Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller - Viking Compass Book 53rd Printing 1972

Arthur Miller + Death of a Salesman Meet the master artist through one of his most important works

Arthur Miller said that other than a doctor saving someone’s life, “writing a worthy play was the most important thing a human being could do.” Why? Because he believed that plays could ask difficult questions about morality and responsibility and then challenge people to change their lives and the world. “The mission of the theater,” he said, “is… to raise the consciousness of people to their human possibilities." And that’s exactly how Miller changed American theater in the twentieth century.

Death of a Salesman is a 1949 stage play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in 1940s New York told through a montage of memories, dreams, and arguments of the protagonist Willy Loman, a travelling salesman who is disappointed with his life, and appears to be slipping into senility. The play contains a variety of themes, such as the American Dream, the anatomy of truth, and infidelity. It explores the psychological chaos of the protagonist, and the capitalist society's impact on his life.  It won the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. It is considered by some critics to be one of the greatest plays of the 20th century.

Since its premiere, the play has been revived on Broadway four times, winning three Tony Awards for Best Revival. It has been adapted for the cinema on ten occasions, including a 1951 version from an adaptation by screenwriter Stanley Roberts, starring Fredric March.