Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

¶ … Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. Specifically it will contain an analysis of the play that answers several questions. Miller's work is a classic play that has run for years on Broadway and around the world. It tells the story of a traveling salesman who has passed his usefulness to his family and himself. It is a tragic story of the American dream gone terribly wrong.

The setting of the play is New York City, mostly inside the Loman's small home. The play does shift to a few other settings, such as the offices Willy and his sons visit, and the restaurant where they have dinner. However, most of the play takes place in the small home Willy and his family has shared for decades.

The major characters of the play are Willy Loman, the "salesman," Linda his wife, and Hap and Biff, his two sons. There are also several other minor characters, including Ben, Willy's brother, Howard Wagner, Willy's boss, Charley, the next door neighbor, and Bernard, Charley's son. The most important characters are the Loman's themselves, and the others support the action, the plot, and the outcome of the story.

There are several pivotal events throughout the play. One is the opening scene when Willy returns after a failed business trip and dreams about his life. He fantasizes about his wife, his children, and his own success. This sets the stage for the play, and gives the audience a background into the Loman family. They have always seemed to have money troubles, the sons have not amounted to much and Willy is disappointed in them, and Willy has not always been faithful to Linda.

Many of the important events are flashbacks that show Willy's life and his relationship with his sons. Often, the father and sons argue, and it is clear the family does not understand Willy, or perhaps even appreciate him. One scene that is representative of the family turmoil is the scene where Biff talks to Linda, rather than facing Willy, knowing that his father will only deny there is anything wrong. Miller writes, "Biff: God Almighty, Mom, how long has he been doing this? Linda: Don't, he'll hear you. Biff: What the hell is the matter with him?" (Miller 1031). This is important because it shows that Linda loves him, but he does not think he is worthy of her love. She is the only one who really recognizes his inner turmoil and fear of failure. She tells the boys, "He's going to kill himself, don't you know that?" (Miller 1047). This is pivotal, because it indicates the hopelessness of the character and his way of life. He is on a certain path, and nothing can change his destiny.

Another important scene is the one where a young Biff discovers his father's affair and it changes his own life. He is disappointed in his father, and because of that, he refuses to become the football hero his father wants him to be. Willy has influenced his sons' lives, but not in a good way, and the scene helps illustrate the damage he has done to his family as well as himself throughout his life. Often his choices have been selfish, and this scene shows they will continue to be selfish and self-adsorbed.

A final pivotal scene is the scene at the cemetery when only a handful of people show up for Willy's funeral. This indicates how insignificant his life has been, and how his family really never understood him or his needs. Linda says 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). This scene shows the fragility of life, and the senselessness of Willy's actions. To the end, he was selfish. Suicide is a selfish act, because it leaves behind the family to pick up the pieces to try to go on. To the very end, Willy could not cope with his life, and he passed that down to his sons.

The central issue of the play is Willy's career and his inability to provide for his family. His life is about the American dream, but it has gone terribly wrong. There are so many "Willy's" in the world who work hard their entire lives, and really have nothing to show for it. It is also the issue of Willy's inability to face reality. When he has to make hard choices, he reverts to a world of dreams and fantasy. He is unable to face the real world or really function in it. Willy builds himself up in his own mind, just as he builds up the lives of his two sons. He cannot face the realities of his life -- he is past his prime, his family has nothing else to support them, and his sons are failures. However, the core issue boils down to Willy's inability to face reality and face the failure of his own life. He thinks his only way out is suicide, and that it will make the lives of his family better. He even tells his late wealthy older brother that. Ben says, "It's called a cowardly thing, William. Willy: Why? Does it take more guts to stand here the rest of my life ringing up a zero?" (Miller 1050). Willy cannot stand to be nobody, and he cannot admit he is a nobody, and his sons are nobodies. He wants them to be "well liked," and yet, they are not.