VCCS Litonline Introduction to Literature English 112 (English Composition II)

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Objective for this Page: To provide background on Arthur Miller and the 1950s. A later play by Arthur Miller, The Crucible, has become widely known recently, thanks to the film starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Wynona Ryder, but it was Death of a Salesman, written in 1949, that made Arthur Miller famous. (Marrying Marilyn Monroe later made him even more famous, but that's beyond the scope of our study.)

Arthur Miller was very much a product of his time, the late 40's and the 50's. He was a political man concerned with the plight of the individual in a bureaucratic world. To learn more about Arthur Miller's life, click on his photograph.

To understand Death of a Salesman, it helps to know something about the 50's in America. Here is a list of resources that will enable you to become an expert on this period of American history. Just click on the book:

Okay, with all that background information out of the way, it's time to go to the play itself. You might want to find a print version of this one. The online version is a bit tricky to access, although it does include a concordance for those of you who are into detailed lexical research. If you want to take a look at it, click here. Otherwise, take a break and read the play in book form.

Assessment: After reading the material on Miller and the fifties, jot down four facts about each that surprised or intrigued you.

The URL for this page is http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/tragedy/miller.htm