Analysis of ?Death of a Salesman?
The tragedy of a family
The play ?Death of a Salesman? was written by Arthur Miller in 1949. He was born on October 17, 1915 in New York City. Most of Miller?s works emphasizes the common man struggling through the misconceptions and false illusions that modern society imposes. In the case of ?Death of a Salesman?, Miller uses social realism, which is the attempt to describe human behavior and surroundings or to represent figures and objects exactly as they act or appear in life (Encarta 1). The main themes of this play are the idea of the American dream and what it takes to success, the struggle to distinguish between reality and illusion, and the emotional problems of the family.
?Death of a Salesman? is the story of the Loman family, especially Willy, trying to accomplish the American dream, but with no success. Willy Loman is married to Linda, and his two sons are Biff and Happy. Other characters as Ben, Charley, Bernard, and the women in the hotel play a major role in Willy?s downfall through the story. Willy has always wanted to be successful and well-liked among people, but he has not accomplished anything. Miller presents a common man, Willy, as the tragic character of the play. In an article Miller states, ?I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing ? his sense of personal dignity? (Miller, 1). In this article Miller clearly conveys that a person will sacrifice anything, even his or her own life, to protect his or her dignity. In ?Death of a Salesman? Willy is willing to sacrifice anything to accomplish his dreams of being successful and known as a powerful salesman.
The play starts with Willy returning home from a sales trip. He is getting old and tired of traveling long distances. His two sons, Biff and Happy, are visiting the family. Willy tells Linda he does not know why Biff is lost, without a job, and no money. Willy expects his two sons, especially Biff, to become successful, but he has not realized that even his two sons are incapable of succeed. Willy has immersed himself into a world of illusions. He is always tormented with the hopes and dreams he had years ago. Throughout the play Willy has flashbacks of his life, which are somehow related to the present events. Biff and Happy discuss in their bedroom about how Willy is becoming senile in his old age. Willy is in the kitchen remembering how Biff used to be popular in high school and the superstar of the football team.
Willy has the wrong ideas about life. He believes that all it takes to be successful in life is to be well liked. He tells his sons, ?Be liked and you will never want. You take me, for instance. I never have to wait in line to see a buyer. ?Willy Loman is here!? That?s all they have to know, and I go through? (DiYanni, 1142). In a sense, Willy is lying to his sons and to himself. He thinks he is well-liked, but in reality he is not. Another influence in Willy?s downfall through the play is the presence of his brother Ben in his dreams. Ben tells Willy that he became rich when he went to Africa and found a mine of diamonds. One might think Ben is not real, yet to Willy, Ben is very real. Ben is another driving force behind Willy?s idea of success. As the play continuous, Willy becomes more involved in his dreams. He also remembered when Biff caught him with another women in a hotel during a business trip. Although Biff does not like what his father did, he feels sorry for him.
Willy lives a life filled with false hopes. Biff and Happy tell him that they are going to talk with Bill Oliver, Biff?s previous employer, to start a sporting good business. The next day, the Loman Family goes to the Frank?s Chop House where Biff and Happy invited Willy and Linda. In the restaurant Willy finds out that his two sons did not talk to Bill about the new business and when Willy goes to the bathroom Biff and Happy leave the restaurant with a couple of women. After returning home, Willy is upset and ready to commit suicide. He wants to plan something in the garden before he dies. Willy also thinks that by committing suicide he will help Biff with the twenty thousand he will get. At the end, Willy eventually killed himself leaving behind a tragic life and a family immersed in a world of illusions with no hopes.
Bibliography
Work Cited
DiYanni, Robert. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Compact Edition. McGraw Hill, 2000. 395-530.
Microsoft? Encarta? Online Encyclopedia 2000. ?Miller, Arthur,” ? 1997-2000 Microsoft Corporation. 12/03/2000.
Miller, Arthur. ?Tragedy and the Common Man?. 12/03/2000.
Другие работы по теме:
Beowulf And Irony Essay Research Paper OConnor
Beowulf And Irony Essay, Research Paper O?Connor uses irony in ?Good Country People? to give the reader a better sense of what she is trying to communicate to the reader, and show the meaning
Sonnet About Death Essay Research Paper Death
Sonnet About Death Essay, Research Paper Death is full of sorrow and surprise Sooner or later it comes at anytime. Even though I do not remember my demise In my hearts I still remember my greatest crime.
Fences
& Death Of A Salesman Essay, Research Paper The role of money in people’s day-to-day lives is quite amazing when it’s put into perspective. The primary reason most Americans get up in the morning is so they can go out and make money. Money buys things; money influences people; money keeps us alive; money makes us happy, or at least people think so.
Capital Punishment Essay Research Paper I am
Capital Punishment Essay, Research Paper I am all for Capital Punishment. I think that if you kill someone you should be given the death penalty. I think that the death of the killer would give family and friends a bit of ease
Death Of A Sales Man Essay Research
Paper Death of a Salesman Some nights you see a star in the sky or just have that feeling that what you wish will come true and all your wildest dreams will become reality. For Willy Loman that was everyday. He would always make his dreams seem like reality and thought that what he was saying was right and everybody around him was wrong.
True West And Death Of A Salesman
Compared Essay, Research Paper Death of a Salesman and True West can be compared in terms of their visions of the American dream. Both of these plays focus on characters that spend their lives pursuing this dream and fail at happiness as a result.
Comparing
“The Glass Meangerie”, “Death Of A Salesman” And “A Raisin In The Sun” Essay, Research Paper In the stories, ?The Glass Menagerie?, ?Death of A Salesman?, and ?Raisin in the Sun?, there are many things in common. The most common thing in all of them I felt was how all the families all had ?American? problems. In ?The Glass Menagerie?, the ?American? problem was a family dealing with an ill member.
Death Essay Research Paper Why must there
Death Essay, Research Paper Why must there be death? Death is sad. So why must we bare sadness? Because nobody can stop death. Why do people die? Why must our loved ones die?
The American Dream Concept In The Death
Of A Salesman Compared To The Great Gatsby Essay, Research Paper The American Dream is a theme that many books attempt to touch on, yet few are truly able to examine or explain it. Both Arthur Miller s play, Death of a Salesman and F. Scott Fitzgerald s novel The Great Gatsby are prime examples of these types of talented stories.
A Salesmans Death Essay Research Paper An
A Salesmans Death Essay, Research Paper An Analysis of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman When people accept an ideal to live by it can be a glorious and noble thing unless they become so obsessed with the ideal that it becomes a yolk and they are unable to realize their dream. This is especially true for Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman.
The Great Gatsby Comparitve Essay Research Paper
Question: To fully understand a text it is important to study it alongside another. Discuss Both texts The Great Gatsby by F.S.Fitzgerald and Arthur Miller s Death of a Salesman explore and conjure up the ideals of the American Dream. Through this process, both authors reveal themes such as love and corruption.
Willy Loman The Modern Tragic Hero Essay
, Research Paper A tragic hero is known to be the protagonist who causes his own downfall, is seen as greater than the average man, and is aware of his misfortune. In Arthur Miller?s Death of
Death Of A Salesman And The Great
Gatsby Essay, Research Paper Living Life for the Wrong Reasons Existentialists believe that in order to have a meaningful life one must pursue realistic dreams. Willy Loman from the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, tries to succeed in life by getting people to like him. Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald, lives his whole life trying to earn the love of one woman.
Willys Death Essay Research Paper Death of
Willys Death Essay, Research Paper Death of a Salesman Willy Lomans tragedy is due more to his own flawed character than to societies flaws. Advancements in science throughout this century have led to tremendous advancements in industry. Advancements in industry, however, have not always led to advancements in living.
How Biff Suffer Essay Research Paper Biff
How Biff Suffer Essay, Research Paper ?Biff suffering from Willy?s illusions and delusions? Who is William Loman? William Loman is the main character in the play Death Of A Salesman by Arthur Miller. In the play Willy is play as an elderly salesman and lost in false hopes and illusions. As Willy grown older, he has trouble distinguishing between the past and present.
Death Of A Salesman Theme Essay Essay
, Research Paper Throughout Death of a Salesman the males of the Loman family cannot distinguish between the reality of the American Dream and the illusion of it. Willy cannot see who Happy and Biff actually are as individuals or himself for that matter. Therefore, Willy and his sons believe that they all know and have what it takes to be a success in life and in business.
Similarities Beetween Willy And Biff In DeATHof
A Salesman Essay, Research Paper Similarities Between Willy and Biff in Death of a Salesman by john moster Arthur Miller?s Death of a Salesman is the tragic story of Willy Loman who?s life is a continuous torture. He feels as if he had failed in achieving anything for himself or his family. One of his dreams was to become a successful salesman, but instead, he supports his family with the loans he receives from his friend because his job earns him nothing.
The Death Of A Salesman How Biff
Shows Irresponsibility Essay, Research Paper The Death of A Salesman: How Biff Shows Irresponsibility Have you ever felt as if you do not know what to do with your life?
Delusions Of Grandeur Essay Research Paper Delusions
Delusions Of Grandeur Essay, Research Paper Delusions of grandeur and failure to accept reality can be very detrimental to not only an individual, but also to those around him. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman suffers from these delusions. He lives in a parallel world to ours where facing reality never comes into play and spends his entire life in a childlike illusion.
Respect In Death Of Salesman Essay
, Research Paper In the play Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, the main character, Willy Loman, has conflicts with respect and infidelity throughout the story. He has a problem with respect, especially respecting his wife, Linda. Willy shows through flashbacks of The Woman and everyday life that he has no respect for Linda.
Illusion Of The American Dream Essay Research
Paper The Illusion of the American Dream The American Dream is what all Americans strive to achieve. It is the illusion of prosperity and happiness. The American Dream consists of three different elements, money, sex, and power. The plays “Death of a Salesman” and “The Glass Menagerie” are about families who strive to achieve the American Dream.
Falseness In Death Of A Salesman Essay
, Research Paper Death of a Salesman by Kyle Pearce All throughout Arthur Miller s play Death of a Salesman, tension and falseness has been displayed by each of the characters but near the end of Act 1, it has become more evident than ever. The family, awoken by Willy in the middle of the night, gathered in the kitchen for their first confrontation.
Death Of A Salesman Willy
Essay, Research Paper Death of a Salesman – Willy Charley says something in Arthur Miller s Death of a Salesman that sums up Willy s whole life. He asks him, “When the hell are you going to grow up?” Willy s spends his entire life in an illusion. He sees himself as a great man that is popular and successful. Willy exhibits many childlike qualities.
Death Of A Salesman Vs. The Simpsons
Essay, Research Paper Death of a Salesman vs. The Simpsons Each of the characters in “death of a Salesman” can be compared in some way to a character in the Simpsons.
Death Of A Salesman And Biff Essay
, Research Paper The Importance of Biff?s Role in ?Death of a Salesman? The play ?Death of a Salesman?, by Arthur Miller, follows the life of Willy Loman, a
Death Of A Salesman Willy Loman Essay
, Research Paper Death of a Salesman: Willy Loman Willy Loman is responsible for his own downfall. Willy finds his own hero and tries to become the hero in his own existence. Willy tries to become a
Realism In Death Of A Salesman Essay
, Research Paper Realism in Death of a Salesman Realism can be defined as an attempt to reproduce the surface appearance of the life of normal people in everyday situations (Kennedy 1410). Basically realism is a situation that normal people can relate to based on their own experiences. Realism is extremely prevalent in the play Death of a Salesman.
Death Of A Salesman Vs Hamlet
Essay, Research Paper Death Of A Salesman Vs. Hamlet Willy Loman and Hamlet, two characters so alike, though different. Both are perfect examples of tragedy in literature, though for separate reasons and by distinct
Tragedy And The Death Of A Salesman
Essay, Research Paper Tragedy and the Death of a Salesman Death of a Salesman revolves around a tragic and misunderstood hero who eventually takes his own life for the betterment of his family, especially his eldest son. Written by Arthur Miller, the play centers on Willy Loman who is a salesman, a father of two sons Biff and Happy, and husband to a wonderful wife, Linda.