The purpose of this term paper is to examine how the characters in Arthur
Miller’s plays are confronted with guilt and responsibility and how they deal
with it. Furthermore, I want to demonstrate how personal, individual guilt
and responsibility not only become a matter for the individual but also
have an important impact on the community and the society. According to
Miller, there is a really strong mutual relationship between the individual
and society. He states: “Society is inside man and man is inside society,
the water is in the fish, the fish is in the water.” Miller’s main protagonists
always try to defend themselves against an accusation, to deny their
responsibility and guilt, and to believe in their innocence. Bigsby mentions
what all of the characters concerning innocence and guilt have in
common: “… [They] spend much of their time rebutting charges whose
justice they acknowledge even as they are rejected. They are people who
try to escape the consequences of their actions, who try to declare their
innocence even when that involves implying the guilt of others.” This truly
applies for the plays and characters I will observe in the following. I
decided to focus on two plays published in the 1940s and 1950s: All My
Sons (1947) and The Crucible (1953). Their main protagonists experience
confrontation with themselves which finally leads to death. Most emphasis
will be laid on All My Sons as there we have a number of characters
dealing with guilt and responsibility, namely Chris, Larry, Kate, and Joe
Keller. In addition, I will discuss the character of Proctor in The Crucible.
The dominant question in these characters becomes this one: “How
can a human being work out the interconnections among the everwidening
circles of responsibility: self, family, society, the universe?
According to Miller, “to violate the codes of any circle is to sin.”
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Joe, Kate, Chris, and Larry Keller in All My Sons
- Proctor in The Crucible
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper examines how characters in Arthur Miller's plays confront guilt and responsibility, and how their individual struggles impact their communities and society. The paper explores Miller's concept of the interconnectedness between the individual and society.
- Guilt and Responsibility
- The Interplay Between Individual and Society
- The Impact of War on Morality
- Conflicting Moral Values within Families
- The Illusion of Innocence
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Introduction: This introduction lays out the paper's objective: to analyze how characters in Arthur Miller's plays grapple with guilt and responsibility, and how these internal conflicts affect their social spheres. It highlights Miller's belief in the strong interdependence between individuals and society, emphasizing that actions have far-reaching consequences. The paper focuses on *All My Sons* and *The Crucible*, specifically examining the protagonists' attempts to evade responsibility and the ultimate consequences of their choices. The introduction establishes the central question: how individuals navigate the complex web of responsibility extending from the self to family, society, and beyond, and highlights Miller's assertion that violating any level of this web constitutes sin.
Joe, Kate, Chris, and Larry Keller in All My Sons: This chapter delves into the complexities of guilt and responsibility within the Keller family in *All My Sons*. Joe Keller, a war profiteer, knowingly shipped faulty airplane parts, resulting in the deaths of American pilots. His actions are driven by a skewed sense of prioritizing family above social responsibility. He believes that providing for his family justifies his morally reprehensible actions. In contrast, Chris, shaped by his wartime experiences, embodies a strong sense of social responsibility and rejects his father's actions. The chapter explores the contrasting moral perspectives of the family members and examines how their individual experiences and choices contribute to a fractured family dynamic. The physical setting of the play, described as "hedged" and "secluded," serves as a powerful metaphor for Joe's limited and self-serving worldview, reinforcing his inability to fully comprehend the scope of his actions and their impact.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Guilt, responsibility, Arthur Miller, *All My Sons*, *The Crucible*, family, society, war, morality, individual vs. community, social responsibility, consequences of actions.
FAQ: A Comprehensive Language Preview of Arthur Miller's Plays
What is the main topic of this language preview?
This preview provides a structured overview of a term paper analyzing how characters in Arthur Miller's plays, specifically All My Sons and The Crucible, confront guilt and responsibility, and how their individual struggles impact their communities and society. It examines Miller's concept of the interconnectedness between the individual and society.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
The key themes include guilt and responsibility, the interplay between individual and society, the impact of war on morality, conflicting moral values within families, and the illusion of innocence.
Which plays by Arthur Miller are analyzed?
The paper focuses on Arthur Miller's All My Sons and The Crucible.
What is the structure of the language preview?
The preview includes a table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords. It provides a concise overview of the main arguments and findings of the term paper.
How does the preview summarize the chapter on All My Sons?
The chapter on All My Sons delves into the Keller family's complexities regarding guilt and responsibility. It contrasts Joe Keller's self-serving prioritization of family over social responsibility (manifested in his war profiteering) with Chris Keller's strong sense of social responsibility. The chapter analyzes the contrasting moral perspectives and the fractured family dynamic, using the play's setting as a metaphor for Joe's limited worldview.
What is the central question addressed in the paper?
The central question is how individuals navigate the complex web of responsibility extending from the self to family, society, and beyond, and how Miller portrays the violation of this web as sin.
What are the keywords associated with this paper?
Keywords include: Guilt, responsibility, Arthur Miller, All My Sons, The Crucible, family, society, war, morality, individual vs. community, social responsibility, consequences of actions.
What is the purpose of this language preview?
This language preview serves as a comprehensive summary intended for academic use, allowing for the analysis of themes in a structured and professional manner.
What is the overall argument of the term paper?
The term paper argues that Arthur Miller's plays showcase the profound consequences of individual actions on family and society, highlighting the intricate web of responsibility and the devastating effects of shirking moral obligations.
- Quote paper
- Andreas Keilbach (Author), 2007, Guilt and Responsibility in Arthur Miller's Plays, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/118453
