Death of a Salesman as a Tragedy as Defined by Aristotle

drama is tragic not only because of Willy Loman's suicide, but because he has left his family with nothing, and his sons with no hopes and abilities of their own.

Brief overview of the play

Miller's work

Story

Characters

Obstacles

Argument for tragedy

Aristotle's definition

Pro argument for tragedy

Con argument against tragedy

Own conclusions

What the critics say

Death of a Salesman as Tragedy

This paper analyzes the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. Specifically, it discusses the definition of tragedy by Aristotle, and research if it is correct to label the play as a tragedy.

Death of a Salesman is indeed a tragedy of epic proportions. The drama is tragic not only because of Willy Loman's suicide, but because he has left his family with nothing, and his sons with no hopes and abilities of their own.

Arthur Miller wrote Death of a Salesman in 1948, and it premiered on Broadway in February of 1949. Critics Susan C.W. Abbotson and Brenda Murphy note the play was an immediate dramatic success. They write, "Salesman ran for an extraordinary 742 performances on Broadway, winning the Pulitzer Prize, the Donaldson Award, and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for best play of the season" (Murphy and Abbotson xiii). The play has continued its popularity until the current day, and it is often studied in classrooms and reading clubs. Many people believe the play is the quintessential story of the quest for the American Dream and all that represents in modern society, but it is also a modern-day tragedy, straight out of a long tradition of tragic drama that began with the Greek tragedies and the writings of Aristotle. Death of a Salesman is not Miller's only work, he had many other successes, but it is one of his finest, and lives on even after the author.

Miller is known as one of America's premier playwrights, and he passed away only last year after a long and fulfilling career. Miller himself was often hesitant to categorize the play as a pure tragedy. Late in his life he described the play succinctly, saying, "Well, it's about a salesman and he dies. What can I tell you?'" (Otten 281). However, Miller's play is much more than that. It is the story of a family falling apart and a father who is unable to grow and change with the times. It is the story of three weak men, with only one showing any promise for the future. Loman has passed on a legacy of failure to his sons, and it seems they will not be able to accomplish much more than their father has been able to accomplish with his life. It is a sad and haunting story, and the family is tragic in its own right, but that is not the only element that creates tragedy in this story. The real tragedy is that the Loman's are hemmed in by modern life, just as their growing Brooklyn neighborhood has hemmed them in. All of them are unable to adapt to changing times and changing needs, and the entire family is tragic because it is trapped in somewhat of a "time-warp." They are passe and no longer necessary, and Loman cannot deal with being over the hill and unable to provide for his family.

The main characters in the play are the Loman family, Willy, the father and the salesman, Linda, his wife, and Biff and Hap his two sons. There are other characters, including Willy's boss, some more successful friends, and even a vague "Woman" -- mistress Willy kept as he traveled during his more prosperous years. Most of the minor characters are more successful than Willy is, and they serve as a contrast to Willy's gradual decline. They are prosperous because they are adaptable, and they make Willy look even more sad and pathetic by comparison. Willy cannot face reality and make himself a better person through his shortcomings, and that is another aspect of the play that is tragic. Willy does not have to die at the end, but because he cannot adapt, he sees death as his only hope and his only choice. Sadly, suicide leaves behind the pieces, like Linda and the boys, unable to make their own decisions and left hanging by their dependence on Willy. The story is sad, but it is also tragic because Willy continually makes the wrong choices with his life and cannot admit that, even to himself.

One of the most important ingredients in good drama is the obstacle or obstacles the main characters must face. The Loman family faces many obstacles in this drama, which is one reason it is so fascinating and memorable. Willy faces the obstacle of his aging and his health. He simply cannot do his job as well as he could when he was younger, and he cannot face the fact that he is not as successful or as young as he used to be. He notes early in the play, "Willy: Funny, y'know? After all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive" (Miller 1043). All of this looking back creates another tragic element in the play, and that is the foreshadowing of Loman's death. Even the title foreshadows what will happen by the end of the play. Loman's greatest obstacle is not his aging, or his health, or even his family -- it is himself, and he cannot overcome his own shortcomings to make himself a better and stronger person. Instead, he gives in to his misery and his failings, and allows them to dictate the rest of his life. He is weak, and he is tragic because of his weakness.

The rest of the family faces obstacles, too. Loman's two sons have both experienced their own failures. Biff could have been an excellent football player, but he chose not to go to college. Hap bounces from job to job, is a petty thief and womanizer. It seems he will never grow up and will instead follow in his father's unsuccessful footsteps. Biff has found a measure of happiness working on a ranch out west, but he will always wonder what might have been had he made different choices. Linda Loman is a shadowy figure who does not seem to really understand her husband or her sons. She says poignantly at his grave, "Why did you do it? I search and I search, and I can't understand it Willy. I made the last payment on the house today. Today, dear. And there'll be nobody home" (Miller 1054). All three of these supporting characters also meet the definition of tragedy, and they help create the aura of misfortune that surrounds the play. They are all likeable people who the audience eventually pities, but they seem powerless to pull themselves out of despair and make something important out of their lives. It is not enough to want something, but these characters do not understand that. They have dreams, but they do not have the impetus to make these dreams come true. Their own failings fail them, and that makes them all tragic and pitiable figures.

Early Greek playwright and philosopher Aristotle defined tragedy as, "An imitation of action concerning the fall of a man (person) whose character is good (though not pre-eminently just or virtuous) whose misfortune is brought about not by vice or depravity but by some error or frailty with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish the catharsis of these emotions" (Amsden). Clearly, Death of a Salesman meets and even exceeds this definition of tragedy. Critic Bloom continues, "Death of a Salesman appears to imitate Classic tragedy primarily in its acceptance of the principle of the ultimate responsibility of the individual" (Bloom 11). First, Loman falls and falls hard by the end of the play. His character is good, and he is certainly not a bad or evil man. He is simply a man who is past his prime and can no longer effectively compete in the only world he has ever known. His misfortune comes about because he is weak and makes the wrong choices in life, and he does indeed arouse pity in the reader. Loman could be considered the perfect tragic character -- he fits the mold that completely. However, it is not only Willy Loman that makes the play a tragedy. The entire family is weak and unprepared for success in life; another legacy Loman has handed down to his sons. This makes the play even more tragic; more Loman's are loose in life and waiting for someone to save them or take care of them. Another critic believes Linda and Happy are especially simple-minded and tragic. He writes, "Linda and Happy are repeatedly shown to be among the most deluded, obtuse, and mendacious characters in the play" (Phelps 239). They, like Willy, have not learned from their past mistakes, or their past at all, and they will end up just as tragically as Willy does. Willy does not prepare his sons for the future any more than he prepared himself, and so, the Loman family is sure to continue to suffer rather than prosper, and that makes their situation all the more pathetic and tragic. As noted, they are all tragic figures who are held together by catastrophe rather than hope for the future. They are a sad family and their story is the perfect tragedy as defined by Aristotle.

The idea that this play is a tragedy is not new or unique. Critics and experts have debated the tragic aspects of the play for years, and Miller himself grew weary of the debate and attempted to end it several times (Otten 281). However, he also noted the influence Greek tragedy had on his writing, and many of his works contained a tragic theme to them (Otten 282). There is another important aspect of Loman that makes him increasingly tragic, and that is his normality. He is a decent man who cannot cope with life, as it grows more difficult. He could be anyone -- the person next door, the man on the street or in the supermarket in the next line. He is not an abnormality, he is quite common, and that indicates the tragedy is present in everyone's life. After he yells at his boss and his boss fires him, he chastises himself and another critic finds this is the ultimate tragic act for him. He says, "My God, I was yelling at him! How could I!' That he finds himself no longer daring, no longer entitled to yell where yelling should be proper for him -- that is what makes his fading voice tragic" (Adamczewski 176).

While many critics call the play a "perfect" tragedy, there are others who violently disagree. One expert notes, "Calling Miller's concept of tragedy 'not feasible,' Alvin Whitley, among other later critics, admonished Miller to realize 'that he is extending the traditional interpretation [of tragedy] to embrace demonstrably different emotional effects'" (Otten 282). Others have found problems with the play as a tragedy in any aspect, and have even called Miller's basic ideas about tragedy "muddled" and "little understood" (Otten 282-283). Clearly, as with just about any piece of literature, this play is open to many interpretations. Many critics and experts simply do not see Loman as a tragic figure, but rather a pathetic psychological misfit who is sad rather than tragic and a victim of modern life. Many critics also believe that Loman is missing one vital aspect of the perfect tragic hero -- he does not come to an understanding or epiphany before he commits suicide. If Loman had reached a moment of brilliant understanding then the outcome of the play might have been much different. Loman could not have an epiphany and still have the play reach its dramatic conclusion, and so, the play may be tragic, but many critics will argue that the play may have tragic overtones, but it is not a true tragedy. Many other experts dispute this, and align the play quite closely with Aristotle's definition of tragic drama.

Because of the play's popularity, there is a wealth of critical information regarding the play. The plot, the characters, and Miller's purpose have all been hotly debated, discussed, and dissected. One of the most well-known critics of literature is Harold Bloom, who has written two definitive studies on the play. Critic Bloom describes central character Willy Loman as, "The enactment of his suffering, fall, and partial enlightenment, provokes a mixed response: that anger and delight, indignation and sympathy, pity and fear, which Aristotle described as 'catharsis'" (Bloom 8). Bloom feels Loman did have a bit of an epiphany at the end, when he begins to think that his life is worth more to his family dead than alive. Miller writes, "Willy: Why? Does it take more guts to stand here the rest of my life ringing up a zero?" (Miller 1050). Loman cannot fully admit even to himself that he is failure, but he almost admits it, and that may be the closest to an epiphany he will ever come. Unfortunately, as Bloom notes, Loman cannot make the leap from admitting he is a failure to actually questioning his life and what he can make of the future, and that is another element of this tragedy. Bloom continues,