ipl-logo

The Flaws Of Willy Loman In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

1061 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Briefly comment on the character of willy loman

Death of a Salesman Free Response Essay Throughout the play Death of a Salesman, author Arthur Miller discusses the flaws of Willy Loman and the extent to which they bring about his own suffering and the suffering of others. As a tragic hero in the 1940’s, Willy exemplifies a typical man trying to achieve the very unrealistic American Dream. This dream not only solidified his fate but also threatened the success of every member in his household. Willy Loman first encounters the American Dream after his uncle Ben shares his successes and priorities with him, which in turn, become the basis of Willy’s dreams as well. His uncle is very vague about the details of his success which makes the audience wonder whether or not this dream is actually attainable. When Willy was just a kid, his Uncle Ben told him, “Why, when I was seventeen I walked …show more content…

And by God I was rich”(Act I). Despite the little information his uncle shared with him, Willy admires Ben’s story and decides to dedicate his life to being well-liked and successful like him. As a salesman man, Willy needs to be popular in order to have the most success. Ironically, Willy Loman is not a hard character to hate and he has such little success with his job, that he eventually gets fired. Back in the 40’s, men were considered the head of the household–they made the money while their wives kept busy at home. Because Willy no longer has a job, he is unable to support his family the way that he is supposed to, which negatively affects his relationship with his wife Linda, and their two

Show More
Related

Death Of A Salesman Literary Lens Essay

963 Words | 4 Pages

Willy Loman was a troubled man who didn't have respect for his wife and degraded his children every chance he got when it came to their failures, especially with his son Biff. He only cared about achieving the American dream which he did not succeed because of all his problems that stood in his way. His constant obsession with achieving the American dream only made his family distance themselves from him more only due to the fact that he believed that achieving this would lead him to happiness and success. This also leads to the other major theme which is resilience. Willy came from a poor socioeconomic background and he is making all the efforts to pull himself out of his current situation through whatever he can do in hopes for something better that will make him feel like he's achieved his

Read More

Pride In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

535 Words | 3 Pages

He wanted to be successful so badly, that when he doesn’t get it, he doesn’t know what to do with himself. When Willy was younger, he had great connections in the areas he would sell. The people respected him and he took great pride in the fact that his name held value with those people. However, as he aged, so did the people he used to sell to. When he isn’t able to make the amount of sales he used to, he doesn’t know

Read More

Death Of A Salesman Dementia Analysis

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.

Read More

Happiness In Willy Loman's Death Of A Salesman

1008 Words | 5 Pages

Willy always found his dreams in someone else which is why his happiness never came. At first it was his father then it was his brother Ben, and then it was famous sales man Dave Singleman. He looked for others inside of himself which led to him not being satisfied. Dreams can not be rented or borrowed. Willy never realized this and in turn it caused his mental health to deteriorate even more than it already had.

Read More

Flaw In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

1082 Words | 5 Pages

Zeb 1 Adam Zeb Hajra Naeem English February 8, 2016 “Death of A Salesman” In the play “Death of a Salesman” written by Arthur Miller, the character Willy Loman has flaws in his character that make him responsible for his own misfortune. Willy fails to realize his personal failure and betrayal of his soul and family through the meticulously constructed deception of his life.

Read More

Success In Willy Loman's Death Of A Salesman

1009 Words | 5 Pages

Willy Loman was only liked, but he completely aspired and hoped to be well-liked within his community and workforce of salesmen. No one cared enough, outside of his family, to show Willy that he could have been well-liked. This definition of success did help lead Willy to death. Willy often felt that he lacked something in his life. He said: “WILLY: The man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead.

Read More

Cruelty In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

496 Words | 2 Pages

This idea of the husband being in charge could show that Willy is trying to keep with the social norms. Also, with him losing his job, he wouldn’t be able to provide for himself and Linda without asking for handouts from someone. One form of Willy’s cruelty towards

Read More

Adjectives In The Death Of A Salesman

991 Words | 4 Pages

The salesman Willy Loman, a major character and one of the main characters of the play is both the protagonist and the antagonist of the story. During the story, Willy is unsuccessful of achieving self-realization. He understand what his job (which is a major element of the play) calls for and what it requires of him, but he is incapable of realizing that he is unable to live up to and prevail with what is required of him, ultimately leading him to being unsuccessful at his job of being a salesman. Willy’s brother Ben, on the other hand, prior to his death was rich and successful due to accidentally stumbling upon a diamond during his travels to Alaska (which is where their father left to abandoning ben and Willy); on his way there he got lost at and ended up in Africa,

Read More

The Fall Of Willy Loman In The Death Of A Salesman

966 Words | 4 Pages

As the old saying goes, not all heroes wear capes. This is especially true for Willy Loman in the Death of a Salesman. Death of a Salesman is a rather tragic tale depicting the fall of Willy Loman and, to some degree, the fall of his son Biff Loman. There are two ways in which one could interpret Death of a Salesman, with Willy as the protagonist, or with Biff as the protagonist. Either way, the story is not made a tragedy by its plot, but rather, it is made a tragedy by its characters.

Read More

Tragic Hero In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

930 Words | 4 Pages

Miller depicts Willy as a tragic character in his willingness to preserve his dignity. Additionally, Willy’s dignity is tainted in the story because of his flawed philosophy of the American Dream. This along with unjust comparisons leads to Willy’s death. Based on how Willy Loman evaluates himself unjustly, he is a tragic hero because he must do anything to preserve his dignity, and his false impression of the American Dream, which leads to his downfall.

Read More

Death Of A Salesman Character Analysis

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.

Read More

Willy Loman's American Dream In Death Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller

850 Words | 4 Pages

Willy’s American Dream The tragic play of Death of a salesman by Arthur Miller tells a story about an old man of 84 years old named Willy. Willy was captured by the American dream. He believed that hard work and ambitions could take him to a life of fame and popularity like the american dream was supposed to be. In Death of a salesman, the american dream reveals disappointment, failure and loss of hope. Thus showing that the american dream is not a great dream after all.

Read More

Death Of A Salesman Act 2 Summary

446 Words | 2 Pages

Willy is salesman, who returns early from a business trip. After almost collapsing several times, he is enlightened and realized that he should perhaps change his job to once in which he will not be required to travel. Linda, his wife, also realizes that her husband is no longer suitable for his job as a traveling salesman; thus, she suggests that he requests that his manager, Howard, gives him a local job at the New York headquarters. Willy believes this should be possible because of his contribution throughout the years as a respected salesman. On the night, Willy decides to

Read More

Analysis Of Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

1581 Words | 7 Pages

In his seminal work, Death of A Salesman, Arthur Miller portrays wretched conditions inflicting the lives of lower class people amid class-struggle in 1940s America. Miller sets the story during the great financial depression in the US , in between times after World War I and around World War II, though his characters hardly speak about the trauma of two World Wars. Miller earns an enormous success by putting an ordinary salesman as the protagonist in his play instead of putting a man of social nobility. In the play, Miller depicts his central character, Willy Loman as a destitute salesman struggling to rise up the social ladder in a capitalist society, who remains deluded by a 'dream of success ' and takes on a relentless pursuit of happiness that eventually brings his tragic demise. Though some critics speak in favor of the popular account of the cause of his death being his excessive obsession with so called the American dream and the 'capitalist oppression ' ; however, many still refuse to ascribe the cause of his death to capitalist oppression, which I will use synonymously with American dream here.

Read More

Arthur Miller's Definition Of A Modern Tragic Hero

499 Words | 2 Pages

He has a Job, two kids, and a wife. Willy is a salesman who dreams to be like his role model, Dave Singleman. Singleman - in Willy perspective- had the ultimate successful life, as expressed in this quote: "Cause what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four, into twenty or thirty different cities, and pick up a phone, and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people?" [Act 2] Willy believed that success, was equivalent to how well liked he was. Willy's 'flaw' was his foolish pride, his persistence of achieving "his rightful status".

Read More

More about The Flaws Of Willy Loman In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

Open Document