That Guy who Wrote That Guy who Wrote The Crucible…The Crucible…

Arthur MillerArthur Miller Raised during the Raised during the

Great Depression in Great Depression in New York CityNew York City

Born into a prosperous Born into a prosperous Jewish familyJewish family

Graduated from the Graduated from the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan

Ineligible for military Ineligible for military service during WW2 service during WW2 because of football because of football injury, so he toured injury, so he toured army camps and wrote army camps and wrote The Story of GI JoeThe Story of GI Joe

Won the Pulitzer in Won the Pulitzer in 1949 for 1949 for The Death of The Death of a Salesmana Salesman

Called before the House Called before the House Un-American Activities Un-American Activities Committee in 1956… Committee in 1956… we’ll talk about the we’ll talk about the connection between this connection between this and and The CrucibleThe Crucible

Married Marilyn Monroe Married Marilyn Monroe in 1956… divorced in in 1956… divorced in 19611961

Received the National Received the National Medal of the Arts from Medal of the Arts from President Clinton in President Clinton in 19931993

Credited for writing 88 Credited for writing 88 titles on IMDBtitles on IMDB

Died February 2005Died February 2005

What Wikipedia has to say What Wikipedia has to say about Miller’s legacy…about Miller’s legacy…

““Miller's career as a writer spanned over seven Miller's career as a writer spanned over seven decades, and at the time of his death, Miller decades, and at the time of his death, Miller was considered to be one of the greatest was considered to be one of the greatest dramatists of the twentieth century. After his dramatists of the twentieth century. After his death, many respected actors, directors, and death, many respected actors, directors, and producers paid tribute to Miller, some calling producers paid tribute to Miller, some calling him the last great practitioner of the American him the last great practitioner of the American stage, and Broadway theatres darkened their stage, and Broadway theatres darkened their lights in a show of respect. Miller's alma mater, lights in a show of respect. Miller's alma mater, the University of Michigan opened the Arthur the University of Michigan opened the Arthur Miller Theatre in March, 2007. As per his Miller Theatre in March, 2007. As per his express wish, it is the only theatre in the world express wish, it is the only theatre in the world that bears Miller's name.”that bears Miller's name.”

Why did Arthur Miller Write Why did Arthur Miller Write The The Crucible?Crucible?

““It would probably never have occurred to It would probably never have occurred to me to write a play about the Salem witch me to write a play about the Salem witch

trials of 1692 had I not seen some trials of 1692 had I not seen some astonishing correspondences with that astonishing correspondences with that

calamity in the America of the late 40s and calamity in the America of the late 40s and early 50s. My basic need was to respond to early 50s. My basic need was to respond to

a phenomenon which, with only small a phenomenon which, with only small exaggeration, one could say paralysed a exaggeration, one could say paralysed a

whole generation and in a short time dried whole generation and in a short time dried up the habits of trust and toleration in up the habits of trust and toleration in

public discourse. I refer to the anti-public discourse. I refer to the anti-communist rage that threatened to reach communist rage that threatened to reach

hysterical proportions and sometimes did,” hysterical proportions and sometimes did,” (Miller).(Miller).

““So in one sense So in one sense The CrucibleThe Crucible was was an attempt to make life real an attempt to make life real again, palpable and structured. again, palpable and structured. One hoped that a work of art One hoped that a work of art might illuminate the tragic might illuminate the tragic absurdities of an anterior work of absurdities of an anterior work of art that was called reality…” art that was called reality…” (Miller).(Miller).

““But it is impossible to convey properly But it is impossible to convey properly the fears that marked that period. the fears that marked that period. Nobody was shot, to be sure, although Nobody was shot, to be sure, although some were going to jail, where at some were going to jail, where at least one, William Remington, was least one, William Remington, was murdered by an inmate hoping to murdered by an inmate hoping to shorten his sentence by having killed shorten his sentence by having killed a communist. Rather than physical a communist. Rather than physical fear, it was a sense of impotence, fear, it was a sense of impotence, which seemed to deepen with each which seemed to deepen with each week…” (Miller).week…” (Miller).

COMMUNIST CONTROL ACT (1954) COMMUNIST CONTROL ACT (1954) Here are excerpts from the texts of the Communist Control Here are excerpts from the texts of the Communist Control

Act of 1954: Act of 1954: In determining membership or participation in the Communist In determining membership or participation in the Communist

party of in any other organization defined in this act, or party of in any other organization defined in this act, or knowledge of the purpose or objective of such party or knowledge of the purpose or objective of such party or organization, the jury, under instructions from the court, organization, the jury, under instructions from the court, shall consider evidence, if presented, as to whether the shall consider evidence, if presented, as to whether the accused personaccused person

... 8. Has written, spoken, or in any other way communicated ... 8. Has written, spoken, or in any other way communicated by signal, semaphore, sign, or in any other form of by signal, semaphore, sign, or in any other form of communication, orders, directives, or plans of the communication, orders, directives, or plans of the organizationorganization

... 12. Has indicated by word, action, conduct, writing, or in ... 12. Has indicated by word, action, conduct, writing, or in any other way a willingness to carry out in any manner and any other way a willingness to carry out in any manner and to any degree the plans, designs, objectives, or purposes of to any degree the plans, designs, objectives, or purposes of the organization; the organization;

… … 13. Has in any other way participated in the activities, 13. Has in any other way participated in the activities, planning, actions, objectives, or purposes of the planning, actions, objectives, or purposes of the organization.organization.

(Taken from upenn.edu)(Taken from upenn.edu)

““In 1956, the House Un-American Activities In 1956, the House Un-American Activities Committee (Huac) subpoenaed me – I was Committee (Huac) subpoenaed me – I was cited for contempt of Congress for cited for contempt of Congress for refusing to identify writers I had met at refusing to identify writers I had met at one of the two communist writers’ one of the two communist writers’ meetings I had attended many years meetings I had attended many years before. By then, the tide was going out for before. By then, the tide was going out for Huac and it was finding it more difficult to Huac and it was finding it more difficult to make front pages. However, the news of make front pages. However, the news of my forthcoming marriage to Marilyn my forthcoming marriage to Marilyn Monroe was too tempting to be passed…Monroe was too tempting to be passed…Chairman Walters… sent word… that he Chairman Walters… sent word… that he would be inclined to cancel my hearing if would be inclined to cancel my hearing if Miss Monroe would consent to have a Miss Monroe would consent to have a picture taken with him,” (Miller).picture taken with him,” (Miller).