ARTHUR MILLER

Personal Life Arthur Miller was born in New York in 1915 to a poor family. After high school, he was determined to attend the University of Michigan. Poor grades and limited income delayed his acceptance. After 2 years he was admitted on a trial basis. He graduated 4 years later.

On August 5, 1940, he married his college sweetheart- Mary Slattery. The couple had 2 children. In June of 1956, he left Slattery and soon married Marilyn Monroe. They divorced in In February of 1962, he married Inge Morath. They had 2 children.

Morath died of cancer at 78. In December 2004, Miller (age 89) announced that he had been living with Agnes Barley and they planned to marry. Agnes was 34.

In 1956, Miller was questioned about his political activities. He was charged with contempt of Congress for not revealing his friends and colleagues who had taken part in similar activities. He was fined $500.00, given 30 days in prison, blacklisted, and refused a U.S. passport.

In 1958, his conviction was overturned because it was determined that he was misled by the chairman of the HUAC. Because of his conviction, he wrote under the pen name of Jonathan Lovelett. HUAC= The House of Un-American Activities Committee

Miller died on February 10, He died of congestive heart failure.

Literary Information He began writing while in college. His first play was The Grass Still Grows. (1936) This play won the Avery Hopwood Award and the Theater Guild National Award.

He wrote All My Sons (1947) and Death of a Salesman (1949). Both plays received the New York Drama Critics’ Award. Death of a Salesman earned Miller the Pulitzer Prize in drama.

Miller wrote The Crucible in This play was set during The Salem Witch Trials. It criticized the Communist hunts of the McCarthy period.

Other Miller Plays All My Sons (1947) A View from the Bridge (1955) A Memory of Two Mondays(1955) After the Fall(1964) Incident at Vichy (1965) The Creation of the World and Other Business( 1972) The American Clock (1980)

Other Miller Works Focus (1945) The Misfits (1957) In the Country (1977) Broken Glass (1994) Finishing the Picture (2004) Presence: Stories (2007) THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST OF HIS WORKS.

Death of a Salesman Miller believes that this play grew from observations of ordinary life. It is a play about the fabric of family life: the day to day banter among family members, as well as the moments of intense joy and sorrow. It is also a play about failure and disillusionment and celebrates humanity and the love between a father and son.

Play characters Willy Loman- a man in his early 60’s. He is a salesman. He has high ideals. He wants to succeed and be loved by all. Willy wants to leave his mark on the world. He becomes disillusioned. His past becomes part of the present. He often speaks to two characters at a time. He idolized his older son Biff, often ignoring his younger son Happy and Biff’s weaknesses.

Linda Loman- Willy’s devoted wife. She is loyal and loving. She is more realistic than her husband and suffers through his dreams and delusions.

Biff Loman- Willy and Linda’s 34 year old son. He was a football star in high school, however he fails math and is unable to attend the University of Virginia. He is a kleptomaniac, which causes him to lose his jobs. He can not live up to the expectations that Willy has for him.

Happy Loman- Willy and Linda’s 32 year old son. He has lived in Biff’s shadow all of his life. He is a womanizer and sleeps with the girlfriends of his superiors. He often presents himself as more important than he really is.

Charley- The Loman’s next door neighbor. Charley has a successful business and his son Bernard is a wealthy lawyer. Willy envies Charley’s success. Charley gives Willy money to pay bills. Bernard- Charley’s son. Willy often mocked Charley for studying hard. Bernard thought of Biff as a hero when they were younger.

Ben- Willy’s wealthy older brother. He is dead and appears only in Willy’s daydreams. He often talks to Ben when he is upset. The Woman- Willy’s mistress when Biff and Happy are in high school. Her name is never mentioned. Biff catches his father with “ The Woman” in a hotel room. Biff’s dreams die at that point.

Howard- Willy’s boss. Howard inherited the company from his father. Howard eventually fires Willy.

Play Themes The American Dream Abandonment Betrayal Denial Reality versus illusion Growth

Play Symbols and Motifs Seeds Stockings Diamonds The garden The woods/ jungle