Arthur Miller author page

Arthur Miller Biography

Arthur Miller was an American playwright and essayist widely recognized for his influential contributions to twentieth-century theater. He is best known for plays such as Death of a Salesman (1949), The Crucible (1953), and A View from the Bridge (1955). His works often explored themes of personal responsibility, societal expectations, and moral conflict.

Miller was born in Harlem, New York City, and raised in a Polish-Jewish immigrant family. He attended the University of Michigan, where he studied journalism before turning to playwriting. His early play All My Sons (1947) earned him national recognition and paved the way for Death of a Salesman, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and multiple Tony Awards.

In The Crucible, Miller used the Salem witch trials as an allegory for the Red Scare and McCarthyism, a period during which he himself was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee. He refused to name others and was convicted of contempt of Congress, though the conviction was later overturned.

Throughout his career, Miller received numerous awards and honors, including the National Medal of Arts and the Jerusalem Prize. He was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His plays have been translated into multiple languages and continue to be studied and performed around the world.

Arthur Miller died on February 10, 2005, at the age of 89.