Arthur Miller (American, 1915-2005)
Miller was a significant playwright and activist most active in the 1950s and 1960s. His writing is renowned for presenting complicated characters who deal with real-life challenges and face guilt and regret for previous deeds. Miller was influenced by the Great Depression, which led to his father, a small manufacturer, going bankrupt. He worked to pay his way at the University of Michigan where he started writing plays. His first significant play was All My Sons in 1947; he would then go on to write Death of a Salesman and the Crucible.
Miller devoted his career to exploring the moral struggles of the American middle class, crafting characters who portray a keen sense of realism and an ear for the American vernacular. He is one of the most highly esteemed playwrights due to his understanding of the psychology of desperation and profound meaning of struggle, receiving the Pulitzer Prize in Drama. He was also known for his love life, marrying Marilyn Monroe and later photographer Inge Morath.
