Death of a Salesman Essays

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller addresses a man 's suffering to accept the change of people and society surrounding him. Everything revolves around the main character 's, Willy Loman, actions during the last 24 hours of his life. The plays begin in the home of Willy Loman when he returns exhausted from his last sales trip. And it concludes with him suiciding, subsequent with a funeral. It is noticeable that Miller never mentions Willy 's sales product, perhaps, to characterize Willy to be anyone from the American society.

Death of a Salesman Analysis In the play by Arthur Miller, the main character Willy Loman is a man in his 60’s. He is dressed in a drab coloured, ill-fitting suit. Willy shows early signs of dementia, as he spends much of the play having flashbacks or incorporating the past into present day situations. Through this the viewer learns much about Willy and his past.

In Arthur Miller’s play “Death of a Salesman” (Miller, 1949) , with the idea of Willy Lonman and Biff Lonman’s relationship throughout the play, as well as Miller’s criticism of modern America in mind, I will critically discuss both points in detail in the essay that follows. Firstly, in the given statement, Biff calls himself “a dime a dozen” (Miller, 1949:98) and goes on to say “and so are you!” (Miller, 1949:98), including his father, Willy in his statement. What Biff says implies that both he and his father are just part of the masses, and are much like everyone else.

Death of A Salesman is a screenplay that is written by Arthur Miller that is centered around Willy Loman, our main protagonist who has many issues within his character. The play itself is not narrated by a narrator, but we are given stage directions to envision the scene with the extremely well written details that Arthur Miller has provided for us. This in turn also the readers to come up with very vivid imagery of what the settings, themes, and environments are in the play, as well as getting to know the characters. Willy is the main character in this storyline, heavily supported by his family who help shape and define his character, yet we soon find out that his social standing affects him as a whole.  

Everyone wants to live the American Dream, the ideals which means that if hard work is put into something, than there will be great success. In Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Willy, tries to live the American Dream but can 't achieve it. Throughout the play, music and theft are used as motifs to show the successes and failures of Willy. The flute is the first and last sound that is heard in the book. It 's used as a motif to connect Willy Loman 's vague memory of his father, a flute-maker and salesman.

Arthur Miller was born in nineteen fifteen and won various prices while he was studying at the university of Michigan until nineteen forty-seven. The major bounce of his career was when he composed his most famous play, Death of a Salesman, in nineteen forty-nine, that was described as the first great American tragedy. He was considered as the author that understood and transmitted to the population the essence of the United States. Indeed, his tragedy, in the tradition of Sophocles’ Oedipus Cycle, tackles the painful conflicts within a business-focused family trying to pursue the American dream and looking for success. The conflicts inside the Loman family could be transposed to larger concerns such as the integrity American national values, the faith in the American dream, and the notions of loyalty and abandonment.

Both Miller and O’Neill explore the changing values of American society as depicted through the attitudes towards the American Dream. Both the protagonists have different perspectives on the American Dream and so this reflects the change in values within American society. Loman is idealistic and enamoured with the American dream. Whereas Hans is an immigrant who is not as invested in the dream because his life is at a turning point and the dream is far too vulnerable, similarly to New York post 9/11, for him to depend on. As critic Barclay Bates states, “Death of a Salesman is about triumph of the present over the past” this is particularly prominent when Willy returns from his monotonous job as a salesman, he tells his wife, “I’m tired to death.

In the play “ Death of a Salesman” Willy Loman is a salesman who wishes for a better life for his family and himself. Willy Loman is obsessed with creating a better life; he believes he deserves more and that he has the recipe for success. Willy Loman 's obsession with the dream directly causes his failure in life, which, in turn, leads to his eventual death. Willy is an excellent representation of the failures of the American Dream. Some people have argued that, the American dream of "a better, richer, and happier life for all our citizens of every rank is “the greatest contribution we have made to the thought and welfare of the world.

This story takes place in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Boston, and Willy’s head around the 1940’s. The setting around them once use to be colorful natural beauty that covering the home of the Loman’s. Things have now changed and it is dark and gloomy. Where there was once sunlight, wonderful trees, and happiness is now filled with desire to escape this loom setting. Most of the events happen in the home of the Loman’s and the other scenes happen in the office and restaurant in Manhattan, and a hotel room in Boston.

Symbolism is a frequently used literary device that often creates foreshadowing and gives a deeper meaning to a work. In Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller uses many different examples of symbolism. It is possible for an object to symbolize multiple ideas. This often happens because different characters have different relationships with the object, and it therefore holds a different meaning for them. The stockings are a good example of this in Death of a Salesman.

Comparison Essay: Death of a Salesman Being opinionated and self-absorbed can alter your view on the world, and you might not realize the cruelty of the world, causing problems. In Arthur Miller’s, Death of a Salesman, Linda and Willy are both selfish, stubborn, and naïve which blinds them to see the world around them. Linda’s selfishness comes from her love for Willy and only wanting the best for Willy and herself. Therefore, when Biff talks to Linda about Willy, Linda feels pity for Willy because Biff is not “nice” to his father. According to Linda, “No [Biff] you can’t just come to see me, because I love him…

Tragedy can spread. In Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman is the protagonist, however he not the only person in the play who’s story ends tragically. His view on life spreads to those close to him. Primarily, Willy teaches it to his children who look up to him while his wife simply attaches herself to him, rooting for him in blind support while really she should be waking him up to the cold and dark reality that is their life. Throughout the play, the Loman family evolves differently.

Arthur Miller carves theme of loss in his play “The Death of a Salesman”. He achieves illustrating this theme through the characters in the Lowman family. Arthur Miller deliberately makes Willy Lowman a salesman. This career demonstrates to the reader that Willy possesses the character traits of a salesman. For instance, for a salesman to become successful, an abundance of sales.

Aristotle once said, “A tragedy is a representation of an action that is whole and complete and of a certain magnitude. A whole is what has a beginning middle and end.” There are five key parts of a tragedy. First, displays the happy times. Second, is an introduction to a problem.

In the novel “Death of a Salesman” by, Arthur Miller, the character of Willy Loman develops a grim understanding of the possibilities and shortcomings of the American dream. Frequently discussed in the book, is the aspirations for parents to set the bar higher for their children. Willy Loman, is the father in the book and is the sole provider for his wife and two children and carries the burden to remove his family from an oppressed working class. With this in mind, Miller's constructive perspective into an anti-capitalistic character Willy Loman who is despised by the majority of readers. He is a victim of groupthink.

In Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller utilizes the theme of betrayal as a way to draw a parallel to the downfall of how the Loman family perceives “The American Dream". Arthur Miller provides us with a clear analysis of how Betrayal has a domino effect throughout "Death of a Salesman". We are shown this theme by Willy Loman's betrayal to his wife. Just as Willy has betrayed his wife the American dream has betrayed Willy. With Biff learning of his father's betrayal, this leads him to think of his father differently.

Willy Loman’s decisions are responsible for his death in Death of a Salesman. For example, Willy’s tendency to blow his son’s football game out of proportion and brag about it gives a sense that he is self-centered. At the beginning of the play Willy states “The way Biff used to simonize that car? The dealer refused to believe there was eighty thousand miles on it” (8).

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.

Dictionary.com defines peer pressure as “social pressure by members of one 's peer group to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order to be accepted”. What many people do not experience is the same type of pressure, but within the family. Death of a Salesman is a prime example of a once happy family that turns into something sour. It is discussed multiple times, in the play, about family member’s futures in the business world. Biff, the son of Willy and Linda Loman, has the dream of working out on the farm.

In Arthur Miller’s Play, Death of a Salesman, through his character Linda Loman, the author implies that all people deserve respect no matter what. Is this true though do all people deserve respect? Whether they are good or bad do they get respect Miller states his thoughts “Linda- Either he’s your father and you pay him that respect, or else you’re not to come here” (39). Here, Miller suggested that even if you do not like someone they deserve respect such as biff hates Willy but Linda acknowledges the fact that everybody needs respect and scolds Biff much like society “scolds” someone for being disrespectful to a person.