UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-1990 The role of friendship in Arthur Miller: A study of friendship in his major dramatic and non-dramatic writing Carlos Alejandro Campo University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Campo, Carlos Alejandro, "The role of friendship in Arthur Miller: A study of friendship in his major dramatic and non-dramatic writing" (1990). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 2960. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/ny5a-ypmi This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. 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Contact UMI directly to order. UMI University Microfilms International A Bell & Howell Information Com pany 300 Nortfi Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor. Ml 48106-1346 USA 313.'761-4700 800.'521-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Order Number 9825736 The role of friendship in Arthur Miller: A study of friendship in his major dramatic and non-dramatic writing Campo, Carlos Alejandro, Ph.D. University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 1993 Copyri^t ©1993 by Campo, Carlos Alejandro. All ri^ts reserved. U'M’I 300 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. THE ROLE OF FRIENDSHIP IN ARTHUR MILLER: A STUDY OF FRIENDSHIP IN HIS MAJOR DRAMATIC AND NON-DRAMATIC WRITING by Carlos A. Campo A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy m English Department of English University of Nevada. Las Vegas April 1993 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Hie Thesis of Carlos A. Campo for the degree of Ph.D. in English is approved. Chairperson, Christopher C. Hudgins. Ph.D. Examining Committeeittee Mefmber, RiRichard L. Harp, Ph.D. / •/ Examining Committee Member, Wilbur A. Stevens. Ph.D. - Z P ^ Graduate Faculty Representative, Jerry/XTCrawford. Ph.D. Dean of the Graduate College, Ronald Smith, Ph.D. University of Nevada, Las Vegas April 1993 11 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT This study examines the role of friendship in Arthur Miller’s work from his book of reportage. Situation Normal to his latest play. The Ride Down Mount Morgan, attempting to show that friendship is a central and recurrent topic in Miller’s work, both dramatic and non-dramatic. In chapter 1, the "Introduction," I trace Miller’s ideas about friendship, which were framed during the Depression and solidified through his study of American training bases in WWII. Miller seems to contend that if all members of society could respond through firiendship as the men in the military did, we would eliminate many social ills and parallel Aristotle’s polis, which was unified through firiendship. Chapter 2, “Focus,” investigates friendship in Miller’s only novel, concluding that the protagonist. Lawrence Newman is isolated from his community until he is motivated through firtendship to reach beyond his once complacent and now-threatened existence. Chapter 3 “IDon’t Need You Any More, "traces jfriendship in Miller’s collected short stories, focusing on “Monte Sant’ Angelo” and “Fitter’s Night,” which both indicate that through fnendship. one can “connect” with others and find a place in the community. Chapter 4. “Friendship in the Early Drama,” looks at friendship in All My Sons and Death of a Salesman. In this chapter I consider the ways that friendship dominates Chris Keller’s vision for a better world, and analyze Salesman as a play that details the failure of friendship. Ill Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Chapter 5, “After The Fall, “ examines Quentin’s struggle with his past, determining that his ’journey” features the death and resurrection of friendship as a positive social force. Chapter 6, “Friendship in the Later Drama,” concludes that while Miller’s view of friendship is shattered as a result of the McCarthy era, his later drama continues to portray friendship as a means to unify our increasingly individual society. IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT.................................................................................................. üi FOREWORD................................................................................................ Vi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION...................................................................... 1 Miller and Friendship: Some Definitions....................................... 1 Defining the Aristotelian Model and Applying it to M iller............ 4 Miller and Friendship: Some Formative E vents............................ 14 CHAPTER 2 FOCUS.................................................................................... 34 CHAPTER 3 I DON’T NEED YOU ANY MORE........................................... 54 CHAPTER 4 FRIENDSHIP IN THE EARLY DRAMA.............................. 74 AH My S o n s ...................................................................................... 74 Death of a Salesman ...................................................................... 96 CHAPTERS AFTER THE FALL............................................................... 142 CHAPTERS FRIENDSHIP IN MILLER’S LATER DRAMA..................... 194 WORKS CITED......................................................................................... 225 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Foreword; How ft nil Rmgmn This study began in the fall of 1990, when during a phone conversation with my uncle, the now late actor and director José Ferrer, he mentioned that he had known and worked with many contemporary playwrights, and would be more than happy to contact any one of them to initiate correspondence that may lead to a topic of study for my doctoral dissertation. While he mentioned several names, a few that are legendary in the theater, when I heard Arthur Miller's name, it was as though he had stopped speaking. I had just completed a study of friendship in Ben Jonson's plays, and the friendship connection seemed to click immediately in reference to Miller’s work. At that moment, I had no idea how central the friendship cormection was. After one year of reading Miller's works closely, and studying the criticism of his texts, it was clear that friendship was a prominent thematic topic that was almost completely ignored by Miller scholars—a perfect combination for a hopeful student. My uncle did write to Miller, and after I followed up with a letter detailing my study, Mr. Miller cordially responded; he has written three times since, graciously answering questions that were important to this work. I now understand why every Miller interviewer seems to comment about his generosity and kindness. VI Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. As C.S. Lewis pointed out in his seminal study.The Four Loves, friendship; regarded as among the virtues during classical times, has seemingly lost its importance in modem society. Ronald A. Sharp, in Friendship and Literature, went