Love

Hester from the Scarlet Letter waits years for the sake of love and John Proctor from The Crucible goes wild in an attempt to protect his wife. As often shown in various stories love is insanely powerful in how it can influence people. However, in the aforementioned texts love is the catalyst for the downfall of both Hester Prynne and John Proctor. It tempts them into actions that later ruin them. It keeps Hester sane in the long years with just Pearl and drives Proctor to insanity when he can do nothing to protect his wife. Love also redeems both of these characters showing the good in them and the passion they have for their partners.

Hester who comes to be alone in Puritan New England after believing her husband died is soothed by Dimmesdale. The great thing that is love leads them to commit adultery in a world where it is punished harshly. A pregnancy, which in different circumstances could be considered a blessing occurs and rats them out to the village. Upon hearing of her sin most of the people of the town say horrid things about her. Why would something so great rat her out?

Love yet commits another sin in The Crucible making Proctor practically go insane, threatening to gouge out someone’s organs and stuff them down their throat. This is all part of John trying to protect his wife from the vengeance of his once mistress Abigail. Love drives people to do crazy things, sometimes rightly so, just look at the literal war caused over it. In this case, however, it is the start of the end for Proctor. 

Love in these books also has a redeeming quality. John Proctor admits his own sin to the world in an attempt to help his wife. It proves how much Proctor really cares to give up himself in the attempt.

Love may be the catalyst of both Hester’s and John’s downfall, tempting them to sin, leading them to insanity and drastic action, but it redeems both of them, and really what is life without love?