Portrayal of Women in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

Portrayal of Women in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

Although Death of a Salesman is mainly about a salesman named Willy Loman, the almost hidden presence of the women in the novel goes all too often unnoticed. Linda Loman seems to be the glue that holds the Loman clan together, as Willy, Biff, and Happy are all deluded in one way or another. Arthur Miller depicts Willy's wife in a very specific way, and this is a very crucial part of the story. He depicts the other women in the story in ways that complement Linda's distinct nature. Although Linda's role as a woman in society is extremely limited, she is a heroic character, both wife and mother to some very sad and twisted characters.

Linda is technically the female lead in this play, but the roles of the other women are incredibly important in the development of Linda's character. "The Woman" (Willy's hotel room harlot), Miss Forsythe and Letta (Biff and Happy's restaurant girls), Jenny (Charley's secretary), the women that the brothers randomly discuss, and the voices of Howard's daughter and wife are all crucial presences. Willy...

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... Helene Wickham, ed. Twentieth Century Interpretations of Death of a Salesman. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice, 1983.

Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. Literature. Ed. Sylvan Bates New York: Longman, 1997.

Parker, Brian. "Point of View in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman." University of Toronto Quarterly 35 (1966): 144-47. Rpt. in Koon. 41-55

Stanton, Kay. "Women and the American Dream of Death of a Salesman." Feminist Readings of American Drama. Ed. Judith Schlueter. Rutherford, New Jersey: Fairleigh Dickinson UP, 1989. 67-102.