Arthur Dimmesdale and John Proctors Guilt and Sin Essay -- The Crucib

Arthur Dimmesdale and John Proctors Guilt and SinGuilt is something that weighs heavily on the human soul. Itincorporates itself in our dreams, our thoughts, and our actions.Everywhere we turn, it stares us blankly in the face. While it isunbearable to suffer, guilt is an emotion that reaffirms our humanity.Repentance of a particular guilt, being spiritual, physical or both,is evidence that we are beyond the baseness of our physical tendencies.This fact has not gone unnoticed to the many great figures ofliterature. They have explored the sentiments of guilt and repentanceby exploiting the conscience of flawed characters. In The ScarletLetter, Nathaniel Hawthorne presented to the foundation Reverend ArthurDimmesdale, a man suffering in a past sin. Likewise, in his play TheCrucible, the great modern playwright, Arthur Miller, penned thecharacter of John Proctor to interpret the dangers of moralpassivity. Their guilt and repentance were the primary causes of theirundoing.Dimmesdale a nd Proctor were both martyrs to their sin. Morespecifically, they were both martyrs to the sin of adultery. Being aman of the cloth, this was especially agonised for Dimmesdale. Howcould a ruined soul like his effect toward the redemption of othersouls? (Hawthorne 182). As he confessed so mournfully to Hester, hispartner in sin, Canst thou keep back it, Hester, a consolation, that Imust stand up in my pulpit and meet so many eyes turned up to my as ifthe light-colored of heaven were beaming from itand then look inward, anddiscern the black reality of what they idolize?(Hawthorne 182). Hewas so consumed by his hypocrisy that he turned to self-masochism as ameans of escape. In stark contrast to Hesters outward ... ...e(Miller 22). All hewanted to do was get on with his farming and offer to live happilywith his wife. It was only when the witch hunt directly affected himdid he realize the gravity of his mistake. This was completelydifferent to Dimmesdales seven retentive years of suffering. However,unlike Dimmesdale, when faced with the decision to confess and live orstand by his convictions and die, Proctors love for life interfered.He had so much to live for including his children and his livelihood.Only his honor steered him back to the importance of his cause.Arthur Dimmesdale and John Proctor were both martyrs for personal andsocietal guilt. They paid earthly penitences and the final penance ofdeath. Their undoing was a necessity for a society at the brink.Without their sacrifice, the society they lived in would havecollapsed under its own weight.