Arthur Miller, the son of moderately affluent Jewish-American parents, Isidore and Augusta Miller, was born in Harlem, New York City in 1915. His father owned a coat-manufacturing business, which failed in the Wall Street Crash of 1929, after which his family moved to humbler quarters in Brooklyn. He was married to Mary Grace Slattery in 1940 (he had one daughter Jane, one son Robert) and he divorced her in 1956. He then went onto marry Marilyn Monroe in 1956 and divorced her in 1962. In 1962 he married Inge Morath (which he had one son Daniel and one daughter Rebecca). Some of his literary achievements are: 1936 Hopwood Award in Drama; '47 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award; '49 Pulitzer, Antoinette Perry Award, Theater Club Award.
Influences that shaped his work were his life experiences like political beliefs, family background, and world events. Miller worked as a stock clerk for two and a half years, he was the only Jew working in auto parts warehouse it was here he experienced anti-Semitism, Miller wrote the play’ Focus’ on anti-Semitism. Growing up during the depression he viewed the struggle of life the great divide between the rich and the poor. Miller was a communist this led to him being isolated and targeted for his political ideologies. His plays often reflect his political views and beliefs. For instance in ‘The Crucible’ he reflects on how power corrupts and corrupts absolutely ‘The Crucible’ was intended as a satire on the hunt for communists in America. Often people can find themselves at the mercy of the church which can dictate the moral climate and had out its own justice, and how fear can make people deny themselves and their beliefs just to be part of a society or system.
His major characters are ordinary and suffering individuals seemingly trapped by naturalistic circumstances. And yet, Miller points out, they have dignity if not human greatness. His style of plays was always naturalistic which makes it easier for people to watch because they have felt some of those emotions sometime in their life.
The impact Arthur Miller had on society was that he gave you a sense of morality and made you question what was right from wrong. ‘A man of the highest integrity, both in his work and in his personal life, Arthur Miller was an old-fashioned liberal, who never accepted the American dream at face value’ (1). Because of his strong beliefs he had an affect on others; his views on issues mostly political issues were shown though his plays which helped to make it clearly for the audience to see some of the wrong things that are happening in the world.
Miller's career as a writer spanned over six decades, and at the time of his death in 2005, Miller was considered to be one of the greatest dramatists of the twentieth century, among the likes of Eugene O'Neill, Samuel Beckett, Jean-Paul Sartre, Bertolt Brecht, and Tennessee Williams. After his death, many respected actors, directors, and producers paid tribute to Miller, some calling him the last great practitioner of the American stage, and Broadway theaters darkened their lights in a show of respect.
By Claire McGill
9 Green
Resources:
Book Timebends (Arthur Miller’s autobiography)
.