Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman (Modern Theatre Guides) [Paperback]

Peter L. Hays (Author), Kent Nicholson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Modern Theatre Guides | Publication Date: May 1, 2008

Every day, in some part of the world, an Arthur Miller play is performed.In the nearly 60 years since its first production, the Pulitzer Prizewinning Death of a Salesman has been become a classic, a staple of school anthologies of American literature and of acting companies' repertoires. It has received worldwide productions, whether as a study of parent-child relationships, as in its landmark 1976 production directed by Miller in Beijing, or as a critique of Western capitalism and has been filmed once for television and twice for movies.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a carefully structured guide for students that offers a captivating in-depth study of the text...Enriching our approaches to Arthur Miller's plays, this concise theatre guide is a solid contribution to the study of Death of a Salesman as it offers a systematic and extensive analysis of the play. Besides, a step from the theatre to the economics of the '30s and '40s brings us to realize that this volume demonstrates the authors' remarkable knowledge of American historical, social and political context...that this book-length study guide deserves attention not only because it features explanations of key themes, motifs, and symbols, together with a detailed analysis of major characters, but also because it includes practical group exercises for students to come to a better understanding of the play's structure. Full of dates, data, and specific details, Hays and Nicholson's fully informed theatre guide explores both theory and practice and strikes us as a carefully documented look into a worthwhile corner of American theatrical history. This very concise theatre guide undoubtedly represents an analytical tour de force." - Revue Française d'Etudes Américaines

"...a carefully structured guide for students that offers a captivating in-depth study of the text...Enriching our approaches to Arthur Miller's plays, this concise theatre guide is a solid contribution to the study of Death of a Salesman as it offers a systematic and extensive analysis of the play. Besides, a step from the theatre to the economics of the '30s and '40s brings us to realize that this volume demonstrates the authors' remarkable knowledge of American historical, social and political context...that this book-length study guide deserves attention not only because it features explanations of key themes, motifs, and symbols, together with a detailed analysis of major characters, but also because it includes practical group exercises for students to come to a better understanding of the play's structure. Full of dates, data, and specific details, Hays and Nicholson's fully informed theatre guide explores both theory and practice and strikes us as a carefully documented look into a worthwhile corner of American theatrical history. This very concise theatre guide undoubtedly represents an analytical tour de force." - Revue Française d'Etudes Américaines

About the Author

Peter L. Hays is Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Davis, USA. His most recent book is Teaching Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises.

Kent Nicholson is an award winning theatre director and is Director of New Works for TheatreWorks in Palo Alto, California, USA. He serves on the board of directors of The Playwrights Foundation and The National Alliance for Musical Theater.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Continuum (May 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826495540
• ISBN-13: 978-0826495549
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,593,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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