Critical Companion to Arthur Miller: A Literary Reference to His Life And Work

529 Pages·2007·3.15 MB·English

by  Susan Abbotson

CRITICAL COMPANION TO
Arthur Miller
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CRITICAL COMPANION TO
Arthur Miller
A Literary Reference to His Life and Work
SUSAN C. W. ABBOTSON
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Critical Companion to Arthur Miller
Copyright © 2007 by Susan Abbotson
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permis-
sion in writing from the publisher. For information contact:
Facts On File, Inc.
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ISBN-10: 0-8160-6194-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-8160-6194-5
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Abbotson, Susan C. W., 1961–
Critical companion to Arthur Miller: a literary reference to his life and work /
Susan Abbotson.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8160-6194-7 (alk. paper)
1. Miller, Arthur, 1915–2005—Criticism and interpretation. 2. Miller, Arthur,
1915–2005—Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title.
PS3525/I5156Z5114 2006
812′.52—dc22 2006022902
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VB Hermitage 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
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C
ONTENTS
Acknowledgments vii
Introduction ix
Part I: Biography 1
Part II: Works A–Z 23
Part III: Related People, Places, and Topics 355
Part IV: Appendices 481
Selected Primary Bibliography of Arthur Miller’s Works 483
Interviews with Arthur Miller 486
Bibliography of Secondary Sources 488
Arthur Miller Chronology 490
Index 501
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A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
This encyclopedic volume on Miller has been invaluable, and without it this volume could not
an endeavor of love and discovery. It has long have been completed. I am indebted to their prior
taxed the patience of my husband and my beau- studies, insights, and research, and I am proud to
tiful children, who have nonetheless supported know all four. The research of George Crandell and
me throughout, and a huge thanks must go to Albert Wertheim has also greatly helped to provide
them—Dave, Rachel, Harry, and Brenda. I prom- details for some of Miller’s lesser-known work. I
ise to leave my computer alone . . . at least for must also include thanks to my friends Joseph Kane
the summer. The pioneering work of such vigorous and Steve Marino for their assistance on a number
Miller scholars as Christopher Bigsby, Steven Cen- of points and their great commitment to advancing
tola, Stefani Koorey, and Brenda Murphy has been the work of Arthur Miller.
vii
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I
NTRODUCTION
Arthur Miller, despite the stature of Eugene figures who are related to Miller’s life and career,
O’Neill and Tennessee Williams, is quite pos- key terms and topics connected to his work, and
sibly the most important American dramatist to various theatrical companies and places with which
date. Since his death, there have been several new he has been associated. Entries are cross-r eferenced
books that try to assess his legacy and to offer and are easy to access.
critical and personal responses to the man and The book begins with a lengthy biographical
his work. All indicate the tremendous importance essay covering Miller’s life and career from birth
of his contribution to U.S., if not world, litera- to death. Part II of the book contains entries on
ture. His career spanned almost 70 years, during all of Miller’s dramatic and fictional works, as well
which time he not only gave us two of the world’s as on key essays and longer pieces of nonfiction.
best-known and most-performed dramas, Death For each work, there is an explanation of its ori-
of a Salesman and The Crucible, but also dozens gins as well as a plot synopsis and a commentary
more plays, fictional pieces, and essays. In many discussing key critical points. For the plays, addi-
ways Miller has come to define U.S. drama, and tional sections discuss first performance, initial
all who came after him are measured against his reviews, relevant scholarship, and movie and tele-
high standard. Given the large number of students vision adaptations, and a Further Reading section
and teachers at schools and colleges around the gives a bibliography of important critical works.
globe who study the work of this master dramatist, For the fiction and nonfiction entries, additional
this volume has been written as a much-needed sections discuss the work’s initial reception, as
reference guide to Miller’s life and works for both well as relevant scholarship and Further Read-
classroom and individual use. ing where appropriate. For both plays and fiction,
Critical Companion to Arthur Miller has been characters in the work are discussed in subentries
designed to provide a reliable, up-to-date, ency- to the larger entry on the work.
clopedic source of information on Miller for high– Part III of the book contains entries on people,
school- and college-level students and for teachers, topics, terms, theater companies, and more, all of
libraries, and the general public. A central con- them important to understanding Miller’s life and
cern has been to make this an accessible, readable, work. Part IV contains appendices, including a bibli-
and dependable source of information on Miller’s ography of works by Miller, a list of useful interviews
life, career, and writing. The book covers his entire with Miller, an up-to-date bibliography of the most
canon, including plays, screenplays, fiction, short useful secondary sources, mainly book-length, and a
stories, and poetry, as well as a number of the detailed chronology of key events in Miller’s life.
important essays and critical pieces. There are also To indicate a cross-reference, any name or term
detailed entries on literary, theatrical, and personal that appears as an entry in Part III is printed on
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