trait in the community.

This incredible strength of character is exhibited after the story whereby Giles neither makes a confession to the allegation nor denies the accusation of witchcraft. Upon doing so, this character has made sure that his sons can legitimately inherit his estate. Despite his brutal torture and eventual execution by having massive stones placed on his bosom, the only words he utters are “more weight.”