Realism,Realism,Arthur Miller,Arthur Miller,

andand

The CrucibleThe Crucible

The PlayThe Play

The DramaThe Drama

The PlaywrightThe Playwright

Arthur MillerArthur Miller Born and raised New Born and raised New

YorkYork Dropped out of high Dropped out of high

school due to The school due to The Great DepressionGreat Depression

Went to the Went to the University of University of Michigan—graduated Michigan—graduated in 1938—began his in 1938—began his writing careerwriting career

Started out writing Started out writing radio scripts, then radio scripts, then moved to playwritingmoved to playwriting

1947—first Broadway 1947—first Broadway success with success with All My All My SonsSons

1949—produced his 1949—produced his best known play best known play Death of a Salesman Death of a Salesman which won a Pulitzer which won a Pulitzer PrizePrize

Which play won Miller the Which play won Miller the Pulitzer Prize?Pulitzer Prize?

All My S

ons

Death of a

Sal...

The Cru

cible

33% 33%33%a.a. All My SonsAll My Sonsb.b. Death of a Death of a

SalesmanSalesmanc.c. The CrucibleThe Crucible

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Miller’s political crucible Politically minded, Miller was disturbed by

the 1950’s anticommunism campaign of Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Miller was summoned to testify by the House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1956 to explain his own political beliefs.

Miller was uncooperative when asked to name others interested in communist meetings; he was indicted for contempt of court.

What was Arthur Miller indicted for?

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Refusing to show ... Refusing to name ... Refusing to name ...

1. Refusing to show up in court

2. Refusing to name his own political belief

3. Refusing to name names of others attending communist meetings

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Miller and Monroe• His personal life took an interesting turn

when he married Marilyn Monroe in 1956.

• He wrote the play The Misfits for her to star in.

• They divorced in 1961.• Both his ordeal with McCarthy and his

marriage to Monroe kept Miller in the public eye, making his popularity as a playwright even more pronounced.

The happy couple

How did a marriage to Marilyn Monroe affect Miller’s Life?

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1. He became more popular.

2. After the divorce, he was in a writing slump

3. No change. :10

Influences on Miller’s work Henrik Ibsen, August Strindberg, and Anton

Chekhov (three 19th century European playwrights) paved the way for American realist drama: They tackled subjects such as guilt, sexuality, and mental illness—subjects never portrayed on stage before.

These European realists bequeathed the dramatic “slice of life” technique to their American heirs so that they, too, could write about life as it is actually lived.

The Realists dramatists wrote about taboo subjects like sex and mental illness.

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True False

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1. True2. False

American Realism and Eugene American Realism and Eugene O’NeillO’Neill• Realistic drama employs Realistic drama employs

the 4the 4thth wall technique— wall technique—which has the audience which has the audience looking into the lives of looking into the lives of characters as if the 4characters as if the 4thth wall of a room is removed wall of a room is removed and we voyeuristically and we voyeuristically peer in.peer in.

• Became dominant mode Became dominant mode of American drama after of American drama after the beginning of 20the beginning of 20thth cent. cent.

• Eugene O’Neill Eugene O’Neill experimented with experimented with characters and dialogue characters and dialogue to reveal a “new realism.”to reveal a “new realism.”

The 4The 4thth wall technique became the wall technique became the prominent form of drama in the 20prominent form of drama in the 20thth century.century.

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True False

1.1. TrueTrue2.2. FalseFalse

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Arthur Miller and Arthur Miller and Tennessee WilliamsTennessee Williams

Represent 2 principal Represent 2 principal movements in modern movements in modern American drama: American drama: realism and realism and imaginative realismimaginative realism

Miller is the playwright Miller is the playwright of our social of our social conscience; Williams is conscience; Williams is the playwright of our the playwright of our souls.souls.

Which realist dramatist is Which realist dramatist is considered the playwright of our considered the playwright of our social conscience?social conscience?

Arthur M

iller

Tennes

see W

ill...

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1.1. Arthur MillerArthur Miller2.2. Tennessee Tennessee

WilliamsWilliams

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Miller’s writing style• Uses spare, plain

language• Characters are

ordinary people caught up in social tensions

• Plot and character development depend upon psychological, social, philosophical, and economic atmosphere of setting

• About drama, Miller stated, “To me the theater is not a disconnected entertainment, which it usually is to most people here. It’s the sound and the ring of the spirit of the people at any one time. It is where a collective mass of people, through the genius of some author, is able to project its terrors and its hopes and to symbolize them. … I personally feel that the theater has to confront the basic themes always. And the faces change from generation to generation to generation, but their roots are generally the same, and that is a question of man’s increasing awareness of himself and his environment, his quest for justice and for the right to be human.”

Which characteristics are true of Miller’s writing?

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Elaborate charact... Detailed, expansi... Spare, plain lang...

1. Elaborate characters

2. Detailed, expansive dialogue

3. Spare, plain language

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How are Miller’s characters and plot often developed?

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Using the social,... Using the psychol... Playing upon the ... Only 1 & 2 All of the above

1. Using the social, economic atmosphere of the time

2. Using the psychological and philosophical atmosphere of the time

3. Playing upon the tensions of the time period

4. Only 1 & 25. All of the above

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Puritans “recap”Puritans “recap” Left Church of England Left Church of England

for religious freedomfor religious freedom Eventually settled in Eventually settled in

Boston and Salem in Boston and Salem in AmericaAmerica

Established theocracy, a Established theocracy, a fusion of church and fusion of church and statestate

Laws based on religious Laws based on religious and moral preceptsand moral precepts

Judgment and Judgment and punishment were harshpunishment were harsh

Setting of the playSetting of the play

LiteralLiteral 16921692 MassachusettsMassachusetts Small rooms, Small rooms,

simply furnishedsimply furnished ClaustrophobicClaustrophobic

—both —both intellectually intellectually and physicallyand physically

SymbolicSymbolic 19531953 United States—United States—

post WWIIpost WWII Anywhere a Anywhere a

communist communist “witch-hunt” was “witch-hunt” was taking placetaking place

Claustrophobic--Claustrophobic--intellectuallyintellectually

Which setting had Which setting had the small simple the small simple rooms set in 1692?rooms set in 1692?

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1.1. LiteralLiteral2.2. SymbolicSymbolic

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Cast of CharactersCast of Characters John Proctor: farmer, husband of Elizabeth, John Proctor: farmer, husband of Elizabeth,

adulterer with Abigail Williams, respected in adulterer with Abigail Williams, respected in community, honest and blunt, practicalcommunity, honest and blunt, practical

Elizabeth Proctor: wife, morally good, Elizabeth Proctor: wife, morally good, unforgiving at first, suspiciousunforgiving at first, suspicious

Abigail Williams: niece of Rev. Samuel Abigail Williams: niece of Rev. Samuel Parris, 17 years old, seductress of John Parris, 17 years old, seductress of John Proctor, manipulative, intelligentProctor, manipulative, intelligent

Characters cont.Characters cont. Rev. Samuel Parris: village minister, Rev. Samuel Parris: village minister,

indecisive, hypocritical, worried about his social indecisive, hypocritical, worried about his social position, weak/materialistic manposition, weak/materialistic man

Rev. John Hale: renowned witchcraft expert, Rev. John Hale: renowned witchcraft expert, sincere but somewhat narrow minded, willing to sincere but somewhat narrow minded, willing to change his mindchange his mind

Deputy Gov. Danforth: highest ranking civil Deputy Gov. Danforth: highest ranking civil authority, presides over witch trials, hard and authority, presides over witch trials, hard and determined, unable to admit errordetermined, unable to admit error

Mary Warren: shy, lonely, teenager, Proctors’ Mary Warren: shy, lonely, teenager, Proctors’ servant, easy target for Abigail’s manipulationservant, easy target for Abigail’s manipulation

Take a guess: who’s going to Take a guess: who’s going to be the villains?be the villains?

14% 14% 14% 14%14%14%14%1.1. Elizabeth ProctorElizabeth Proctor2.2. Abigail WilliamsAbigail Williams3.3. Deputy Governor Deputy Governor

DanforthDanforth4.4. John ProctorJohn Proctor5.5. Both 1 & 4Both 1 & 46.6. Both 2 & 3Both 2 & 37.7. All of the above All of the above

Questions to consider for themes What constitutes

true authority? What is the proper

application of authority?

How can people deal with sin and guilt?

What responsibility does an individual have to speak out against injustice?

Is it possible to apply the logic and rationalism of justice to fear and hysteria?

In what ways can appearances misrepresent reality?

What are the consequences of revenge for the individual and society?

Remember to read all Remember to read all narrative notes--narrative notes--

They represent Arthur Miller himself talking to They represent Arthur Miller himself talking to you, telling you what you need to know to you, telling you what you need to know to

understand the dual nature of the play.understand the dual nature of the play.Enjoy a piece of dramatic history!Enjoy a piece of dramatic history!