Unacknowledged Mastery In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

An Unacknowledged Mastery

Introduction:

Arthur Miller’s, Death of a Salesman is undeniably a masculine focused play as it reveals a man’s struggle to achieve success. However, through careful examination, many literary scholars have found it to be the women in these men’s lives that have the most impact on their accomplishments. As exemplified through the male and female relationships in Death of a Salesman, man’s success is heavily influenced by a women's indirect authority.

First Para:

Correspondingly, the potential success of Willy Loman is extinguished by the convincing words of his wife Linda. In one of Willy’s many flashbacks, reference is made to Willy’s brother, Ben asking Willy to join him in Alaska and develop a business together. Ben enthusiastically tells his brother that he “could walk out rich” and be a successful

man (Miller, 66).

Linda’s strongest objection is “why must everybody conquer the world?” as she sees no value in “cut-throat competition”(Stanton). Linda also heightens his ego by telling him he is “doing well enough” and is “well liked” (Miller, 65). Above all, her strongest “supporting points are Willy’s own statements about his career fed back to him” (Stanton). Although Willy finds the offer tempting, he refuses the offer after Linda makes reference to Dave Singleman, who Willy idolizes. Dave Singleman, without ever leaving his hotel room, conducted a successful sales career and Willy strongly believes in his method. Linda indirectly takes advantage of Willy’s unworthy assurance in Singleman. When Willy developed the idea that he would never retire he assumed he didn’t have to worry about the future therefore, there would be no reason to go to Alaska. Linda presumed that by

mentioning Singleman, she could persuade him in his choices to ones that would work for her. For that reason, Linda is “held responsible for Willy’s rejection of Ben’s proposition to go with him to Alaska”(Stanton). Although this may be true, Willy is made to think that it was his decision not to join his brother in Alaska but truly he is indirectly controlled by Linda’s minute but influential input. Without damaging Willy’s masculinity by making decisions for him, Linda carefully obtains her desires.
Second Para:
Furthermore presented in the play is a women’s crucial role in a male lead business world. Knowing that his father will not be able to help him, Biff decides to go to his former boss, Bill Oliver. While waiting for six hours Biff he even, “tried to date his secretary so she’d get [Biff] to him...” (Miller, 81). Though it may seem strictly male to male business, Biff “must test himself by making an important impression on the female secretary-receptionist before meeting with the male decision-maker” (Stanton). The secretary both figuratively and literally opens the door to Biff’s opportunity of success. Not only is she a passage to success, she holds his reputation with his father due to the fact that Willy is counting on his son to get a loan from Bill Oliver and prosper. At any moment Bill Oliver’s secretary could tell him to leave or call security ruining Biff’s potential chance at a new life. Essentially the secretaries unrecognized job is “screening out lesser men” and this is shown through womans “function as access givers” (Stanton). The female provides access to the patriarchal male authority.
Third Para:
Not only do the women in the play provide a doorway to success they also have the power to disrupt male relationships. When Biff unsuspectingly comes to visit his father in Boston he discovers a woman laughing in the bathroom. Willy’s mistress decided to reveal his dirty secret by making herself known. Willy realizes that the affair could break his reputation and he angrily shouts “Get out of here! Go back, go back...”(Miller, 93). Willy becomes worried and distressed all because of his mistresses unexpected entry. Biff releases his anger towards his father and calls him a “phony little fake” (Miller, 95). The woman becomes the means of “destroying the masculine mythos” by coming out of the bathroom (Stanton).Though the mistress could not see the succeeding estrangement of the two men she created a divide so extensive that their relationship and trust was ruined forever. She also ruined Biff as he lost his pride, will power, and the drive to succeed all in one day. The scene is set up to protect the males and to put the blame entirely on the mistress. The audience might believe “If only she had kept her mouth shut! If only she had stayed in the bathroom where she belonged!” then the relationship would not be ruined. What is not praised in this powerful moment is the dominance that the women has over Willy as she could expose him at any given moment. Many would perceive that Willy was in control of the situation and his position when really he is not, the women is. She has a very noteworthy presence as she affects the action and the development of other characters.
Fourth Para:
During a very crucial dinner between Willy and his sons, it is further exemplified that women have an influential role in male relationships. Miss Forsythe and Letta are two women at the restaurant who unintentionally take the boys out of the restaurant and leave Willy. When Willy realizes that his boys left he is “so humiliated he nearly limped when he came in” his house (Miller, 98). These women have the power to divide men and ruin their potential at a successful relationship with their father. In a way, women in this play are all “like Eve who tempted Adam to commit sin and caused his downfall” (Emami). Just the fact that they are women draws the boys in and tempts them. As indicated, Biff already has self- esteem complications from the mistress and his father’s affair and this pollutes his perception of women. His brother Happy imagine’s women as being someone attractive on the outside without him actually taking the time to get to know the real person behind their fantasy. This causes him to be enchanted by the women and become almost under the spell of them. Again without intention, the purloining of the boys has caused Willy to become more depressed than he already was by once again damaging his relationship with Biff.
Conclusion:
Ordinarily Death of a Salesman is considered to be a male- oriented play in reference to the main plot points. Despite this, Miller carefully places a women's indirect authority in the middle of a man’s achievement and success. It is demonstrated multiple times that women have the power to influence a man's decisions and paradoxically have the ability to withdraw their success and power.