Giles Corey Character Analysis

Mary E. Wilkins Freeman’s Giles Corey, Yeoman narrates the events leading to the death of the titular character, along with his beloved wife. Although both Giles and Martha Corey are accused of being witches, and two other characters self-identify as witches, the existence of witchcraft is never made definitively clear. While not adhering strictly to historical fact, depicting Martha as dying several weeks before Giles whereas in real life she died several days after, the play suggests that the cause of the Witch Panic was not witchcraft itself, but enmity between neighbours, expressed through female spite and male obstinacy.

One malicious female character is Nancy Fox, an elderly servant in the Corey household. When Nancy tells Ann Hutchins

about Olive Corey’s evening meetings with Paul Bayley (9), her purpose at first seems to be to embarrass Olive. However, it later becomes apparent that Ann too harbours feelings for Paul. Nancy appears aware of this from the beginning, commenting that Ann has a jealous heart (8), and deliberately seeks to hurt Ann. This nurturing of Ann’s heartbreak results in the eventual execution of Giles and Martha, leaving Nancy without a master or mistress to care for her.
Though initially presented as Olive’s friend, Ann emerges as another malevolent female character.

She provides evidence against Olive and Martha during the trial, but carefully exonerates Paul, portraying him as strong enough to withstand pressure from Olive to sign his name (49). If Olive is executed for witchcraft, no suspicion will then fall on Paul, leaving him free to be with Ann. However, Mercy Lewis, another of the Afflicted Girls, later quiets Ann, and points out that Paul will never choose her if harm comes to Olive (69). Ann’s inability to perceive this on her own indicates how ill considered her plan was. It also demonstrates her lack of commitment to the truth. If Olive is guilty of witchcraft, then she should face persecution, regardless of whether or not Ann will get Paul. In the end, Ann succeeds in having Martha and Giles executed, but Paul still marries Olive, and Ann obtains no benefit from her

lies.
While Ann appears strongly driven by jealousy, she also seems influenced by her mother, the widow Eunice.

This female character describes Olive as a “hussy” (32), despite Olive’s dedication to her sewing (19) and insistence that Paul only courts her once a week (20), and states that as Ann is more attractive than Olive, Martha must have bewitched Paul to make him choose Olive over Ann (33). It is unclear why Martha receives blame for this instead of Olive. If witchcraft does account for Paul’s preference, Olive would seem the most likely culprit, as the one who benefits the most. Eunice’s belief that Martha is at fault reveals that there is already enmity between the two older women. Later, Ann echoes that Martha enchanted Paul, though quickly corrects herself when questioned by John Hathorne (61). The similarity between what the mother and daughter say implies that they have already discussed this. Instead of punishing a witch, their intent is to remove a romantic rival and her mother. Martha’s later description of Ann as a “poor lovesick, jealous maid, who should be treated softly, but not let to do this mischief” (56) displays a good understanding of Ann’s character, and presents Martha as far more reasonable than those seeking to harm her. However, no one with any power over her fate will listen to

her.
Though the accusing women’s voices are influential, they would have achieved nothing without the judgement of men. Occasionally sceptical, such as when Mercy states that there is an invisible black man murmuring to Jonathan Corwin, Hathorne nevertheless largely believes the Afflicted Girls, and later insists that Giles will eventually talk rather than remain mute (101). Even when hearing of Giles’ refusal to speak, Hathorne attributes this bravery to the help of Satan (102). He cannot conceive that Giles could achieve this through strength of conviction. In a way, Giles is already dead to Hathorne. The Afflicted Girls’ accusation of witchcraft purges any compassion that Hathorne might have felt for him. While Nancy and the Afflicted Girls, with the support of Ann’s mother, testify against Giles and Martha, Hathorne ensures that they die.
Women represent most of the accusers and the accused, but the Witch Panic could not have progressed to the extent that it did without the support of the men. Nancy, Ann, and Eunice’s accusations would have damaged Giles and Martha’s reputations, but Hathorne’s judgement ensured that they died slow and painful deaths. Neither gender can claim innocence. Despite Salem’s renown for its ties to witchcraft, the existence of witchcraft is irrelevant. Human suspicion condemned and then murdered the victims, with no help needed from the supernatural.