The Survival And The Choice

Arthur Miller was one of the main representatives of postwar American realisticplaywright; his social problem plays inherited from left-wing drama tradition of the1930s. Hemade great contribution to the postwar American realistic drama. His dramas guided thedirection of the mainstream American drama. He was not only a master of American realisticdrama, but also a famous drama theorist in the western drama. He was born in a Jewish family.After he graduated from high school, he did all kinds of odd jobs. His drama creation wasinfluenced a lot by his early working experiences. The Crucible is another great work afterThe Death of a Salesman. It is a historical realistic tragedy, and it is also a tragedy opposedpolitical persecution. Its success not only lies on the vivid characters, but also on its reflectionof Miller’s unique views on tragedy.For thousands of years, as a form of drama, Greek tragedy has influenced a lot ofdramatists and critics constantly. People hold the stereotype that only the noble and the upperclass can be tragedy heroes. They are often controlled by destiny, and they are unable toescape. Miller depicted in The Crucible a common farmer, Proctor, who involved in aridiculous “witch trials” and experienced several role shifts. Even though he failed in the end,his success tells the truth and calls on the justice. He lived to maintain his dignity andreputation. His self-salvation had a far-reaching influence by delivering the positive energy,which differed a lot from the traditional drama. As we all know, the Greek tragedyemphasized on the artistic function of the tragedy, but easily neglected its social function. Onthe surface, Arthur Miller focused on the historical themes, but in fact, he laid his eyes onstaring at the contemporary American politics. His tragedy not only brought fear and mercy toaudience, but also had the obvious social significance. It had the power of inspiring people,and had the positive energy.