Arthur Miller (1915-2005) is one of the most recognized playwrights in the world. However, he became famous not only because of his literary genius. In 1956, he married his second wife – Marilyn Monroe. From then on, Miller was in the limelight.
His life was marked by one more event. Republican U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy decided to take advantage of the nation’s fear of communism. In 1950, he declared that he had a list of 205 people in the State Department who belonged to the American Communist Party. Panic spread. During that era, innocent people from different walks of life were accused of supporting/being communists without sound evidence. As a result, many lives, careers and friendships were destroyed. What is more, the House Committee on Un-American Activities decided to crack down on the Hollywood film industry. Actors, producers, writers were summoned to appear before the committee and reveal names of their colleagues who might have been communists. Those who cooperated with the HUAC could continue their activities. Those who refused were cited for contempt while their names appeared on the Hollywood black list. Arthur Miller was summoned before the HUAC because one of friends mentioned his name during the investigation. The playwright refused to cooperate with the committee and was charged with contempt of the Congress. Miller’s conviction was, fortunately, overturned on appeal.
Was Miller a communists? The answer is: NO. During the 1930s, the playwright and other artists attended a small discussion group that discussed regularly the philosophy of communism. However, they quite quickly reached the conclusion that this system of government is a failure and abandoned their meetings.
Here is a short list of Miller’s best known woks:
- All my Sons (1947)
- Death of a Salesman (1949) – Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Tony Award for Best Play, the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award
- The Crucible (1953)
- A View from the Bridge (1955)
- The Misfits (1961) – screenplay
- Broken Glass (1993) – the Olivier Award for Best Play
- The Crucible (1996) – screenplay
by Marta Makoś
