Miller, Arthur: 1915-2005
All My Sons, 1947 - Information about the Play
- General Information | Facts | Author | Commentary | Reviews | Explanations
- General Information
- The play opened on Broadway at the Coronet Theatre in New York City on January 29, 1947.
- The play is about guilt and responsibility.
- Information from StageAgent
- Information from Wikipedia
- Information from Encyclopedia
- Miller sought to explore the tension between personal loyalty to family and broader social responsibility. The play’s central question—whether one should prioritize their own family or humanity at large—was influenced by Miller’s encounters with soldiers during his time as a wartime radio scriptwriter. Their stories of sacrifice and suffering moved him profoundly, fueling his desire to address such moral dilemmas in his work.
Miller drew on his own family dynamics to shape the characters in "All My Sons." His parents’ financial struggles during the Great Depression and his brother’s experiences as a soldier returning from war informed the emotional depth of the Keller family’s story.
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- Facts
- The first play Miller wrote out of college, "The Man Who Had All the Luck" (1944), closed after four performances. He considered giving up but decided to try writing one more play. His next play, "All My Sons" ran on Broadway for 328 performances, and was made into a movie the following year. Miller used the money he made from "All My Sons" to buy four hundred acres of farmland in Connecticut.
From MPR - Awards: The play received critical acclaim and won several awards. Here are some of the notable awards:
Tony Award for Best Author: Arthur Miller won the Tony Award for Best Author in 1947 for "All My Sons." This was a significant recognition of Miller's talent as a playwright.
New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play: "All My Sons" also won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play in 1947. This award further solidified the play's reputation as a remarkable piece of theater.Developed by AI
- The Moral and Social Costs of War Profiteering
The central conflict revolves around Joe Keller, a businessman who knowingly shipped defective aircraft engine parts to the military during WWII, leading to the deaths of 21 pilots including his own son Larry. This highlights the devastating human costs of war profiteering and putting profits over ethical conduct.Individual Responsibility vs Family Loyalty
Joe justifies his actions as being for the sake of providing for his family, raising questions about the limits of family loyalty when it conflicts with moral and legal obligations. His son Chris struggles with this dilemma when the truth is revealed.The American Dream and Capitalism
The play critiques the American ideals of success and prosperity at all costs, as embodied by the wealthy but unethical Keller family. It examines the moral compromises people make in pursuit of material wealth.Guilt, Denial and Atonement
Joe's inability to admit guilt and atone for his actions drives much of the drama. The characters grapple with themes of guilt, denial, forgiveness and the need for moral reckoning.By tackling these weighty moral and societal issues through the microcosm of a family tragedy, Miller's play provided a powerful commentary on the United States' national psyche in the aftermath of WWII.
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- "All My Sons" was generally met with critical acclaim and public success. Critics praised it for its powerful narrative and strong moral themes.
The play was seen as a significant work that showcased Miller's talent as a playwright. It was noted for its well-constructed plot and the depth of its characters.
Overall, "All My Sons" was perceived as a landmark play that tackled important social issues with emotional depth and dramatic intensity, earning Arthur Miller a lasting place in the canon of American playwrights.
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- Reader Rating:
- The first play Miller wrote out of college, "The Man Who Had All the Luck" (1944), closed after four performances. He considered giving up but decided to try writing one more play. His next play, "All My Sons" ran on Broadway for 328 performances, and was made into a movie the following year. Miller used the money he made from "All My Sons" to buy four hundred acres of farmland in Connecticut.
- Author
- Interview with Mike Wood. February 6, 1995
- Give playwriting one more chance - segment from the above interview
- Arthur Miller on "All My Sons", 1986
- Commentary
- Arthur Miller’s "All My Sons" is a compelling exploration of moral responsibility, familial loyalty, and the devastating consequences of ethical compromise. Set in the aftermath of World War II, the play centers on Joe Keller, a businessman who prioritizes his family’s prosperity over societal obligations, leading to tragic outcomes. Keller’s decision to ship defective airplane parts during the war results in the deaths of 21 pilots and indirectly causes his son Larry’s suicide—a fact revealed through Larry’s letter.
The play’s title underscores its central moral theme: Joe’s realization that his responsibility extends beyond his immediate family to all humanity. His final words, “they were all my sons,” reflect his acknowledgment of this broader accountability. However, this epiphany comes too late, culminating in Joe’s suicide as an act of atonement.
Miller employs a realistic framework and a slow unraveling of past secrets to heighten the tension. Themes such as guilt, blame, and the conflict between personal ambition and social duty resonate deeply, making "All My Sons" a timeless critique of individualism and moral evasion in pursuit of success.
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- Reviews
- Review from 1947: "Miller has written an honest, forceful drama about a group of people caught up in a monstrous swindle." New York Times; January 30, 1947
- Review about a performance at the Oxford Playhouse, England. K. Dihal; March 19, 2015
- Explanations
- Precursor in Arthur Miller’s Dramatic World. Masahiro Oikawa
- "All My Sons" is a masterpiece: "The play is strictly Realist with some poetic leanings (qua Ibsen) in its language and its use of symbol and irony." Drama Circle
- Podcast
Arthur MIller and his inspiration for "All My Sons." 2024 - Podcast
Ricardo Frederick Evans, Jennifer Sassaman discuss the play. 2022 - Podcast
The play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. The Play Podcast with Douglas Rintoul, Chief Executive of the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich. May 12, 2022