[en] Dislocation motion through an array of obstacles is considered in terms of the potential energy of the dislocation as it moves through the array. The obstacles form a series of potential wells and barriers which can trap the dislocations. The effect of thermal fluctuations and of a viscous drag on the motion of the dislocation is investigated by analogy with Brownian motion in a field of force. The rate of escape of a trapped dislocation is found to depend on the damping coefficient only for a large viscous drag. The probability that a dislocation will be trapped by a well or barrier is found to depend on the damping coefficient for a small viscous drag. This inertial effect determines how far a dislocation will travel after breaking away from an obstacle