John Proctor and Hester Prynne Similarities
In The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible Hester Prynne and John Proctor are similar in their actions to retain their idea of justice stated by their ethics and feelings. Both Hester and Proctor alike tried to restrain the dreadful deeds from progressing any further. Hester admitted that what she committed was wrong and accepted the punishment of being banished from the community of Puritans. However, she made the mistake of promising Roger Chillingworth of keeping his identity a secret. A blunder equivalent to the sins she had committed. Hester remained “ determined to redeem her error, so far as it might yet be possible”; stating that she wanted resolve, to restrain Roger from torturing the minister any longer (Hawthorne, ch. 13). The feelings she experienced revealed the principled character within Hester, and her desire to correct the wrongness signaled her upright nature. And as the result, she talked to the old physician about whether to maintain the promise or not. Similarly, John Proctor chose to set things right by pressuring Mary to tell the governor the truth of Abby’s plan.
He then stated, “ My wife will never die for me! I will bring your guts into your mouth but that goodness will not die for me!” showing his motive to claim justice for his wife with a threat toward Mary (Miller 47). Proctor’s intention for righteousness is clear as he tell Mary the idea of his wife dying to cover up a sinful act he committed is outrageous. Furthermore, Proctor states that “ Hell and Heaven grapple on our back and old pretense are ripped away” he is “ naked” and “ God’s icy wind will blow (Miller 47). He revealed great emotion and the virtuous heart when he appeared to be glad that the truth of his affair is finally uncovered, even if it ruined his pride and reputation, while insisting on laying it bare in order to save his wife. His morals were affecting him to the point that he acknowledged the fact that he could no longer hide the act of adultery, that he is “ naked” and will soon be punished by “ God’s icy wind” so might as well attempt to right what was wrong and repent while he can. Likewise, Hester felt the “ duty toward others human beings” as well as “ the duty toward him [Dimmesdale]” edging at her moral and giving her a sense of deception by holding up to Roger’s secret. She wanted to spill the secret and end the suffering of her lover as well as bring the cruel, old physician to the light (Hawthorn, ch. 14).
All in all, Hester and Prynne’s actions were driven through the motive to fix their wrong deeds through the incorporation of their own morals and thoughts.
