Remembering Philip Seymour Hoffman Through His Writing

By Dianna Dilworth 

arthurmillerOscar winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman died today at the age of 46.

The actor’s work had many literary connections. He won an Oscar for his appearance as Truman Capote in Bennett Miller’s biopic Capote. Hoffman starred in the film adaptation of The Hunger Games. In addition, he starred as Willy Loman in Mike Nichols’ revival of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman on stage in New York.

Hoffman also wrote the foreword for A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller. Here is an excerpt:

I thought, sure, but even though Miller was commenting on post-war America and the working class and everything that concerned the laboring, fighting man, what always touched me more than the particulars of their struggles was that they cut to the bone. Their sins may have been prompted or exacerbated by the postwar era or outside circumstances, but in the end, the particulars fall away. The tragedy of being “known” in this way is timeless, universal, and unforgiving.