When you speak a writer's words long, deeply, and well enough to interpret and express them to an audience, I believe you become closer to a writer in ways that are not possible under almost any other circumstance. This is particularly true if one is a writer as well as an actor. I believe this closeness is keener still if the writer is alive and actively producing new works and making appearances. I'm certain it is even sharper if you just assume that sometime in your life you will meet him...
But Arthur Miller died today.
In my young adult life, before I quit acting (and painting) so that I might have an opportunity to rise above fine arts mediocrity if I committed myself only to writing, I had the great privilege of acting some of Arthur Miller's most memorable roles. In my late adult life, I've enjoyed the great privilege of teaching Arthur Miller's plays to graduate students in China, not as literature, but as theatre.
Arthur Miller died today; he was 89 years old.
There were three great American playwrights in the 20th Century, by anyone's measure: Eugene O'Neill, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller. They were the three greatest playwrights in the nation's history. They were three of the greatest playwrights in modern world history. But, until today, one of them wasn't history. Until today, upon an exalted knoll where once there had been three giant oaks, one still stood; to the end it stood as tall, lean, prolific and sadly majestic as from its first celebrated planting at the age of 33, early in an incredible decade that would see all three giants produce much of their greatest work.
But no more; Arthur Miller died today
Of the three great American playwrights, only one had social justice, political rot and the sacredness in humanism no matter the indignity or the pain as consistent, integral themes throughout his work, but was never propagandistic with any of it--it was theatrical, always. Only one consistently gave voice to progressive ideals and social and political protest. Only one of them faced down a rampant totalitarianism in American governance and won by refusing to acknowledge its power over him.
Sadly, Arthur Miller died today.
Of the three great American playwrights, only one would have had a brilliant enough literary career if he had never written even one play. Only one of them was a complete colossus in the world of arts and letters.
Goddamn it, Arthur Miller, the last great literary giant alive, died today. I've lost a life-long best friend, though I never met him in the flesh.
Blessed we are though that a writer never really dies; his works live forever and he is there to become bosom buddies--one at a time--with thousands of writers yet to come.
Arthur Miller, one of the great American playwrights, whose work exposed the flaws in the fabric of the American dream, died Thursday night at his home in Roxbury, Conn. He was 89....
At the link below, The New York Times has a page full of wonderful links on the life, career and legacy of Arthur Miller.
