King Arthur Miller's Influence On Death Of A Salesman
THESIS STATEMENT Arthur Miller’s life during the Great Depression and the McCarthy Era influenced the societal and political views he expresses in his plays. Through his experiences, Miller came to believe that the common man should inherit the role of the tragic hero, previously reserved only for those of high stature.
PURPOSE STATEMENT Through research and critical analysis of both Miller’s plays and essays, it will be proven that Arthur Miller’s experiences during the Great Depression and the McCarthy Era directly shaped his literary and societal views.
INTRODUCTION
As America roared into the 1920s it seemed that nothing could stop its economic prosperity. The stock market soared to unheard heights and everyone from millionaire industrialists to taxi drives poured their savings into the market. However, as the decade comes to an end, so do the economic dreams of most Americans. …show more content…
He was not simply an observer, but also a participant and his experiences shaped his writing. Miller himself proposed that his “viewpoint whether it appears arbitrary, or true and inevitable, did not spring out of my head unshaped by any outside force” (“Influences” 50). Miller’s experiences during these times taught him the truths he would present throughout his literary works. From the insecurity of the Great Depression sprang Death of a Salesman and All My Sons, which portray the instability of society and the men who tragically attempt to navigate through it. From the paranoia of the McCarthy Era sprang The Crucible, the story of a man who must uphold his individual integrity at the cost of his own life. Both the Great Depression and the Second Red Scare demonstrated to Arthur Miller the importance of the common man. Through his social criticisms, Miller attempted to portray the tragedy of the common man as he faced the crushing weight of society through All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, and The
PURPOSE STATEMENT Through research and critical analysis of both Miller’s plays and essays, it will be proven that Arthur Miller’s experiences during the Great Depression and the McCarthy Era directly shaped his literary and societal views.
INTRODUCTION
As America roared into the 1920s it seemed that nothing could stop its economic prosperity. The stock market soared to unheard heights and everyone from millionaire industrialists to taxi drives poured their savings into the market. However, as the decade comes to an end, so do the economic dreams of most Americans. …show more content…
He was not simply an observer, but also a participant and his experiences shaped his writing. Miller himself proposed that his “viewpoint whether it appears arbitrary, or true and inevitable, did not spring out of my head unshaped by any outside force” (“Influences” 50). Miller’s experiences during these times taught him the truths he would present throughout his literary works. From the insecurity of the Great Depression sprang Death of a Salesman and All My Sons, which portray the instability of society and the men who tragically attempt to navigate through it. From the paranoia of the McCarthy Era sprang The Crucible, the story of a man who must uphold his individual integrity at the cost of his own life. Both the Great Depression and the Second Red Scare demonstrated to Arthur Miller the importance of the common man. Through his social criticisms, Miller attempted to portray the tragedy of the common man as he faced the crushing weight of society through All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, and The