The Requiem Scene in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

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The Requiem Scene in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

The death of Willy Loman was remembered by few. He was mourned not because of his tragic death but because of his despairing life. The Requiem scene in Death of a Salesman describes the ill-attended funeral of Willy, the tragic hero who struggled to fulfill his vision of the American Dream. This scene brings closure to the play because the audience realizes that only in death is Willy able to accept the failure and false success that has plagued him and his family for years. Resolution is brought to conflicts between Willy and his own disillusionment, Willy and his hopes for his boys, and Willy and the betrayal of his wife, Linda.

Willy rejected a life of opportunity and became a salesman because of the promise outlined by the American Dream. However, because of his inability to grasp reality, his life results in a succession of lies that unwind themselves into devastating consequences. Willy does not understand that life requires more than good looks and a likeable personality in order to be successful and it is this illusion that causes the lack of substance in his being. In the Requiem Biff states, “… the man didn’t know who he was.” (138) Here, Biff recognizes that Willy...

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...tly admits his failure in the chase for the American dream and confesses to the lies that have shaped his tragic life. The scene also brings closure to disagreements between Willy and his children as Biff and Happy are finally allowed to decide their own destiny. Lastly, Linda is free from the weight of constantly trying to comfort Willy and though she is deeply sorry for Willy’s death, she is able to live in peace. In some cases, such as Willy’s, resolve can only occur in death.

Work Cited

Miller, Arthur. "Death of a Salesman" in Literature, Reading, Reacting, Writing, Compact Fourth Edition. Harcourt, Inc. 2000.

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