17/PELA/034
Psychological Disorientation of Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s
Death of a Salesman
The famous dramatist Arthur Miller’s work conveys a deeply moral outlook whereby all individuals have a responsibility both to themselves and to the society in which they must live. Through his drama, he constantly provokes the social conscience of his audiences. Miller’s drama tries to create a better society in which everyone can live. He explores the demands of moral values and brings out important individual and social needs, recognizing the balance between the two. Miller attacks the false values of American society by using Willy Loman’s collapse. The play Death of a Salesman ultimately captures the audience’s attention not only because of its attack on social injustice but also because of its powerful portrayal of a timeless human dilemma. Miller’s play tells the story of a man who committed suicide and wants to justify his action. When he tries to fit the jagged pieces of his broken life, Willy Loman discovers that to relieve his guilt, he must face the consequences of past choices and question the values inherent in the life he has constructed for himself and his family. Willy’s struggle is finally what grips the play’s audiences around the world.
One can appreciate the intensity of Willy’s struggle only after isolating the things that Willy values. The reader can understand how the interrelationship of opposed loyalties and ideas in Willy’s mind motivates every aspect of