Death of a Salesman

Death of a Salesman is an iconic play by Arthur Miller, first performed in 1949. The story follows the life and death of Willy Loman, a traveling salesman who desperately seeks to achieve success but ultimately finds himself struggling with his own reality. Through Willy's journey, Miller conveys themes such as the pursuit of the American Dream and its subsequent failure due to materialism and capitalism.


The tragedy lies in Willy's inability to recognize that he has been living an illusion for most of his life, pursuing wealth over happiness despite all evidence indicating otherwise. This illustrates how pervasive societal expectations are at influencing one's personal goals while also demonstrating how these same expectations can lead individuals astray if they forget their true purpose in life.


In terms of literary elements, Death of a Salesman uses several techniques throughout its narrative structure to further emphasize its messages about society's influence on individual aspirations and desires. For example, flashbacks are used as devices to show both past moments from Willy's childhood and more recent events, which help contextualize why he behaves in certain ways or makes decisions based on false beliefs about what will make him successful or happy. Additionally, there is heavy use of symbolism throughout, which helps create visual metaphors for key ideas such as family relationships (the broken rubber band), ambition (the seeds), identity (Linda's stockings), etc., each contributing towards creating deeper layers for readers' or viewers interpretive processes when engaging with this work.


Miller wrote Death of a Salesman in post-WWII America—a time when people were bombarded with images promoting consumer culture, coupled with intense pressure regarding achieving success through conventional means like money and power—making it still relevant today due to ongoing debates around issues related to economic inequality between different social classes, among other topics closely associated with this piece of literature. Ultimately, it serves as an important reminder to not only think critically before giving in to external pressures but also to remain conscious of our own intrinsic values, which guide us forward through every stage of life, no matter whether we succeed or fail according to them.