This book offers a revealing look at Arthur Miller’s political sensibilities as evidenced in his dramatic works and other writings.For more than five decades critics have acclaimed Arthur Miller as a social dramatist. Jeffrey D. Mason’s
Stone Tower
offers a fresh appraisal of Miller that clearly establishes him as an essentially political playwright. By taking a closer look at the public and private power relations in Miller’s plays and his non-dramatic writings, Mason sets out to enrich - and challenge - traditional views of Miller.The book begins with a detailed critique of Miller’s 1956 testimony before the House Committee on Un-American Activities and of his political essays, then moves on to explore Miller’s plays, from
All My Sons
and
Death of a Salesman
to
Resurrection Blues
and
The Ride Down Mt. Morgan . Mason provides invaluable new insights on such topics as Miller’s mistrust of authority and social power, his theatrical response to the Holocaust, and his treatment of women. With attention to staging issues, social history, and dramatic analysis, the book explores the impact of this canonical American dramatist and breaks new ground in Miller studies.