Arthur+Miller's+Influence+on+American+Theater4

= Arthur Miller's Influence on American Theater =

by Victoria Pane, Joe Aboela, and Aimee Galinski
Playwright Arthur Miller and a scene from Miller's play, //The Crucible

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Introduction to Arthur Miller:
//Sources:// []
 * One of the first major modern playwrights
 * Undoubtedly a major figure in America's post-World War II artistic life
 * Leading American dramatist of the 1940s through the 1960s
 * Had a critical and serious point of view of American society
 * Liberal-minded, well-meaning, and moral man
 * Faced severe limitations as an artist
 * Made plays that were world-renowned but also truly American

Questioned Morality:

 * Very obvious themes, motifs, and moral conclusions
 * Questioned political stand point of society
 * Average man is tragic hero of America
 * Focused on moral plight of white American working class
 * Moral corruption resulted from man in conflict with society over personal ideals
 * Ethical conscience of the individual
 * Complete interest in the individual over the group not always good

Tuned into Zeitgeist:

 * Political and social plays still managed to capture interest of the people
 * Highly attuned to emotional response of Americans
 * Honestly captured America's dissatisfaction and unrest, desperation and struggle
 * Capacity for empathy
 * Identified with audience

//The Crucible://

 * Play:**
 * Focused on Salem Witch Hunts in 1692
 * Puritan leaders pressured population into accusing peers of witchcraft


 * Time Period:**
 * Written in 1953
 * People pressured into denouncing peers as communist sympathizers
 * Encouraged punishment for anyone with different political views

//Sources:// [] []
 * Connection:**
 * Hunt for communists mirrored hunt for witches
 * Intolerance and misunderstanding divides community and ends in tragedy
 * Timeless and still relevant today

Language of the Plays:
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 * Serious dramas as opposed to more comical ones
 * Direct and down to earth plays
 * Poetic writing, rather than stale and boring writing
 * Spoke simply and in the vernacular, not verbosely or formally
 * Sense of realism for Americans to relate to

Theatrical Performance and Design:
//Sources:// [|www.atc.co.nz/PDFs/Education_TeachersPack_Crucible.pdf]
 * Modern playwright
 * Relatively extensively used props, scenery, costumes, and sound
 * Used furniture, lighting, and other props, which were often symbolic
 * Scenery changes throughout plays
 * Carefully designed costumes
 * Music and sound effects represent mood

Video Clip:
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General Summary:
> // Sources: // []
 * Died February 10, 2005 in Roxbury, Connecticut
 * Plays emphasize family, morality, and personal responsibility
 * Made strong, controversial political and social statement
 * Reached out to the growing fragmentation of American society
 * Poetically spoke to the common man in the vernacular
 * All of this was unusual before Miller, but commonplace afterwar
 * Plays are still relevant to society, so Miller will not be forgotten