After the Fall by Arthur Miller

Hmm... After the Fall by Arthur Miller is an intriguing play. Sometimes I love to read plays because they read quickly as there is mostly only dialogue. This one took me ages to finish because it's probably better seen than read. The main character, Quentin, is a portrayal of the author, and the play recounts significant autobiographical moments. Quentin is having a conversation with an unknown Listener; Quentin hears the Listener speaking to him though the audience doesn't. They are having a conversation about life, love, hope, and despair. Quentin's memory allows the audience to revisit episodes he has previously had with family members, colleagues, and lovers. Most shockingly, Miller reveals the horribly intimate details of his relationship with Marilyn Monroe (called Maggie in the play). Quentin works through these memories as a catharsis. Ultimately he arrives at two interesting conclusions~ "Whoever goes to save another person with the lie of limitless love throws a shadow on the face of God" and (paraphrasing) that we are very dangerous, and in spite of death (both literal and metaphorical) we can have hope to love again and again. This may sound a bit convoluted having not read/seen the play.

I can appreciate the dreamy fashion in which the play was written; it was like a perpetual fog of memories, faces, and thoughts. However, I disliked the story and how he ultimately arrived at his truths. It all seemed a bit indulgently unclear and artistic~ like stream of consciousness for the stage. Also, it felt exploitative (even though it was Miller's life, too) to expose the details of Monroe's mental illness. It was just horrible to me. Here is where he gave the most detail to any once person in the play; I suppose she had the greatest impact on him. As the reader, I felt like I had to endure a lot of confusion and discomfort for him to arrive at the point where he could accept that love is imperfect, you can't save anyone, and it's okay to accept imperfect living and still be happy. I think I'd rather have read The Crucible.