The Nature of Guilt in Arthur Miller’s All my Sons

Guilt is one of the most poignant and devastating senses, which is either perceived or imposed upon for one reason or the other. This perceived or imposed sense keeps on growing as a poisonous tumor, which ultimately turns into a terminal mental disease, a disease that disowns one from his own self and identity. This sense of loss of identity creates a murky dungeon of non-belonging, where one loses his sense of direction in life. This study is an attempt to shed light on the nature of guilt in Miller’s All my Sons, by scrutinizing the different situations of the characters who helplessly try to get away from this oozy bog of guilt stricken world. Key words: Guilt; Non-belonging; Binary opposition; Shame