SparkNotes: Death of a Salesman: Key Facts Death of a Salesman full title · Death of a Salesman: Certain Private Conversations in Two Acts and a Requiem author · Arthur Miller genre · Tragedy, social commentary, family drama language · English (with emphasis on middle-class American lingo) time and place written · Six weeks in 1948, in a shed in Connecticut date of first publication · 1949 original publisher · The Viking Press climax · The scene in Frank’s Chop House and Biff’s final confrontation with Willy at home protagonists · Willy Loman, Biff Loman antagonists · Biff Loman, Willy Loman, the American Dream setting (time) · “Today,” that is, the present; either the late 1940s or the time period in which the play is being produced, with “daydreams” into Willy’s past; all of the action takes place during a twenty-four-hour period between Monday night and Tuesday night, except the “Requiem,” which takes place, presumably, a few days after Willy’s funeral setting (place) · According to the stage directions, “Willy Loman’s house and yard [in

 Brooklyn] and .

. . various places he visits in . . . New York and Boston” falling action · The “Requiem” section, although the play is not really structured as a classical drama tense · Present foreshadowing · Willy’s flute theme foreshadows the revelation of his father’s occupation and abandonment; Willy’s preoccupation with Linda’s stockings foreshadows his affair with The Woman; Willy’s automobile accident before the start of Act I foreshadows his suicide at the end of Act II tone · The tone of Miller’s stage directions and dialogue ranges from sincere to parodying, but, in general, the treatment is tender, though at times brutally honest, toward Willy’s plight themes · The American Dream; abandonment; betrayal motifs · Mythic figures; the American West; Alaska; the African jungle symbols · Seeds; diamonds; Linda’s and The Woman’s stockings; the rubber hose More Help TheatreGoldDeath of a Salesman “Death of a Salesman” the Great American Play Death of a Salesman is a 1949 play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was the recipient of the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play.

The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances, and has been revived on Broadway five times, winning three Tony Awards for Best Revival. Willy Loman returns home exhausted after a cancelled business trip. Worried over Willy’s state of mind and recent car accident, his wife Linda suggests that he ask his boss Howard Wagner to allow him to work in his home city so he will not have to travel. Willy complains to Linda that their son, Biff, has yet to make good on his life. Despite Biff’s promise as an athlete in high school, he flunked senior year math and never went to college. The next day, Willy goes to ask his boss, Howard, for a job in town while Biff goes to make a business proposition, but neither is successful. Willy gets angry and ends up getting fired when the boss tells him he needs a rest and can no longer represent the company. Biff waits hours to see a former employer who does not remember him and turns him down. Biff impulsively steals a fountain pen.

Willy then goes to the office of his neighbor Charley, where he runs into Charley’s son Bernard (now a successful lawyer); Bernard tells him that Biff originally wanted to do well in summer school, but something happened in Boston when Biff went to visit Willy that changed his mind. Lee J. Cobb, Arthur Kennedy, and Mildred Dunnock Lee J. Cobb (December 8, 1911 February 11, 1976) was an American actor. He is best known for his performance in 12 Angry Men (1957), his Academy Award-nominated performance in On the Waterfront (1954), and one of his last films, The Exorcist (1973). He also played the role of Willy Loman in the original Broadway production of Arthur Miller’s 1949 play Death of a Salesman under the direction of Elia Kazan. On television, Cobb costarred in the first four seasons of the popular, long-running western series The Virginian. He typically played arrogant, intimidating, and abrasive characters, but often had roles as respectable figures such as judges and police officers.

Arthur Miller Arthur Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist, and prominent figure in twentieth-century American theatre. Among his plays are All My Sons (1947), Death of a Salesman (1949), The Crucible (1953) and A View from the Bridge (1955, revised 1956). In 1948, Miller built a small studio in Roxbury, Connecticut. There, in less than a day, he wrote Act I of Death of a Salesman . Within six weeks, he completed the rest of the play, one of the classics of world theatre. Death of a Salesman premiered on Broadway on February 10, 1949 at the Morosco Theatre, directed by Elia Kazan, and starring Lee J. Cobb as Willy Loman, Mildred Dunnock as Linda, Arthur Kennedy as Biff, and Cameron Mitchell as Happy. The play was commercially successful and critically acclaimed, winning a Tony Award for Best Author, the New York Drama Circle Criticsâ€™ Award, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

It was the first play to win all three of these major awards. The play was performed 742 times at the Morosco Theatre NYC. He also wrote the screenplay for the film The Misfits (1961). Miller was often in the public eye, particularly during the late 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s. During this time, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama; testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee; and was married to Marilyn Monroe. He received the Prince of Asturias Award in 2002 and Jerusalem Prize in 2003. See More on Arthur Miller at TheatreGold DataBase Here Characters William Willy Loman: The salesman. He is 63 years old and very unstable, tending to imagine events from the past as if they are real. He vacillates between different perceptions of his life. Willy seems childlike and relies on others for support.

His first name, Willy, reflects this childlike aspect as well as sounding like the question Will he? His last name gives the feel of Willy’s being a low man, someone low on the social ladder and unlikely to succeed; however, this popular interpretation of his last name has been dismissed by Miller. Linda Loman: Willy’s wife. Linda is passively supportive and docile when Willy talks unrealistically about hopes for the future, although she seems to have a good knowledge of what is really going on. She chides her sons, particularly Biff, for not helping Willy more, and supports Willy lovingly, despite the fact that Willy sometimes treats her poorly, ignoring her opinions over those of others. She is the first to realize Willy is contemplating suicide at the beginning of the play, and urges Biff to make something of himself, while expecting Happy to help Biff do so. Biff Loman: Willy’s older son. Biff was a football star with lots of potential in high school, but failed math his senior year and dropped out of summer school when he saw Willy with another woman while visiting him in Boston.

He goes between going home to try to fulfill Willy’s dream for him to be a businessman and ignoring his father and going out West to be a farmhand where he is happiest. He likes being outdoors and working with his hands yet wants to do something worthwhile so Willy will be proud. Biff steals because he wants evidence of success, even if it is false evidence, but overall Biff remains a realist, and informs Willy that he is just a normal guy, and will not be a great man. Harold â€œHappyâ€ Loman: Willy’s younger son. He’s lived in the shadow of his older brother Biff most of his life and seems to be almost ignored, but he still tries to be supportive towards his family. He has a very restless lifestyle as a womanizer and dreams of moving beyond his current job as an assistant to the assistant buyer at the local store, but is unfortunately willing to cheat a little in order to do so, by taking bribes. He is always looking for approval from his parents, but rarely gets any, and he even goes as far as to make things up just for attention, such as telling his parents he is going to get married.

He tries often to keep his family’s perceptions of each other positive or happy by defending each of them during their many arguments, but still has the most turbulent relationship with Linda, who looks down on him for his lifestyle and apparent cheapness, despite him giving them money. Charley: Willy’s wisecracking yet understanding neighbor. He pities Willy and frequently lends him money and comes over to play cards with Willy, although Willy often treats him poorly. Willy is jealous of him because his son is more successful than Willy’s. Charley offers Willy a job many times during visits to his office, yet Willy declines every time, even after he loses his job as a salesman. Bernard: Charley’s son. In Willy’s flashbacks, he is a nerd, and Willy forces him to give Biff test answers. He worships Biff and does anything for him. Later, he is a very successful lawyer, married, and expecting a second son. These successes are of the very kind that Willy wants for his sons, and in particular, Biff, making him contemplate where he had gone wrong as a father.

Uncle Ben: Willy’s older brother who became a diamond tycoon after a detour to Africa. He is dead but Willy frequently speaks to him in his hallucinations of the past. Ben frequently boasts, when I was seventeen I walked into the jungle, and when I was twenty-one I walked out. And by God I was rich.â€ He is Willy’s role model, although he is much older and has no real relationship with Willy, preferring to assert his superiority over his younger brother. He represents Willy’s idea of the American Dream success story, and is shown coming by the Loman’s house while on business trips to share stories. Ms. Francis: A woman with whom Willy cheated on Linda. Howard Wagner: Willy’s boss. He was named by Willy, but sees Willy as a liability for the company and fires him, ignoring all the years that Willy has given to the company. Howard is extremely proud of his wealth, which is manifested in his new wire recorder, and his family. Jenny: Charley’s secretary. Stanley: A waiter at the restaurant who seems to be friends or acquainted with Happy. Miss Forsythe: A girl whom Happy picks up at the restaurant.

She is very pretty and claims she was on several magazine covers. Happy lies to her, making himself and Biff look like they are important and successful. (Happy claims that he attended West Point and that Biff is a star football player.) Letta: Miss Forsythe’s friend. Broadway Productions The original Broadway production was produced by Kermit Bloomgarden and opened at the Morosco Theatre on February 10, 1949, closing on November 18, 1950 after 742 performances. The play starred Lee J. Cobb as Willy Loman, Mildred Dunnock as Linda, Arthur Kennedy as Biff and Cameron Mitchell as Happy. Albert Dekker and Gene Lockhart later played Willy Loman during the original Broadway run. It won the Tony Award for Best Play, Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Arthur Kennedy), Best Scenic Design (Jo Mielziner), Producer (Dramatic), Author (Arthur Miller), and Director (Elia Kazan), as well as the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play.

Jayne Mansfield performed in a production of the play in Dallas, Texas in October 1953. Her performance in the play attracted Paramount Pictures to hire her for the studio’s film productions.[2] The play has been revived on Broadway four times: June 26, 1975 at the Circle in the Square Theatre, running for 71 performances. George C. Scott starred as Willy. March 29, 1984 at the Broadhurst Theatre, running for 97 performances. Dustin Hoffman played Willy. In a return engagement, this production re-opened on September 14, 1984 and ran for 88 performances. The production won the Tony Award for Best Revival and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival. February 10, 1999 at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre, running for 274 performances, with Brian Dennehy as Willy. The production won the Tony Award for: Best Revival of a Play; Best Actor in Play; Best Featured Actress in a Play (Elizabeth Franz); Best Direction of a Play (Robert Falls). This production was filmed.

February 13, 2012 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, in a limited run of 16 weeks. Directed by Mike Nichols, Philip Seymour Hoffman played Willy, Andrew Garfield played Biff, and Linda Emond played Linda.[3] It was also part of the inaugural season of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Christopher Lloyd portrayed Willy Loman in a 2010 production by the Weston Playhouse in Weston, Vermont, which toured several New England venues. See More on Death of a Salesman at Theatregold DataBase Here Theatre Lit Wiki - Death of a Salesman Death of a Salesman Death of a Salesman is a play written by Arthur Miller in 1948, follows All My Sons, another successful play by Miller. Susan Abbotson notes, Miller wrote Death of a Salesman in Table of Contents Film and Television adaptions: six weeks at his writing studio in Roxbury, Connecticut (Abbotson 59).The play’s protagonist, Willy, is believed to model Arthur Miller’s uncle Manny, his eldest son Buddy as Biff and his younger song Abby as Happy Loman (Abbotson 130).

The play premiered February 10, 1949 at the Morosco Theater in New York City and ran 742 performances on Broadway. Main Characters: Willy Loman: The play’s protagonist, he is in his early sixties a traveling salesman from Brooklyn, who has unrealistic expectations. Linda Loman: Willy’s wife, who is dedicated to keeping her husband happy despite his downfalls. Biff Loman: The oldest of the Loman children. He was athletic and popular in high school. He is distant from his family. Happy Loman: The younger of the Loman children. He is a ladies man and always trying to please his parents. Ben Loman: Willy’s dead older brother that became wealthy from his ventures in Africa and Alaska. Bernard: Charley’s son, who was best friends with Biff as a child and now a successful lawyer. Charley: Willy’s close friend and neighbor that has his own business. Howard Wagner: Willy’s inconsiderate boss that inherited the firm from his father. Plot Summary: Act One The act begins in the evening. Willy Loman, a salesman in his 60s, returns home unexpectedly from a failed business trip.

He explains to his wife Linda that he was too distracted to drive. Linda suggests Willy talk to his boss. Willy's sons, Happy and Biff, are staying in their old rooms discussing their father’s strange behavior. Willy has his first flashback. He thinks of happier times from his past with his sons. During one of the memories, he recalls an encounter with his older brother, Ben. Biff confronts his mother about Willy's behavior; Linda explains that Willy has been secretly attempting suicide. Happy and Biff are cheering up their father by promising to meet with, Bill Oliver. Act one ends with Biff finding the tube,Willy has been using for his suicide attempts. Act Two Willy Loman asks his boss Howard Wagner for an advance. Howard fires him. Willy goes to visit Charley. Out of sympathy, he offers Willy a job, but Willy refuses. Willy borrows money from Charley. Meanwhile, Happy and Biff meet at a restaurant. Biff reveals that he did not meet with Bill Oliver. Willy arrives and announces that he was fired. Willy has another flashback.

His memory drifts back to the day, when Biff was a teenager; he discovered that his father was having an affair. Happy and Biff leave the restaurant. Willy is at home in the backyard with a flashlight. Biff and Willy argue. Biff announces that he is never coming back. Finally, Biff becomes tired of his father’s tirade and reveals the tube Willy has been using for his suicide attempts. Biff begins to cry. Everyone goes to bed; Willy speeds away in the family car and there is a loud crash. Requiem The family is at Willy’s grave site where they are joined by Charley. Not many people attended Willy’s funeral. Happy and Charley discuss Willy’s choices as a salesman. Biff disagrees with his father’s choices and believes his father had no identity. Linda cries and reveals she made the final payment on the mortgage. Themes: American Dream: The secondary characters achieve financial success in various ways. Bernard becomes a successful lawyer from working hard since he was a child. Howard achieves the American Dream by inheriting his father’s business.

Willy believes in the American Dream is possible by being well liked.Capitalism: Willy’s interprets success as being able to pay of his mortgage and provide his family with money after he is dead. Willy’s beliefs reflect how capitalism influences society. Style: Arthur Miller wanted to take a different approach from his previous play All My Sons. Several scholars acknowledge Miller’s distinctive style. Instead of using a sequence of single events, Miller wanted to create a “realistic structure” that included the past and the present (Dunkleberger 48). The stage backdrop for the 1949 premiere designed by Jo Mielziner reflects the style of the play. The backdrop captures the genuine tenement buildings in New York City. = Film and Television adaptions: 1951 Fredric March starring as Willy Loman by Columbia Pictures 1966 Lee J. Cobb and Mildred Dunncock as Willy and Linda Loman on screen for CBS Television 1985 Dustin Hoffman as Willy Loman by CBS directed by Volker Schlöndorff. 1996 Warren Mitchell as Willy Loman by National Theatre for BBC.

1999/2000 Brian Dennehy and Elizabeth Franz as Willy and Linda Loman for the 50th anniversary of production filmed and aired by Showtime. Abbotson, Susan C.W. "Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman." Masterpieces of 20th-century American Drama. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2005. 57-73. Print. Abbotson, Susan C.W. "Death of a Salesman." Critical Companion to Arthur Miller: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work. New York: Facts On File, 2007. 130-47. Print. "Death of a Salesman." Readings on Arthur Miller. Ed. Thomas Siebold. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1997. 90-132. Print. Dunkleberger, Amy. "Life and Death of a Salesman." A Student's Guide to Arthur Miller. Berkeley Heights: Enslow, 2005. 46-75. Print. Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. New York: Penguin Group, 1998. Print.

Death Of A Salesman Essay By: Steve • 1,338 Words • May 11, 2010 • 915 Views Page 1 of 6 Death Of A Salesman In 1949 a play that was to influence the views of many about the American Dream and its realities was published. Death of a Salesman was written by Arthur Miller and eventually went on to earn him the prestigious Pulitzer prize. This play was predominantly set in the 1920s-30s and gives a deep insight into how the great depression affected working families during this period in time. Miller based this dramatic play solely around the American dream. The American dream was a far fetched belief that if u migrated to America with a little money and an amount of self belief, through hard work you could become prosperous and be able to provide for your family. Arthur Miller himself had been a victim of the American dream, his Austrian father had owned a thriving clothing manufacturing company when in 1929 the stock market crashed and left him with no business.

Death of a Salesman is about a salesman who has long passed his “sell by date”, and after being a salesman for thirty-four years, is being pushed to one side by his employer. Miller shows how his whole life has been based on lies and stories that he has led his naive family to believe. However this all changed when Willy Loman was caught with another woman by his son Biff. I believe that Miller is trying to convey his views through Willy Loman as a character. Throughout the play, Miller uses various methods or devices to portray Willy Loman as a failing salesman. One of these dramatic scenes is the card game between Willy and Charley. This scene is very cleverly set, for example Willy Loman’s house is “surrounded by towering buildings on all of its sides”. When Willy has flashbacks to the past, we are allowed to see that his house was once a pleasant place that was surrounded by trees and fields and not skyscrapers. These skyscrapers give us the impression that even Willy’s home is being enclosed and downgraded, and also provide a similar comparison to Willy’s life itself.

This is a fair comparison because Willy views himself as a failure in all aspects of life, even as a father! Near the end of the play when Biff confronts Willy, Biff starts to cry. “He cried! Cried to me.” This quotation shows us that Willy is surprised by Biff’s emotional actions and is overwhelmed that Biff embraces him as a father. It acts as a relief to Willy that Biff still does feel enough respect for his father to embrace him in such a manner, as Miller shows how he thinks he has failed his family. The opening sequence to this scene involves Charley entering into Willy’s household. Charley is described using very effective language; “He is a large man, slow of speech, laconic, immovable. In all he says, despite what he says, there is pity, and now, trepidation. He has a robe over his pyjamas, slippers on his feet.” The fact that Charley is being described as slow of speech, laconic and immovable allows us to believe that he is a very relaxed man who is successful and seen a lot.

This description is an incredibly obvious contrast to Willy, who twitters and mutters to himself, and he moves very slowly and in a tentative way. He appears to be on his ‘last legs’ and could even be described as slightly senile, although stage directions just describe him as with “exhaustion”, he “thankfully lets his burden down”. After Charley enters the scene he offers a game of cards to Willy, “Come on, let’s shoot. Tire you out a little.” I believe Charley does this because he thinks that it will calm Willy down and will reduce the overwrought sensation that Willy is emitting. He also does this because Willy has a very explosive temper. For example he always interrupts Linda, his wife, and tells her to be quiet. He also becomes angry suddenly when Charley offers Willy a job, “I got a job, I told you that. (After a slight pause.) What the hell are you offering me a job for?” This manner in which Willy becomes apparently very angry shows us that even though he failed miserably in his career he still has a great amount of pride that is not easily quashed.

His anger may also be a result of the incredible pressure that he is undergoing in this period of his life, as he is realising that he can no longer provide for his family. I believe another reason that Willy rejects the job is not just because of his pride but because he is incredibly jealous of Charley because he has been very successful in comparison to Willy, as Miller’s contrast of the two characters shows. Later on during this scene Willy has flashbacks which involve Justin Bardowski College Credit English December 19, 2001 Death of a Salesman Movie vs. Book Death of a Salesman was both a great movie to 362 Words | 2 Pages There is something magical and sometimes overpowering to the majority of mankind: It is the thing that allows people to live in mansion's with helipad's 742 Words | 3 Pages When the lights come up, the first thing we see on stage is the suggestion of a small frame house. The front wall is 961 Words | 4 Pages Dramatists such as Aristotle started to write a series of plays called tragedies.

They were as follows: the play revolved around a great man such 1,698 Words | 7 Pages Dear Mom, It has been a week since I left home to stay with your sisterвЂ™s family. I am continually surprised at how much I 1,050 Words | 5 Pages Death of a Salesman (Arthur Miller) | New and Used Books from Thrift Books Free shipping on all U.S. orders over $10! Overview Arthur Miller's 1949 Death of a Salesman has sold 11 million copies, and Willy Loman didn't make all those sales on a smile and a shoeshine. This play is the genuine article--it's got the goods on the human condition, all packed into a day in the life of one self-deluded, self-promoting, self-defeating soul. It's a sturdy bridge between kitchen-sink realism and spectral abstraction, the facts of particular hard times and universal themes. As Christopher Bigsby's mildly interesting afterword in this 50th-anniversary edition points out (as does Miller in his memoir, Timebends), Willy is closely based on the playwright's sad, absurd salesman uncle, Manny.

But of course Miller made Manny into Everyman, and gave him the name of the crime commissioner Lohmann in Fritz Lang's angst-ridden 1932 Nazi parable, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse. The tragedy of Loman the all-American dreamer and loser works eternally, on the page as on the stage. A lot of plays made history around 1949, but none have stepped out of history into the classic canon as Salesman has. Great as it was, Tennessee Williams's work can't be revived as vividly as this play still is, all over the world. (This edition has edifying pictures of Lee J. Cobb's 1949 and Brian Dennehy's 1999 performances.) It connects Aristotle, The Great Gatsby, On the Waterfront, David Mamet, and the archetypal American movie antihero. It even transcends its author's tragic flaw of pious preachiness (which undoes his snoozy The Crucible, unfortunately his most-produced play). No doubt you've seen Willy Loman's story at least once. It's still worth reading.

--Tim Appelo Related Subjects Rat Race Lost, State of Denial Published by Thriftbooks.com User, 8 years ago Hopeless fathers & sons were a favorite theme of Miller. The pressure of failing aspirations. The horror of failure. Drawn between overconfidence and self-doubt. Flashbacks on scenes from a dreary life. Lies to others and oneself. Failures in job and family. The play is one of the quintessential pieces of modern American theater. Its themes are known and have been expounded endlessly. Why is it still fresh? I have never watched it on stage nor screen. I have known it for ages, but could not find enough interest to look for a performance, nor to read it. Now LoA does it. Looking at the reviews here on the Penguin modern classic page, I am wondering about the spread in reviews. From 5 to 1 stars all is there, with a downward slope towards the negative votes. The play has more friends than foes, but on an absolute level, the nays would sink an ordinary ship. Of course quality questions are not decided by democracy. One particularly daft observer produced a perfect inverted version of cultural Stalinism.

With perfect perverted logic, he tells us that only positive depictions of the American dream are acceptable. That is completely in line with 'socialist realism': if the artist fails to enthuse about the reigning system, he is condemned. Thanks to LoA for making me get to know the man Miller. I will definitely look for a movie version or go to a play if I find an opportunity. The Life and Times of Willy Loman Published by Thriftbooks.com User, 13 years ago Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman," while confusing when just read through the text alone, is an awesomely crafted play that takes drama to the next level. Now being interested in plays, I decided it was time to read this one, being that this is considered a classic by many (which I could easily see why). Reading this play makes me want to write plays. Reading something like this makes me believe that I can some up with something great too. I am glad that I finally took the time to read it.The story is about a broken-hearted salesman, Willy Loman. He is a man no longer living in the real world but is mostly trapped in his own delusional world.

He can't let go of the past no matter how hard he tries, and it's eating him up inside. He wants to believe that his family is a shoe-in for greatness, no matter how lonely and sad his wife is, or how much of a player/swinger his youngest son is, or how confused and anti-business his oldest son is. You put all of this together and you get a glimpse of an American tragedy that is so powerful and sad that it makes you think these things happen all the time. From Page 1 you know it's not going to end on a happy note, but you decide to take the path anyways. And a path worth taking it is.I admit that I was confused at certain points, because through the text alone it is very hard to separate Willy's reality from his imagination. There are places where Willy departs from reality and goes back to the past and it makes it very hard for us to figure out what is going on if we're only reading it. When I saw the movie version after reading this, I was able to appreciate the play more. I understood what confused me and I was able to figure out what was happening.

Despite some confusing moments it is still a tremendous play that is very involving from start to finish. You are able to sympathize with the main character, and with the rest of the characters as well. You know a writer has done the job right when you are able to feel or care for every single character (or at least almost all of them, being there will be a few minor characters you're really not supposed to care for that much. This is something that always happens in the world of fiction and is to be expected). Arthur Miller did an amazing job of writing such a realistic and emotionally driven play. The characters were realistic as well as the dialogue."Death of a Salesman" is more than just simply a stunning play; it is a beautiful portrait of a family dealing with hardships and troubles. As soon as I began the play I was unable to put it down until it was finished. If you want to read a great play and are interested in great works of drama, this is the one for you.(Note: If you are confused by the play, see the movie afterwards.

It really helps.) Exceptional Play, Easy to Read as a Book Published by Thriftbooks.com User, 14 years ago Death of a Salesman is one of those rare plays that are equally riveting whether you see it in a theater or read the script in a book. The book tells the story of Willy Loman, a traveling salesman, and his wife and two children. The "present day" in the story is about Willy near the end of his career. He is getting too old to travel around and to hustle to sell products. He also appears to be not quite right in the head any more. His oldest son has returned from the West where he has been doing odd jobs but not making much out of his life. Everyone is worried about Willy, including his neighbor and his boss. Unfortunately, Willy's boss is more concerned with the profits of the company.The story flashes back to earlier times in several scenes. These stories mainly tell the story of more triumphant times for Willy. He is a good salesman and he's adored by his wife and children. One gets the sense that he is ready to hit it big.

He rejects his brother's plan for a get rich quick scheme because he is doing so well in sales. We are never quite sure how much of Willy's past is accurate. Like many good salesmen, Willy is used to promoting his products with little exaggerations. It seems that Willy's talent in sales bleeds over to his personal life, so that he is always doing a little worse than he says he is. It is unclear how much worse in these earlier days. However Willy is doing, it seems that his life has taken a turn for the worse. His oldest son is also doing much worse. He was the star quarterback in high school and is headed for great things with a scholarship to college. But he has lost his way at least as much as Willy.The play answers some of these questions. Many of them are answered by the fact that life is hard sometimes and we make bad choices. Others seem to be answered by nothing besides fate. Also, as you can see by some of these reviews, the answers are different for different people.

It is easy to pull some things out of this play when you are done, but it is almost impossible to figure out everything.In any event, I strongly recommend you read this book and see the play live or on video. You will love them both. Another American classic! Published by Thriftbooks.com User, 15 years ago "Death of a Salesman" is a sad, but wonderful play written by Arthur Miller. This play, together with "The Catcher in the Rye", was my introduction to real reading. Previous to reading this book, I had kept to what I will call "easier" reading. "Death of a Salesman" was assigned to us by our English teacher, as part of our undergraduate English class. Our teacher, Mrs. Syring, knew this play by heart. She pointed out the subtleties in this play for us (you can't expect too much from a bunch of accounting students..) and she made us understand what kind of outstanding literary attack on the American society and the American dream this play really is. The protagonist, Willy Loman, is a committed, hard working, aging, middle class man, with a dream to be rich and successful.

Making it "big"- just like the American dream. Unfortunately, Loman is neither rich nor very successful. And in the end, Loman commits suicide, (wrongfully) thinking that his family will be just as happy without him, living well off the insurance money. This play is a classic portrayal of what kind of tragedy the pursuit of the American dream can bring to a man and his family. The play is written some sixty years ago (written in 1949), but I don't think this play will ever be outdated. Wonderfully written, with an important moral lesson for all of us to remember. If you're going to buy a copy Published by Thriftbooks.com User, 17 years ago of "Death of a Salesman", this is the one to get. In addition to the play itself and some introductory remarks, this version includes a good variety of reviews, criticism, and essays concerning "Death of a Salesman". Of particular interest (in my view, anyway) is the essay "Tragedy and the Common Man" written by Arthur Miller himself (there are other writings by Arthur Miller and part of the transcripts of an interview with Arthur Miller, too).

It's true that this version is a little more expensive than others (clocking in at about $13), but, if you like to read what others (and even the playwright himself) have had to say about a particular work, I strongly suggest that you buy this version in favor of a cheaper version with less criticism. Edition Details SparkNotes: Death of a Salesman: Character List Death of a Salesman Plot Overview Analysis of Major Characters Willy Loman - An insecure, self-deluded traveling salesman. Willy believes wholeheartedly in the American Dream of easy success and wealth, but he never achieves it. Nor do his sons fulfill his hope that they will succeed where he has failed. When Willy’s illusions begin to fail under the pressing realities of his life, his mental health begins to unravel. The overwhelming tensions caused by this disparity, as well as those caused by the societal imperatives that drive Willy, form the essential conflict of Death of a Salesman. Read an in-depth analysis of Willy Loman. Biff Loman - Willy’s thirty-four-year-old elder son. Biff led a charmed life in high school as a football star with scholarship prospects, good male friends, and fawning female admirers.

He failed math, however, and did not have enough credits to graduate. Since then, his kleptomania has gotten him fired from every job that he has held. Biff represents Willy’s vulnerable, poetic, tragic side. He cannot ignore his instincts, which tell him to abandon Willy’s paralyzing dreams and move out West to work with his hands. He ultimately fails to reconcile his life with Willy’s expectations of him. Read an in-depth analysis of Biff Loman. Linda Loman - Willy’s loyal, loving wife. Linda suffers through Willy’s grandiose dreams and self-delusions. Occasionally, she seems to be taken in by Willy’s self-deluded hopes for future glory and success, but at other times, she seems far more realistic and less fragile than her husband. She has nurtured the family through all of Willy’s misguided attempts at success, and her emotional strength and perseverance support Willy until his collapse. Read an in-depth analysis of Linda Loman. Happy Loman - Willy’s thirty-two-year-old younger son. Happy has lived in Biff’s shadow all of his life, but he compensates by nurturing his relentless sex drive and professional ambition.

Happy represents Willy’s sense of self-importance, ambition, and blind servitude to societal expectations. Although he works as an assistant to an assistant buyer in a department store, Happy presents himself as supremely important. Additionally, he practices bad business ethics and sleeps with the girlfriends of his superiors. Read an in-depth analysis of Happy Loman. Charley - Willy’s next-door neighbor. Charley owns a successful business and his son, Bernard, is a wealthy, important lawyer. Willy is jealous of Charley’s success. Charley gives Willy money to pay his bills, and Willy reveals at one point, choking back tears, that Charley is his only friend. Read an in-depth analysis of Charley. Bernard - Bernard is Charley’s son and an important, successful lawyer. Although Willy used to mock Bernard for studying hard, Bernard always loved Willy’s sons dearly and regarded Biff as a hero. Bernard’s success is difficult for Willy to accept because his own sons’ lives do not measure up. Ben - Willy’s wealthy older brother.

Ben has recently died and appears only in Willy’s “daydreams.” Willy regards Ben as a symbol of the success that he so desperately craves for himself and his sons. The Woman - Willy’s mistress when Happy and Biff were in high school. The Woman’s attention and admiration boost Willy’s fragile ego. When Biff catches Willy in his hotel room with The Woman, he loses faith in his father, and his dream of passing math and going to college dies. Howard Wagner - Willy’s boss. Howard inherited the company from his father, whom Willy regarded as “a masterful man” and “a prince.” Though much younger than Willy, Howard treats Willy with condescension and eventually fires him, despite Willy’s wounded assertions that he named Howard at his birth. Stanley - A waiter at Frank’s Chop House. Stanley and Happy seem to be friends, or at least acquaintances, and they banter about and ogle Miss Forsythe together before Biff and Willy arrive at the restaurant. Miss Forsythe and Letta - Two young women whom Happy and Biff meet at Frank’s Chop House.

It seems likely that Miss Forsythe and Letta are prostitutes, judging from Happy’s repeated comments about their moral character and the fact that they are “on call.” Jenny - Charley’s secretary. Death of a Salesman | play by Miller | Britannica.com Death of a Salesman A Midsummer Night’s Dream Death of a Salesman, a play in “two acts and a requiem” by Arthur Miller , written in 1948 and produced in 1949. Miller won a Pulitzer Prize for the work, which he described as “the tragedy of a man who gave his life, or sold it” in pursuit of the American Dream. After many years on the road as a traveling salesman, Willy Loman realizes he has been a failure as a father and a husband. His sons, Happy and Biff, are not successful—on his terms (being “well liked”) or any others. His career fading, Willy escapes into dreamy reminiscences of an idealized past.

In the play’s climactic scene, Biff prepares to leave home, starts arguing with Willy, confesses that he has spent three months in jail, and mocks his father’s belief in “a smile and a shoeshine.” Willy, bitter and broken, his illusions shattered, commits suicide. Learn More in these related articles: Pulitzer Prize any of a series of annual prizes awarded by Columbia University, New York City, for outstanding public service and achievement in American journalism, letters, and music. Fellowships are also awarded. The prizes, originally endowed with a gift of $500,000 from the newspaper magnate Joseph Pulitzer,... More about Death of a Salesman 8 References found in Britannica Articles Assorted References place in American literature (in American literature: Miller, Williams, and Albee ) stage setting by Mielziner (in Jo Mielziner ) use of theatricalism (in theatricalism ) work of Dennehy (in Brian Dennehy ) External Links Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later.

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Close Article Title: Death of a Salesman Website Name: Encyclopædia Britannica Date Published: November 06, 2015 URL: Access Date: January 20, 2017 Share Death of a Salesman Essay - Critical Evaluation - eNotes.com Death of a Salesman Essay - Critical Evaluation link Link Following in the tradition of the classic Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, Arthur Miller is concerned above all with the relationship between the individual and society. His investigations range from his portrait of the industrialist Joe Keller in All My Sons (1947), who sacrifices the safety of World War II fighter pilots and ruins his business partner to satisfy his desire for financial success, to examining the connection between the dysfunctional marriage of Sylvia and Phillip Gellburg and the rise of Nazism in Broken Glass (1994). In Death of a Salesman, Miller focuses on the relationship between society and the individual’s concept of self. As a consequence of living in a capitalistic society that emphasizes materialistic values, Willy Loman has a defective sense of self.

He is obsessed not only with financial success but also, more specifically, with appearances and impressions and with being considered important and “well-liked” by others. Willy passes these superficial values on to his two sons, Biff and Happy. In the course of the play, Biff becomes more aware of his real needs and feelings and frees himself from this destructive concept of self. Only then is Biff able to care more deeply for his father, and he breaks down and cries in his arms. Willy is moved by his son’s love, but his understanding is incomplete, as becomes clear when he commits suicide under the impression that this is the only way to give Biff financial prosperity. At the play’s end it is clear that Biff will heal himself and go back out West to find work that suits his genuine concept of self, while Happy will probably repeat the misdirected life of his father. Miller’s plays often mix his characteristically realistic style with expressionistic techniques. In Death of a Salesman, he enhances the theme of self-awareness by using techniques to distort time and space and to represent the working of Willy’s mind.

While playing cards with his neighbor Charlie, for example, Willy imagines that he sees his brother Ben, who appears on the stage as if he were a real person. By allowing the past and the present to intermingle freely, Miller represents the confusion and distress in Willy’s mind. In fact, Miller’s working title for the play was “The Inside of His Head” and his original concept for the stage set was a model of an enormous face, inside of which the action was to take place. In having the action follow and portray Willy’s meandering mind, Miller creates a psychological quality that reflects Willy’s confusion about identity. As Willy’s mind wanders in his past, talking to his brother Ben or remembering building projects around the house, Willy’s true self is revealed. He is a man who loves to work outdoors with his hands, the kind of man that Biff finally comes to accept as his true self. As Biff says over Willy’s grave, “there’s more of him in that front stoop than in all the sales he ever made.” Death of a Salesman is of crucial importance to literature because it once again raises the question whether tragedy is possible with a common hero.

The Aristotelian concept of tragedy, which dominated dramatic literature until the nineteenth century, insists that only characters of noble birth or soul can be tragic heroes. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, however, an increasing number of plays with tragic endings were written about common people. In 1949, concurrent with his play’s appearance on Broadway, Miller published a defense of the play as a genuine tragedy in the essay “Tragedy and the Common Man,” in which he argued that all that is required for tragic stature is a hero willing to “lay down his life” to secure “his ’rightful’ position in his society.” Miller won a Pulitzer Prize in drama in 1949 for Death of a Salesman, and for many years thereafter he was considered, alongside Eugene O’Neill and Tennessee Williams, one of America’s greatest playwrights. Of his many subsequent plays, perhaps only The Crucible (1953) and After the Fall (1964) had comparable popular and critical impacts. Undoubtedly his masterpiece, Death of a Salesman remains Miller’s most enduring work.

Question: What was the occupation of Willy Loman in the play written in 1949 by Arthur Miller?
Answer: Salesman