Magua

The central role in this novel is played by an evil, treacherous, cunning Indian, the leader of the Huron (Ming) tribe, the Magua Indian, the Renard Subtile (Maqua-Le Renard Subtile), known to the whole tribe for drunkenness. His nickname - The Wily Fox was received from Canadian officers with whom he collaborated. His nickname Magua fully justifies. Since he is characterized by special perfidy and cruelty. He loves power and money. He is rancid and merciless. He embodies the main signs of the evil. But it can be justified by the desire to restore oneself with his people in order to regain the chance to lead an existence, which is noble and correct in his worldview.

In the beginning, he seems to all to be a McVeigh, who is supposedly indebted to the English soldiers, but in fact, fiercely hates them for unfair punishment. McVeigh volunteered to be the conductor of Major Munro's daughters, but in fact, he deliberately gets them into a trap. Because their father ordered his punishment. And when Hayward is wondering how they were in a completely different place, he reports that his name is not McVeigh, but Sly Fox, as if to justify his behavior. After his betrayal is revealed, he escapes and then participates in a deadly struggle with his enemies. To take revenge, he always tries to kidnap Cora and make her his wife. But, as it turned out, he, like Uncas, is in love with Cora. His real attitude toward Cora is revealed in his last inability to kill her and his fury towards the man who killed her.

By the way, The Wily Fox-Renard was a hero of the medieval French epic and became a popular literary character. He embodied not only cunning, ingenuity, resourcefulness, but also cruelty, lack of principle, ruthlessness, selfishness, greed and cunning. Several times, different characters say that he fully deserves this nickname.