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Critical analysis of the death of a salesman
Critical analysis of the death of a salesman
Death of a salesman analysis essay
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Death of a Salesman Within the drama, Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, the Lowman family is presented within the post war economy trying to achieve the American Dream. The father, Willy Lowman, represents a well-off salesman that demonstrates a persistent husband and father figure throughout the late 1940s and early 1950’s. Throughout this piece, Willy desires for his two sons, Biff and Happy, to follow in his footsteps as a salesman and to represent themselves throughout the economic decline. Throughout the storyline, Miller demonstrates the theme of success and failure, the representation of a tragic hero and the symbolism of seeds. Throughout the plot of Death of a Salesman, Willy Lowman believes in chasing the American Dream of wealth and fortune. Symbolized within the storyline, Willy has many visions that relate to his brother and father that represents success and failure. Ben, Willy’s brother, often appears within Willy’s daydreams wearing a white …show more content…
Symbolized within the writing and drama is a representation of a seed that shows growth and development. Through analyzing the writing, growth can be best seen through Biffs character. As seen within the opening acts, Biffs character is very resilient towards his father due to the thought of being a salesman is pressed upon him. As the story progresses and Biff sees his fathers condition, he tries to show his love for his father while also learning to become himself rather than what others want or see him as. Within the article by Richard Martin, is expressed that “Biff, unlike Willy, gradually learns to be himself, instead of staying on as a compulsive victim” (Martin). Just as a seed germinates and grows, the same process can be shown among Biff as he shows love upon his father in which helps Willy regain faith in himself and among his
The play, “Death of a Salesman” written by Arthur Miller, presents Willy Loman, as a salesman, who fails to earn a living and slowly loses his mind. Willy continuously seeks the past to find out where he went wrong. During his years in life, Willy wanted his two sons, Biff and Happy to become someone they’re not; Willy wanted them to become a salesman like him. However, because of his obsession in the American Dream of easy success and wealth, he created a life full of lies for himself and his sons. In the end because of “his misconception of himself as someone capable of greatness” leads to his downfall and the end of his life (Death of a Salesman).”
Biff loses respect for his father and soon realizes what lie he has been living. Willy is in denial about his involvement with Biff’s failure in life, and when he is confronted about it by Bernard asking, “What happened in Boston, Willy? (141), Willy quickly becomes defensive, saying, “What are you trying to do, blame it on me? Don’t talk to me that way!” (141). After finding out about Biff’s reaction of burning his favorite University of Virginia shoes that symbolize Biff’s hopes and dreams for the future, Willy realizes what impact the affair had on his son. Willy’s lack of acceptance of reality affects his relationship because he never owned up or admitted he had an affair. This weighs heavy on Willy because the hate from his son will always be there. Biff loses all respect for his father and sees not only a failed business man, but in general a failed man. Throughout it all, Willy’s wife still remains supportive of him and constantly reminds him of her love for him. Despite this, Willy still yearns to have what he does not and pursues “the other woman.” It is bright as day that Willy finds some sort of comfort and validation for his affair with a woman who makes him feel wanted, yet his wife does the same thing. This guilt is always carried around with Willy which is just another contributor to the death of Willy
Porter, Thomas E. “Willy Loman and the American Dream.” Readings on Death of a Salesman. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1999.
Like countless characters in a play, Willy struggles to find who he is. Willy’s expectations for his sons and The Woman become too high for him to handle. Under the pressure to succeed in business, the appearance of things is always more important than the reality, including Willy’s death. The internal and external conflicts aid in developing the character Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman.
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller concerns itself with the fall of a simple man perpetually in a steadfast state regarding his own failure in a success-driven society. The protagonist of the play, Willy Loman, will follow a tragic trajectory that will eventually lead to his suicide. Arthur Miller's tragic play is an accurate portrayal of the typical American myth that sustains an extreme craving for success and a belief in the illusion of the American dream, a dream attainable only by a handful of people. Having chosen a career in sales Willy Loman constantly aspires to become 'great'. Nevertheless, Willy is a poor aging salesman that considers himself to be a failure when comparing himself to his successful father and brother, but he is incapable of consciously admitting it. Consequently, Willy will measure his level of success with the level of success attained by his offspring, particularly his eldest son Biff. Their difficult relationship contribute to the play's main plot. Willy unfolds his deluded perception and recollection of the events as the audience gradually witnesses the tragic downfall of a man shadowed by a mental illness that has already began to take it's toll on his mind and personality.
Although the characters are not of noble birth nor possess a heroic nature nor experience a reversal of fortune, many of the elements in "Death of A Salesman" fulfill the criteria of a classic tragedy. The downfall and crisis points in the play are directly linked to the Loman family's combined harmartias, or personal flaws. The Loman's have unrealistic ideas regarding the meaning of success. To Willy, the foundation of success is not education or hard work, but rather "who you know and the smile on your face." Moreover, Willy ridicules the education Bernard has earned, declaring that his sons, Biff and Hap, will get further ahead in the business world because "the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked, and you will never want." Willy idolizes two men: his brother, Ben, who walked out of an African jungle a rich man, and an 84-year-old salesman who could "pick a phone in twenty or thirty cities and be remembered and loved, and finally honored by hundred of mourners at his funeral." To Linda, success is paying off a 25...
Willy didn’t care if Biff did well in school; he just wanted him to be a popular football player because he thought that would bring him success in the future. Biff eventually fails math, which leads to his career in football to be over. Seeds are representing growth/potential but also failure. “Nothing’s planted. I don’t have a thing in the ground” (Miller). He wanted to leave something behind that would hopefully grow and prosper. Willy worked his whole life for nothing, he never attained the success and popularity he wanted and neither of Willy’s sons followed the path he wished they did. Biff did not become what Willy wanted him to; instead he hoped to have almost the exact opposite of what his dad wanted. Biff does not agree with his dad’s version of the American Dream.
Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman is wrought with symbolism from the opening scene. Many symbols illustrate the themes of success and failure. They include the apartment buildings, the rubber hose, Willy’s brother Ben, the tape recorder, and the seeds for the garden. These symbols represent Willy’s attempts to be successful and his impending failure.
In the Death of a Salesman, the man who wrote this play, Arthur Miller, challenges the idea of a modern American Dream, and how Willy Loman, the main character, is the perfect candidate for this day’s Tragic Hero. A Tragic Hero, originally defined by Aristotle, must be centered around five main characteristics: hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis, hubris, and the character's fate must be greater than deserved. After a life of pursuing a successful-enough salesman career, Willy finds himself in a new world: the modern day. Now, jobs are looking for people with degrees behind their name, and Willy has nothing to show for himself, unacceptingly. Another splinter in Willy’s leg is Willy struggles to keep a job at his old age, and his sons aren’t
Failure of the American Dream in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman is a story about the dark side of the "American Dream. " Willy Loman's obsession with the dream directly causes his failure in life, which, in turn, leads to his eventual suicide. The pursuit of the dream also destroys the lives of Willy's family, as well. Through the Lomans, Arthur Miller attempts to create a typical American family of the time, and, in doing so, the reader can relate to the crises that the family is faced with and realize that everyone has problems.
Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman follows protagonist Willy Loman in his search to better his and his family’s lives. Throughout Willy Loman’s career, his mind starts to wear down, causing predicaments between his wife, two sons and close friends. Willy’s descent into insanity is slowly but surely is taking its toll on him, his job and his family. They cannot understand why the man they have trusted for support all these years is suddenly losing his mind. Along with his slope into insanity, Willy’s actions become more aggressive and odd as the play goes on. Despite Willy and Biff’s “family feud”, his two sons Happy and Biff truly worry about their father’s transformation, Happy saying: “He just wants you to make good, that’s all. I wanted to talk to you about dad for a long time, Biff. Something’s – happening to him. He – talks to himself” (Miller 21). Willy, as a father, cares about his children but he wishes they would do better. He believes Biff should have been an athlete. According to Harrington, “Even figuratively, Willy is haunted, and particularly in Biff’s failure to achieve success as a sports figure” (108). This haunting is part of what led to Willy’s slow plunge into madness. As Willy’s career in sales fails, he also fails, even failing his family. Heyen adds: “He didn’t have anything of real value to give to his family, or if he did, he didn’t know what it was” (48). His debilitating flashbacks and delusional hallucinations with Uncle Ben cement his horrifying realizations that he has let down his family. Willy Loman blames the economy for his downfall in his career. In one of his more extreme outbursts he exclaims, “There’s more people! That’s what’s ruining this country! Population is getting out of control. ...
In brief, it is apparent that Willy’s own actions led to not only his own demise, but his children’s as well. The salesman tragically misinterpreted the American Dream for only the superficial qualities of beauty, likeability and prosperity. Perhaps if Willy had been more focused on the truth of a person’s character, rather than purely physical aspects, his family’s struggles and his own suicide could have been avoided. On the whole, Arthur Miller’s play is evidence that the search for any dream or goal is not as easy and the end result may seem. The only way to realize the objective without any despair is the opposite of Willy Loman’s methods: genuineness, perseverance and humility.
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman was written in 1949 just after WWII ended. The country was on the brink of the emergence of the financial success of capitalism. Willy Loman, the main character believes if he worked the concept of the American Dream, that he would reap the benefits of its success. However the fulfillment never happens to him the way he envisions it would. The story begins at the end of Willy’s sales career. He is a salesman who is no longer making any sales, and is wearing desperation like a badge causing others to slight and disrespect him. This is in sharp contrast to the prosperity indicated in the America media at the time. It is post WWII and America has to uphold her status as a world power in a cold war conflict with Russia. Therefore, the demand for weapons and better technology developed during this time helps to sustain the growth of the economy. In addition, families are growing and the baby boomer era is ushered in creating an increased demand for products and housing. Although some families were prospering in their corporate jobs, not all Americans were as fortunate. The Loman family feel in this category.
Yet, Willy still has hope, and wishes to leave some form of support behind for his family as illustrated in his planting of the seeds. Willy feels that he must leave something behind for Biff. In Willy's imaginary world, he wants Biff to be magnificent and he symbolically plants seeds in his garden. In spite of such an action, he is doomed to fail. Willy starts planting the seeds at night, but at night there is no sun shining and this seems very odd as seeds require light to grow.
The American dream today is based on the fact that anyone living in America can achieve a perfect life if they work hard. Willy Loman, the father in the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, tries his hardest to reach the American dream as he grows up. The Loman’s life from beginning to end is a troubling story based on trying to become successful, or at least happy. Throughout their lives they encounter many problems causing Willy to have a tragic death due to the desire of succession. Willy wants to provide his wife Linda, and two sons Biff and Happy, the perfect life. Willy strives for the American dream throughout the entire play, yet never achieves what he hopes because there are too many problems standing in his way.