The Similarities Between The Scarlet Letter And The Crucible

Living under a strict society where the system and all of its components were based on God, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale from Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and Judge Danforth from Arthur Miller's The Crucible were bound to suffer from the Puritan values which they believed in during the Puritan era. After thoroughly analyzing both Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and Arthur Miller's The Crucible, it is evident that Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale and Judge Danforth were notably victimized by the Puritan ethics of body politic and the statute of God as the law. Even though Dimmesdale and Danforth held different powers in their society, their positions were threatened or destroyed by the ethic of body politic, and they were ultimately
subjected to the impending doom of self oppression under the statute of God is law. Even though the modern days are far from the Puritan era, debris of certain Puritan ethics are still scattered everywhere.

Although both Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale and Judge Danforth feared that their high status of ranking in their society would shatter into pieces like a fragile glass, Dimmesdale, however, after years of introspection finally confessed the sin he committed, therefore, ruining his reputation, whereas Danforth refused to admit his mistakes even if others' lives depended upon him. Dimmesdale committed lechery with Hester Prynne, a married woman. After Pearl, their daughter was born, Hester was put on the scaffold where she was publicly humiliated by the townspeople while Dimmesdale, watched Hester suffer as she took all of the blame for their shared sin. After seven years, Pearl and Dimmesdale met at last and yet still, he had not confessed. " 'But wilt thou promise,' asked Pearl, 'to take my hand, and Mothers hand, tomorrow noontide?' 'Not then, Pearl,' said the minister, 'but another time.'" (Hawthorne 150) Pearl seemed to be young; however, Hawthorne depicted her as someone with a full comprehension of the situation. She asked her father to hold hand with her mother and her in public, but because Dimmesdale was the minister of the town where everyone worshipped him, he was more symbol than human being. He represented the town, and if he confessed his mistake and sin, it would cause an impact in the town. Dimmesdale was not ready to lose his place in the society and be looked down on. As compensation to the delay of his confession, Dimmesdale became weaker mentally and physically as each day passed by, which ultimately led to his immediate death after his confession on the scaffold. Just like Dimmesdale who was victimized by the Puritan ethic of body politic, Judge Danforth from The Crucible was as well. Danforth was the Deputy Governor of Massachusetts and the presiding judge at the witch trials. He thought he was doing the right thing when he tried to root out witchcraft by punishing anyone that was accused. After already hanged twelve people, he realized that many of the accused were innocent.

HALE. coming to Danforth now: You must pardon them. They will not budge. DANFORTH, conciliatory: You misunderstand, sir; I cannot pardon these when twelve are already hanged for the same crime. It is not just. (Miller 129)

Because Danforth had no social mobility to transcend the limitations of his government office, therefore he could not admit that his rulings of the last twelve victims were wrong. Although it was the right thing to pardon all of those who were accused, Judge Danforth wasn't going to sabotage his high power of position in government to save the mere lives of his townspeople. The difference between Dimmesdale and Danforth was that Dimmesdale eventually admitted to his wrongdoings even though he confessed to relinquish himself from his guilt rather than benefit others. The reason that they were reluctant to confess was because of where they stand in their society. They did not want to jeopardize any power they had. In addition to being suffered by the Puritan ethics of body politic, Dimmesdale and Danforth were also victimized by believing God as the law.

Even though Dimmesdale and Danforth both endured pain because of their strong beliefs in God as the law, they were victimized in different ways.
The pain Dimmesdale went through was clearly depicted in the book and it was obvious that he was getting weaker gradually. Danforth, however, suffered mostly mentally because he had to bear with the decisions he made. Dimmesdale, a God's man and the minister of the town committed a sin. Because he could not confess his wrongdoings, he was forced to punish himself. "In Mr. Dimmesdale's secret closet, under lock and key, there was a bloody scourge." (Hawthorne 141) From this quote it is clear that Dimmesdale tortured himself. He felt guilty for breaking God's law therefore he punished himself causing deterioration in his physical and spiritual condition. As the book progressed, Dimmesdale became weaker. If he did not feel so strongly about God, he would not feel guilty for what he did with Hester and would definitely not harm himself physically. Similar to Dimmesdale, Danforth was also eaten away by his guilt. During the witch-hunt, most of those that were accused were condemned by Danforth. He interpreted laws strictly based on the Bible, however when he realized that those who were condemned were actually innocent, it was too late for him to take back his
decisions.

DANFORTH. Now, children, this is a court of law. The law, based upon the Bible, and the Bible, writ by Almighty God, forbid the practice of witchcraft, and describe death as the penalty thereof. But likewise, children, the law and Bible damn all bearers of false witness. (Miller 102)

Danforth was charging the people on a syllogistic analysis; he believed God is the law and God is speaking through these children, therefore these children must be right. When Danforth finally realized that his decisions were wrong, he was oppressed by his own rigidity for his unwillingness to bend God's law when the circumstances required it.

He had to bear the knowledge of having condemned so many to death. Although both Dimmesdale and Danforth were victimized based on their beliefs in God is law, Dimmesdale suffered because he felt guilty for breaking God's law, while Danforth had to bear the burden of condemning many innocence because he was inflexible with the law stated in the Bible.

Both Dimmesdale and Danforth's victimization were caused by the Puritan ethics of body politic and the statute of God as the law. These morals still exist today in everyday life. The government, people in Hollywood, and other notable people hide their mistakes from the public for the sake of their reputation. Homosexuality is discriminated by those who are highly religious and believe with everything stated in the Bible. No matter how far we maybe chronologically separated from the Puritan era, the ethics continue to thrive in modern-day society.