Death Of A Salesman ~ Arthur Miller Act One 1. How does Arthur Miller

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Recommended: Who is Willy Loman in the drama Death of a Salesman

Death Of A Salesman ~ Arthur Miller Act One 1. How does Arthur Miller

first present Willy Loman to the audience?

Willy is first presented to the audience as an olden and exhausted

man; this is portrayed through the 'word sigh' described in the scene

description as he places his two large suitcases down. The audience

then hears of his traumatic and slow drive home as he realises his

daydreams are affecting his driving. Miller presents him here as not

only an olden and exhausted man but also a confused man as well:

Willy: "I'm tired to the death I could not make it. I just could not

make it, Linda."

Willy immediately prompts our compassion as the audience see him as

both mentally and physically exhausted.

2. How does Miller begin to present the relationship between Willy and

Biff?

The first indication, which the audience hear of Biff, is by one of

Willy's first lines:

Willy: "Did Biff say anything after I went this morning?"

This portrays his unease with the situation, which he left the house

in. We then discover the reason for this argument as Linda pronounces:

Linda: "You should not have criticized him, Willy, especially after

her just got off the train."

This criticism is further explained, as it appears that Willy is

somewhat disappointed in Biff and wants better for him. The audience

however soon become perplexed as Willy calls biff "a lazy bum" however

very soon after he changes his opinion totally by contradicting

himself as he says:

Willy: "There's one thing about Biff - he's not lazy."

Later Willy even says (about Biff)

Willy: "He could be big in no time."

It appears that the more Linda attempts to excuse Biff the angrier

Willy gets. It also is apparent that on reminiscing about a bad point

Willy switches his thoughts to his happier and relaxed past, this is

only however as he sees it and the audience get many impressions on

whether it is the entire truth or not. Miller is here presenting the

relationship between Biff and Willy to be a complex relationship,

which it appears, not even Willy himself understands.

3. How does Miller present Willy's two sons, Biff and Happy? What

contradictions and questions are raised in the minds of the audience

by this scene?

The first presentation made of Biff and Happy is their reaction

regarding their father's premature homecoming and strange behaviour as

Happy soon worries:

Biff: "Jesus, maybe he's smashed up the car again!

Throughout this scene in Biff and Happy's bedroom many contradictions

and questions are raised in the minds of the audience, the main

question asked refers back to the previous scene as the audience

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