Exploring Miller's Unnamed Revolutionary Leader’s Sacrifice in the Resurrection Blues

Abstract

This study examines the unnamed revolutionary leader’s sacrifice to both invoke and dismantle the myths surrounding iconic sacrificial figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Jesus Christ. This essay focuses on how these sacrificial figures served society and sacrificed their lives for its benefit. This analysis seeks the unnamed Revolutionary leader as the potential "messiah" figure, and is explicitly designed to invoke these historical and spiritual parallels. Arthur Miller's Resurrection Blues is not only a satirical exploration of celebrity, media, and political exploitation, but also a portrayal of a great revolutionary leader’s sacrifice and spiritual yearning in a materialistic world. In the play, the Revolutionary leader’s treatment reveals the mechanisms by which society (corporatized, media-saturated, politically cynical) consumes, distorts, and neutralizes the transformative power of such figures. This essay suggests that the revolutionary leader's service to society, despite his own risk, is commendable. The sacrifice, which thoughtfully connects the unnamed leader to such pivotal historical and spiritual figures, is both insightful and compelling. Crafting a strong academic argument about these sacrificial figures will undoubtedly yield a powerful, relevant message for society or the present generation.