Arthur Miller and the New York state of being

New York is foregrounded in the works of many American writers. As evident in their works, the city has been a formative influence on writers as well as their output. New York appears as an entity by itself, sometimes as a benevolent multicultural melting pot and at other times as a dehumanizing centre of cold materialism populated by an inexhaustible variety of phonies. The present article discusses how Arthur Miller has individuated New York in his various writings, and examines the shift in the writer’s perception of the metropolis over the years. It is observed that, despite his vociferousness about his increasing disdain, most of his major works are grounded in the ethos of the city. Miller repeatedly presents a view of the city, encompassing its streets, its multi-ethnic character, its people, culture and, of course, its unique language. Since Miller’s prolific output makes it practically impossible to assess even all of his prominent works, this article is necessarily selective in its treatment of plays, fiction, non-fiction, autobiography and interviews.