Arthur Miller Biography

(Playwright Best Known for His Plays “All My Sons,” “Death of a Salesman” and “The Crucible”)

Birthday: October 17, 1915 (Libra)

Born In: Manhattan, New York City, United States

Arthur Asher Miller is one of the greatest American dramatists of the 20th century. His work was respected in the literary circuit, for its honesty and edginess. He was born and brought up in New York in a rich family with servants and chauffeurs but soon his father lost all his money to Wall Street Crash of 1929 and Miller had to struggle to support his family as well as his studies. He went to University of Michigan where he was awarded for his literary genius with the Avery Hopwood Award. His plays started getting produced from the 1940s until 2010. The most successful play of his life has been ‘The Death of a Salesman’ which fetched him a Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize. He got married thrice and one of his marriages was with the Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe. Their relationship was sensationalized throughout their marriage due to the troubled lifestyle of Monroe. After her death, a lot of his work was inspired by his experiences with Monroe like, ‘After The Fall’. Some of Miller’s plays like, ‘The Death of a Salesman’ and ‘The Crucibles’ have been turned into motion picture. He died while he was in relationship with a woman half his age - Agnes Barley.

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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Arthur Asher Miller

Died At Age: 89

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Inge Morath (m. 1962–2002), Marilyn Monroe (m. 1956–1961), Mary Grace Slattery (m. 1940–1956)

father: Isidore Miller

mother: Augusta Miller

siblings: Joan Copeland, Kermit Miller

children: Daniel Miller, Jane Ellen Miller, Rebecca Miller, Robert A. Miller

Born Country: United States

Essayists Playwrights

Height: 6'2" (188 cm), 6'2" Males

Died on: February 10, 2005

place of death: Roxbury, Connecticut, United States

Grouping of People: Jewish Writer

Cause of Death: Bladder Cancer

Ancestry: Polish American

: Heart Failure

U.S. State: New Yorkers

More Facts

education: University Of Michigan

awards: 1949 - Pulitzer Prize for Drama
2002 - Principe de Asturias Prize for Literature
2003 - Jerusalem Prize

1940 - Theatre Guild's National Award
1941 - Tony Award for Best Author
1993 - National Medal of Arts
1998 - PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award
1999 - The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize
- Avery Hopwood Award
- New York Drama Circle Critics' Award



  • 1

    What are some major themes in Arthur Miller's plays?

    Some major themes in Arthur Miller's plays include the American Dream, the individual versus society, the impact of past actions on the present, and the nature of truth and deception.
  • 2

    How did Arthur Miller's experiences during the Great Depression influence his work?

    Arthur Miller's experiences during the Great Depression, including witnessing economic hardship and social injustice, greatly influenced his work by inspiring themes of class struggle, inequality, and the pursuit of the American Dream.
  • 3

    What is the significance of the title The Crucible?

    The title "The Crucible" refers to a severe test or trial, reflecting the intense scrutiny and moral challenges faced by the characters in the play as they navigate the Salem witch trials and the destructive power of hysteria.

  • 4

    How did Arthur Miller's political beliefs influence his writing?

    Arthur Miller's political beliefs, which leaned towards liberal and socialist ideas, influenced his writing by prompting him to explore themes of social justice, individual freedom, and the impact of political ideologies on society in his plays.
Childhood & Early Life
Arthur Miller was born in Harlem, New York to Isidore and Augusta Miller. Thiers was a Polish Jewish immigrant family. His father was a rich businessman who enjoyed immense respect in the society.
But soon his father lost everything during the Wall Street Crash in 1929 and the family had to move from Manhattan to Brooklyn. Miller used to do small jobs to support his college tuition fee.
Miller went to the University of Michigan to do a major in Journalism and while studying he worked as a reporter and night editor at the Michigan Daily. Soon he switched his major to English literature.
He wrote his first play ‘No Villain’ while he was still in the university. He won the Avery Hopwood Award for this play. This made him consider a career of playwright.
He graduated in English and right after the university, he joined the Federal Theater Project in order to get a job in the theater. He joined the Brooklyn Navy Yard and continued to write radio plays for CBS.
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Career
In 1940, his play ‘The Man Who Had All the Luck’ was produced and exhibited in New Jersey. The play received the Theatre Guild’s National Award. The play did not run for a very long time and closed down after few performances.
In 1946, ‘All of My Sons’ became a Broadway success. He received a Tony Award for the Best Author category for this play. This play established him as a well-known playwright.
In 1948, Miller constructed a small studio for himself in Connecticut. He started writing ‘Death of a Salesman’ there and finished it in a few weeks. This play became one of the classics in the literature.
In 1949, his ‘Death of a Salesman’ was performed at the Moscow Theatre and became an instant commercial success. Miller received a Tony Award, Pulitzer Prize and the New York Drama Circle Critics’ Award for it.
In 1953, Miller’s ‘The Crucible’, which was a play on the idea that the House Un-American Activities Committee is linked to witch hunting in Salem, was performed at the Neck Theatre. It was also made into an opera.
In 1956, ‘A View from the Bridge’ was performed on the Broadway. It was a verse-drama by Miller and it opened along with one of his other plays called ‘A Memory of Two Mondays’.
In 1961, ‘The Misfits’, starring his ex-wife and a well-known actress Marilyn Monroe, released. The script of this movie was written by Miller. Miller explained the whole filming experience as a low phase in his life.
In 1964, his play ‘After the Fall’ was produced. The play is said to have Miller’s personal experiences from his tormenting marriage with the Hollywood heartthrob Marilyn Monroe. The play opened at the ANTA theatre.
In 1965, Miller became the first American president of the PEN International and remained in that position for the next 4 years. He organized the PEN congress in New York City.
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In 1968, along with working for the PEN International, he wrote a play called ‘The Price’ which became his most successful play after a very longtime, after the success of ‘Death of a Salesman’.
In 1970s, Miller started experimenting with his creativity and wrote plays that were different from his earlier writings and production. He wrote plays like ‘Fame and The Reason Why’, ‘In Country and Chinese Encounters’, ‘Up from paradise’, etc.
In 1978, Miller came out with a collection of his work called ‘Theater Essays’ on which he himself gave a commentary and the collection of his work was edited by Robert A. Martin. He introduced his plays with his own interpretation.
In 1983, ‘Death of a Salesman’ was showcased at the People’s Art Theatre in Beijing, China. He came out with another book called ‘Salesman in Beijing’, reminiscing his experiences of China and its culture.
In 1987, Miller’s autobiographical writing called ‘Timebeds’ was released. In the book he talked about Marilyn Monroe and his marriage to her in detail, coming out with all the explicit details of the trouble between them.
Throughout the 1990s, Miller wrote a bunch of new plays such as ‘The Ride Down Mt. Morgan’, ‘The Last Yankee’ and ‘The Broken Glass’. Around the same time his play ‘The Crucible’ was made into a motion picture.
In 2004, Miller’s ‘Finishing the Picture’ opened at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago. It was a play based on his love affair with Agnes Barley, his lover for many years, and his experiences on working with Marilyn Monroe.
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Awards & Achievements
In the 1990s, Miller received the National Medal of Arts and PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award for being the best American dramatist. He was also awarded The Dorothy and Lilian Gish Prize.
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Personal Life & Legacy
In 1940, he got married to Mary Grace Slattery and they had two children together - Jane and Robert. But the marriage lasted only for 16 years and he left his wife after his affair with actress Marilyn Monroe.
In 1956, Miller married Marilyn Monroe after an affair of 5 years. Their marriage lasted for 5 years and suffered two miscarriages. His relationship with Monroe was full of ups and downs.
In 1962, Miller married a professional photographer Inge Morath and had two children with her - Rebecca and Daniel. They remained married until her death.
In 2004, Miller came out public with his love affair with a 34 year old painter Agnes Barley. He was 89 at the time. They intended to get married but it could never materialize as their relationship was opposed by his daughter.
In 2005, Miller died after struggling with cancer, in Connecticut. He died of heart failure, pneumonia and cognitive heart disease. His remains are buried at the Roxbury Center Cemetery, Roxbury.
Facts About Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller was known for his love of carpentry and often spent time working on building projects in addition to his writing.
He was an avid collector of antique furniture and enjoyed restoring pieces to their former glory.
Miller had a passion for sailing and would often spend time out on the water to relax and find inspiration for his writing.
He was a strong advocate for social justice and used his platform to speak out against injustices in society.
Miller had a great sense of humor and was known for his quick wit and ability to make those around him laugh.

See the events in life of Arthur Miller in Chronological Order

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