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Linda Loman In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

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Linda Loman is one of the most complicated character in Death of a salesman. She is not only the wife of the main character, Willy Loman, but also the mother of Biff and Happy Loman. Linda has many different roles throughout the whole play, she is often in an awkward position when her husband and sons are fighting, however, as we can tell by her dialogue and actions, she is a devoted wife who always chooses Willy over her sons. Arthur Miller has created many themes in this play, and Linda is one of the key factor in order to develop those themes. She is a peacekeeper, chastiser, and a supporter in her family. It will be interesting to discuss many roles of her, how this affected her relationship with Willy and how Miller develop her personality. One of the most important role of Linda is that she always want to keep the peace in her family relationship. ‘Boys!’ Linda often act as a peacekeeper when other family members are fighting. We can tell that she really want her …show more content…

Although she also supports Biff and Happy, throughout the play it becomes evident that Linda protects Willy at all costs, supports him all the time, and always suggest excuses for his mistakes. “Biff, his life is in your hands!” When Linda finds out that her husband is trying to commit suicide, she blame Biff and Happy for not being nice to WIlly, without thinking maybe something is wrong with Willy. “To me you are. The handsomest.” This is what Linda said to Willy to encourage him. The character of Linda helps to create the guilt and regrets in Willy. Miller created many themes in the play, and one of the most significant one is betrayal. Linda and Willy’s relationship helps develop this theme. Willy betrays his promises to Linda through their marriage and Biff’s trust by having an affair with “The Woman”. In addition, Linda’s support to Willy is essential for the theme and is one of the reason why Willy committed suicide in the end of the

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852 Words | 4 Pages

After reading about that, one cannot help but think back to Linda’s care and concern in this opening scene of the book. It is clear that Willy has put her through and continues to put Linda through quite a deal, yet she consistently fights to care for him and ensure his safety. She treats him with such compassion, that him having an affair makes Willy a deal

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881 Words | 4 Pages

Although Willy was never able to see Biff's perspective since he continued to push him to work as a businessman, if he had listened to Linda to understand Biff's point of view, their relationship would have mended, but rather they continued to quarrel. Taking part in a relationship implies striving to understand another's perspective through listening and communicating with them. As expressed in Fences and Death of a Salesman, these are important to ensure a healthy

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963 Words | 4 Pages

When perceiving Death of a Salesman with a gender lens, Willy and Linda’s relationship throughout the play becomes very noticeable. A direct quote from the play that helps understand their relationship is “Let me help you take off your shoes; untie your shoestrings, take off your cufflinks; what you want to eat boo, let me feed you.” (Miller ?) This quotation shows that Linda is the definition of a “good wife” even if her husband treats her horribly. Linda looks after her husband's emotional needs first before hers and she will always strive to make him happy even if she is not.

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1015 Words | 5 Pages

We learn that Willy is a salesman, who is has only had minor success. Willy blames this on the fact that he is not well liked. In the beginning of the play Willy has had a car accident and his wife Linda wants him to ask his boss if he can work only in New York instead of having to travel. When we see Willy in a flashback he appears to be happy and affectionate with his sons, who seem to return the affection.

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1008 Words | 5 Pages

While Linda enabled him, Willy could not help himself too keep ruining the good opportunities he had and turning them into some factious reality. At Willy`s funeral Biff comes to the realization that his father had all the wrong dreams and visions of success. Willy`s only dream was the fake “American Dream” that people believe will happen overnight. Willy`s failed attempts and happiness bonded into one and played a part into him creating this false reality and persona that he was the best salesman and that he was well loved by everyone around him.

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1800 Words | 8 Pages

Biff wants to retake the class in the summer but when he catches his father having an affair his perception of his father, his biggest role model, is shattered causing him to give up on the things he used to want to do. Willy represses this memory entirely and tries to blame others for Biffs behavior instead of himself. Willy also fools himself into thinking he is well liked and successful. In small moments of clarity Willy admits that people have made fun of his physique and no one talks to him anymore when he goes

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613 Words | 3 Pages

The main foreshadowing Miller uses in the play is the title itself, and when Linda tells Billy about Willy trying to attempt suicide. The audience can figure out that Willy will eventually die because of foreshadowing by the title. In the play Willy's death is expected, but it is never fully explained how he dies so we should assume that he killed himself through a car wreck. The unclear ending adds to the chaos in play. The whole story tells us about Willy Loman spent his life chasing a false American dream.

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969 Words | 4 Pages

Death of a Salesman has been extremely influential in regards to theatrical performance and it has been performed by multiple different theatre groups. It has also been made into a movie, which has actors such as Dustin Hoffman as Willy Loman, John Malkovich as Biff Loman, and Kate Reid as Linda Loman. All of these actors’ performances were true to the character and were extremely realistic. It was easy for the audience to get caught up in the characters that these actors portrayed. Throughout the movie, Dustin Hoffman, John Malkovich, and Kate Reid all provided an outstanding performance by ensuring that their facial expressions, body language, and emotions always shined through all the while they were creating realistic characters that were easily believable by the audience.

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924 Words | 4 Pages

Linda defends Willy and insists that Willy, as a traveling salesman, merely exhausts himself rather than become crazy. Even if Willy’s financial reality reveals the fact that he can never come true his American dream, Linda still refuses to break his fantasies and see through his lies. Instead, she supports Willy’s American dream and believes in Willy’s idea that success is possible for anyone. Even though Willy is often rude to her and ignores her opinions, she protects him at all costs. She loves Willy, so she can accept all of his shortcomings.

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1735 Words | 7 Pages

In the play, it shows Willy is soft and insecure not just a crazy man. Biff, Willy’s son had caught his father cheating on his mother and that made him feel angry at his father. Willy did not know how his son felt; Willy says [directly to Biff] “what’re you doing? What’re you doing?” Biff says [crying, broken] “will you let me go, for Christ’s sake?

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741 Words | 3 Pages

Biff, a consequence of Willy, attempts to bring Willy out of his fantasies and his see the realities of his life, but in the end fails to. The two are different in their ideas, demeanors and personas, yet have some akin characteristics.     Willy and Biff’s physical traits are different. At what point, Willy tells his wife Linda, “I’m fat. I’m very foolish to look at, Linda.”

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1537 Words | 7 Pages

Willy finds out his dream of being an popular, well respected salesman is impossible and takes his own life. Linda supports Willy despite the abuse and confusion he puts her through with his various attempts to take his own life, with his delirious ramblings and hallucinations, and with his constant deception. Happy still sees his father as a hero and Biff finally begins to grasp the truth of the “American Dream”. When Willy kills himself, all of the Loman family, including Willy, break free from the web of false dreams he spun and begin to understand Willy’s failings. They also realize their own flaws.

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850 Words | 4 Pages

This shows how willy can not admit his failure to his family. The main character Willy doesn’t want to show how deeply down he had fallen and is starting to lose hope on his

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978 Words | 4 Pages

From Father to Tragic Hero A tragic hero is someone who experiences successes and failures that eventually lead to their downfall. In Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman”, Miller uses Willy Loman as a depressed and confused main character. He also leaves the question of whether or not Willy Loman a tragic hero up in the air. Miller uses the hopes and dreams of Willy Loman and turns them into failures to portray him as a tragic hero.

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764 Words | 4 Pages

To ease his mother’s worries, Biff decides to ask for a loan to start a sporting goods business, only to later realize that he does not share his father’s work ethic and ambitions. Instead of beginning a sporting goods business, Biff decides that he is going to buy his own ranch. Biff’s decisions prove that unlike, Willy, he believes that success is truly obtained with strong work ethic and being happy with the work that you do. Like all women in 1949, Linda Loman is expected to stay home and take care of her family.

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