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

Sources:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_lAFO-dKKBhE/SXveJiEuodI/AAAAAAAAACo/J5e1TqS1wGk/s400/Arthur-miller.jpg
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/rvp/pubaf/chronicle/v12/o17/crucible.jpg.

Introduction to Arthur Miller:

---

• 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

Sources:
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/feb2005/mill-f21.shtml

Controversially Challenging Conventions:

---

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

Connection:

• Hunt for communists mirrored hunt for witches
• Intolerance and misunderstanding divides community and ends in tragedy
• Timeless and still relevant today

Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/11/theater/11cnd-appr.html?_r=1
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4258305.stm

Language of the Plays:

---

• 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

Sources:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/arthur-miller/none-without-sin/56/

Theatrical Performance and Design:

---

• 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

Sources:
www.atc.co.nz/PDFs/Education_TeachersPack_Crucible.pdf

The Death of Arthur Miller:

---

Video Clip:

General Summary:

• 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
  Sources:http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=673646n&tag=related;photovideo