Modern American Tragedy

When Miller's masterpiece Death of a Salesman was first produced on Broadway in 1949, the audience hailed it as a modern tragedy. Most critics judged it differently. They censured it, considering it a cheap form of melodrama, accusing Miller of playing on the spectators' sensitivity towards the promises of life. They saw his protagonist Willy as a victim more than a hero.Consquently, Miller came out with his essay "The Tragedy of the Common Man" defending the ordinary man and bestowing upon him the honor of being an acceptable tragic hero just like the kings and noble men of the classic tragedies. Miller in his four plays All my Sons (1947), Death of a Salesman (1949), The Crucible (1953) and A View from the Bridge (1954) paved the way for quality tragedies to follow and he stood against harsh criticism to become a leading figure of modern American drama. Two dramatists tried with little conformity to the Greek standards to wade into these waters before him. These were O'Neill in his play The Iceman Cometh (1946)and Williams in The Glass menagerie (1944). This book provides data and appreciation for these playwrights and their works.