Death Of A Salesman Essay Outline

671 Words2 Pages

http://www.biography.com/people/arthur-miller-9408335#awesm=~oErg8SN49Mb56o

Era

I.Author

A.Arthur Miller

1.Early Life

a.Born in Harlem, New York on October 17, 1915

b.University of Michigan

c.wrote prolifically through college and young adulthood

2.Achievements

a.Won a Tony for All my Sons

b.Death of a Salesman wins Pulitzer, Tony, and New York Drama Critics' Circle Award

c.Death of a Salesman instant hit and Arthur Miller a famous playwright

3.Personal Life

B.Was married to Mary Slattery, Marilyn Monroe, and Inge Morath

a.Situation with HUAC because of The Crucible’s allegory to McCarthyism

b.Two children with Morath, boy was estranged because of Down Syndrome

c.Died on February 10, 2005 (56th anniversary of Broadway debut of Death of a Salesman)

II.Book

A.Achievements

1.Published and performed 1949

2.Pulitzer Prize in 1949, Tony and NY Drama Critics Circle Award

B.New Tragedy

1.Differs from traditional Shakespearean tragedy

2.Common man just as liable to tragic events

3.Hamartia (fatal flaw): lying/ deceit, illusionment

C.Techniques

1.Flashbacks

2.Within 48 hours

3.Visions

4.Symbols

5.Confusion with order of events

6.Parallel characters and

a.Charlie and Willy

b.Biff and Bernard

7.Places and travelling

a.Ben in Africa justified as reason for suicide

b.Biff happiest when travelling

c.Went to Africa when in search of Alaska

D.Symbols

1.Seeds: hope or dreams

a.no sun and poor soil

b.obsessively tries to plant

2.Diamonds: riches or the American Dream

a.Ben’s story and riches seem unlikely and unattainable

b.“the jungle is dark but there are riches”

3.Stockings: infidelity

a.Foreshadows discovery of the woman

4.Rubber hose and car: suic...

... middle of paper ...

....Biff and Happy as teens

d.like beloved- circling around why Biff and Willy are estranged

Characters

II.Willy Loman

A.Father

1.Own father abandoned him

2.Is the father of Biff and Happy

3.Unsatisfied with his sons

4.Young Biff and Happy idolized him

B.Salesman

1.Has become unsuccessful

2.Father sold flutes

3.Saw how successful salesman was loved

C.Illusions

1.Willy refuses to see reality

a.Sons will strike it rich

b.Ben is dead

2.Illusions harm him and people around him

a.Linda and his sons

b.Willy himself is disappointed

D.Proud

1.Refuses help from Charley

2.Doesn’t want Biff to see him with the Woman

I.Biff Loman

A.Son of Willy

1.Strained relationship

2.Doesn’t want to be a salesman

B.Magnetic

1.Kids like him

2.Great football player

3.Lots of charm

C.Future fell apart

1.Saw Willy with the Woman

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