Willy Loman Died a Coward in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

Willy Loman Died a Coward in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

"In his early sixties he knows his business as well as he ever did. But the unsubstantial things have become decisive; the spring has gone from his step, the smile from his face and the heartiness from his personality. He is through. The phantom of his life has caught up with him. As literally as Mr. Miller can say it, dust turns to dust. Suddenly, there is nothing" (Internet 1). The New York Times has expressed the tragedy in the ‘Death of a Salesman’ with no inaccuracy. The phantom of his life has been the American Dream that he has longed for and has not successfully achieved. Willy has terminated his life as an act of cowardice because of the failure of his career, the inaccuracy of raising his two sons, and neglecting Linda, the wife, that has devoted her life and support to her unfaithful husband.

Willy Loman had always been a confident man for succeeding in his career. The business man, Mr. Loman, was so confident, that he explained to his sons that "they know me up and down New England," trying to prove his prevalence in the business world (Miller 1223). He had convinced himself of these lies that he had told his family for years and years. He could never admit that he was not a good salesman. So convinced, Mr. Loman was sure that he could advance in his profession and cease traveling to proceed business close to his home. When his dream ended worse than expected, Willy Loman felt that he was a man of absolute failure. Not only were Willy’s failures in his work place adding up, but the management of his household was placing a burden upon him too. Willy always had to pay for repairs, such as the mortgage, the insurance, and other bills. The emb...

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...onfused and disturbed individual. His incompetence wore on him so much that he suffered from delusions. He believed that there was no end when he had failed his career, sons, and his wife. He had convinced himself that his suicide was an act of love for his family but this was another selfish act of cowardice. "His selfishness and lack of moral character was a flaw that he saw in himself and was more than he could bear to live with" ( Internet 3). Therefore, he died a coward by trying to escape the realities and problems in his life. Finally, "Dust returns to dust. Suddenly, there is nothing" (Internet 1).

Works Cited

Miller, Arthur. "Death of a Salesman." Discovering Literature: Stories, Poems, Plays, Ed. Hans P. Guth

And Gabriele L. Rico. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997. 1211-1281.

The New York Times. Feb.11 1949. Death of a Salesman.