The Crucible

In The Crucible, Giles Corey accuses Thomas Putnam of using the witch trials to gain land and wealth. In Act 3, Corey tells the court that Putnam instructed his daughter to accuse a man of witchcraft so that the man’s land would be forfeited after his execution.

The accusation fits with Putnam’s character throughout the play. He is portrayed as resentful and willing to do whatever it takes to increase his wealth and status. Corey believes Putnam is exploiting the hysteria in Salem for personal profit, turning accusations of witchcraft into a way to settle grudges and seize property.

This moment also shows how the trials become tied to greed and revenge instead of justice. The court refuses to seriously consider Corey’s evidence because it is already committed to the belief that the accusations must be true. Miller uses Corey’s accusation to show how fear and rigid ideology allow powerful people to manipulate the system to their own advantage.