In the heart wrenching play The Death of A Salesman, the reader is thrown into the chaotic life of Willy Loman and his family. We watch them spiral into a pit of their own delusions and lies, ultimately witnessing Willy’s tragic death. In this play. Linda serves as both a motivator as well as a protector for Willy.
Though at first Linda appears to be a submissive housewife, by the end of the play her true purpose as a protector for Willy both against himself as well as the judgement from their sons Biff and Hap is prominent. As stated by Willy directly, Linda is his foundation. She is the glue that holds their family together, she stands by Willy and is always optimistic despite his struggles with working as a salesman in the remnants of The Great Depression. Linda always does her best to both motivate Willy, as well as push him to maintain his relationship with Biff and Hap.
Linda’s role as a protector is emphasized throughout the play when Linda, aware of Willy using the hose on their heater to self asphyxiate himself, does not put Willy through the humiliation of confrontation. She knows that Willy’s attempts are acts of desperation to provide for his family, and that bringing it up would not only destroy him as a man but further push him and his deteriorating mental state. Linda throughout
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Linda even protects Willy from Biff and Hap’s harsh criticism, they refuse to see what Willy has done for them and worked for. They only look at his failures and faults. Towards the end of the play when Biff and Hap abandon Willy at the restaurant, she finally puts her foot down. Linda tells Biff that if he hopes to have any relationship with her, he is to treat Willy with the same love and respect that he shows her. She refuses to stand for any mistreatment or disrespect towards Willy, even if it means severing the ties between her flesh and