This comprehensive volume brings together essays by one of the most influential literary, cultural and intellectual voices of our time: Arthur Miller. Arranged chronologically from 1944 to 2000, these writings take the reader on a whirlwind tour of modern history alongside offering a remarkable record of Miller's views on theater. They give eloquent expression to his belief in 'the theater as a serious business, one that makes or should make man more human, which is to say, less alone'. Published with the essays are articles that Miller had written and in-depth interviews he has given.This collection features material from two earlier publications: Echoes Down the Corridor and The Theater Essays of Arthur Miller. It is edited and features a new introduction by Matthew Roudan�, Regents Professor of American Drama at Georgia State University. 'Arthur Miller understands that serious writing is a social act as well as an aesthetic one, that political involvement comes with the territory. A writer's work and his actions should be of the same cloth, after all. His plays and his conscience are a cold burning force.' Edward Albee

Presents Miller's view of the art form to which he has devoted his intellect and talent, and offers valuable insights into the mind of one of America's foremost writers. Also contains a literary chronology, an appendix listing all Miller's plays complete with casts and production information.

The collected essays of the “moral voice of [the] American stage” (The New York Times) in a Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition Arthur Miller was not only one of America’s most important twentieth-century playwrights, but he was also one of its most influential literary, cultural, and intellectual voices. Throughout his career, he consistently remained one of the country’s leading public intellectuals, advocating tirelessly for social justice, global democracy, and the arts. Theater scholar Susan C. W. Abbotson introduces this volume as a selection of Miller’s finest essays, organized in three thematic parts: essays on the theater, essays on specific plays like Death of a Salesman and The Crucible, and sociopolitical essays on topics spanning from the Depression to the twenty-first century. Written with playful wit, clear-eyed intellect, and above all, human dignity, these essays offer unmatched insight into the work of Arthur Miller and the turbulent times through which he guided his country. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Arthur Miller is described by some as the greatest American playwright of the twentieth century. But to fully understand and appreciate his work, students must comprehend the political climate in which he was writing and the changes facing the world at the time. This engaging text provides readers with critical analysis of his themes, style, and language; direct quotations from Miller; and relevant biographical details. Students will learn about the world Arthur Miller was reflecting in his writing and why his works have become American classics.

The 10 essays in this book explore the themes developed by Miller in his plays and his career as a playwright.

Arthur Miller was one of the major American dramatists of the twentieth century, clearly ranking with other truly great American playwrights, including Eugene O’Neill, Tennessee Williams, and Edward Albee. The centennial of Miller’s birth in New York City on October 17, 1915 was celebrated around the world with a panoply of staged productions, theatrical events, media documentaries, and academic conferences. Miller earned his reputation during a career of more than seventy years, in which he achieved critical success in the 1940s and 1950s with the dramas All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, The Crucible and A View from the Bridge. He was also notable for his refusal to “name names at his appearance before the House Un-American Activities Committee”, his marriage to the film actress Marilyn Monroe, and his spell as president of the literary organization, International P.E.N. Arthur Miller was not only a literary giant, but also one of the more significant political, cultural, and social figures of his time. He was a man of conviction and integrity who frequently took stands, popular and unpopular, on the ethical issues that engaged societies throughout the world. This collection includes eclectic essays from Miller scholars who provide detailed discussions of text and performance, of Miller as a political and cultural figure, and of his connection to other playwrights. The contributions explore the trajectory of Miller’s career, his most famous and frequently produced works, such as Death of a Salesman and The Crucible, the dramas of his later career, and his fiction. The collection appeals to a broad American and international audience and a cross-section of readers, including undergraduates, graduates, emerging scholars, drama and theatre specialists, as well as theatre-goers who flock to revivals of Miller’s plays.