Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller The American Dream: At what cost?

What to Watch Key words that highlight setting (Prologue) Tense changes (when is it the 1940s and when is it the 1920s? Who is real vs who is not?) Evidence for Character Analysis: Internal and External Evidence to support themes and symbols Connect the actions of Willy Loman to definitions of tragic hero (Bradley and Miler). Make connections to Hamlet (compare and contrast)

Interesting Fact When Arthur Miller died in 2005, in Newsweek magazine Richard Schickel wrote, “Not a week has passed since the play premiered on Broadway 56 years ago this month when it was not playing somewhere in the world, playing too on our instinctive response to an instinctive work.

AMERICAN DREAM Land of Opportunity Rags to Riches—Anyone can become rich, famous, and powerful. Jobs and education are available to all who want them. Meritocracy (rewards) = skill + effort. Through hard work, courage and determination, one can achieve prosperity. Americans can live better than their parents did.

Miller’s Assertions (from Introduction to Penguin Classics Edition) Death is not a “document of pessimism.” Death is not un-American; it celebrates the life of Willy Loman. Miller believes that tragedy is “inherently optimistic.”

From Classical Tragedy Unity of time -- the final 24 hours in Willy’s life Unity of action - the play is complete unto itself the tragic hero…with a twist

Also from Classical Tragedy the hero’s traits, esp. being a mixture of good and bad and being of higher moral worth than others in society the concept of the hero’s flaw the hero’s capacity to willingly endure suffering the catharsis of the audience

About the Initial Themes Addresses family conflict in post World War II America Takes a close look at the price paid for the “American Dream” Charges America with creating a capitalist materialism centered around a postwar economy This materialism skewed the original view of the “American Dream” as envisioned by the founding fathers

Themes in Death An individual’s search for meaning and purpose in life (not Willy, but Biff): Focus on present and future, not the past. failure in pursuit of success: We must not let failure control our lives. Man’s need to “leave a thumbprint somewhere in the world.” Dream big, but if those dreams do not amount to anything, do not let it ruin your life.

Elements that accent themes in Death The love of a father for a son and a son (Biff) for a father The conflict between father and son The question of who shall wield the power? The problem of communication Betrayal and Abandonment

Symbols Seeds: opportunity for growth, but will not always germinate. University of Virginia sneakers: “bright future” unrealized; missed opportunities. Diamonds: Material & tangible wealth The Woman’s Stockings: betrayal and infidelity. The Rubber Hose: Suicide and the “giving up” on life. Alaska, Africa…The American West: success and failure

Characteristics of the Tragic Hero "A man doesn't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall." ~Aristotle Six Characteristics of the Tragic Hero: Nobility or wisdom (by birth) A flaw or error of judgment (Hamartia) A reversal of fortune (perepetia) The discovery or recognition that the reversal was brought about by the hero's own actions (anagnorisis) The audience must feel dramatic irony for the character. The character's fate must be greater than deserved.

A few key traits of the T.H. Usually evokes empathy… Has a weakness, usually pride Something has gone awry in his/her life Usually faced with a very serious decision he must make Noble in nature Must understand his mistakes… Likely doomed from the start… Begins his “journey” as no better or worse than the rest of us…

The Common Man as Hero Miller’s thoughts: “Everyone knows Willy Loman.” (allusion to the morality play, Everyman.) “The common man is suitable for a tragic hero.” Willy is meant to be seen as greater and better (at least in potential) than his society.

Miller’s Modern Tragedy The hero is a common man. The hero struggles against society. The hero meets his downfall. The downfall is a result of an incongruity between his own perception of the world and reality. The hero achieves a kind of redemption in his downfall.

Act 1 An air of the dream clings to the place, a dream rising out of reality. How does this serve to foreshadow Willy Loman’s life?

Major Characters Willy Loman Biff Loman Linda Loman Happy Loman Charley Bernard Ben The Woman Howard Wagner Stanley Jenny Miss Forsythe and Letta

Willy Loman Father, traveling salesman Believes in chasing the American Dream although he never achieves it Pins his failed hopes on his sons, Biff and Happy Becomes mentally ill when pressure of reality crushes his illusions

Inspiration for Willy Loman Arthur Miller once said that everything he had written was based on somebody he had seen or known…Death of a Salesman began as a short story that Miller wrote at the age of seventeen while he was working for his father’s company. The story told of an aging salesman who cannot sell anything, who is tormented by the company’s buyers, and who borrows change for the subway from the story’s young narrator. After finishing the story, Miller wrote a postscript on the manuscript saying that the real salesman on whom the story is based had thrown himself under a subway train. Many years later, on the eve of the play’s Broadway opening, Miller’s mother found the story abandoned in a drawer.

In his autobiography Timebends, Miller related that he found inspiration for that short story and the play in his own life. Miller based Willy Loman largely on his own uncle, Manny Newman. In fact, Miller stated that the writing of the play began in the winter of 1947 after a chance meeting he had with his uncle outside the Colonial Theatre in Boston, where his All My Sons was having its pre‐Broadway preview. Miller described that meeting in this way: “I could see his grim hotel room behind him, the long trip up from New York in his little car, the hopeless hope of the day’s business. Without so much as acknowledging my greeting he said, ‘Buddy is doing very well.’”

Miller described Newman as a man who “was a competitor at all times, in all things, and at every, moment.” Miller said that his uncle saw “my brother and I running neck and neck with his two sons [Buddy and Abby] in some horse race [for success] that never stopped in his mind.” He also said that the Newman household was one in which you “dared not lose hope, and I would later think of it as a perfection of America for that reason...It was a house trembling with resolution and shouts of victories that had not yet taken place but surely would tomorrow.”

Biff Loman Elder son, 34 years old High school standout-football star, many male friends, and female admirers Academic failures lead to a life of kleptomania Represents Willy’s vulnerable, tragic side Fails to reconcile his father’s expectations

Inspiration for Biff Loman Manny’s son Buddy, like Biff in Miller’s play, was a sports hero, and like Happy Loman, popular with the girls. And like Biff, Buddy never made it to college because he failed to study in high school. As Miller stated: “As fanatic as I was about sports, my ability was not to be compared to [Manny’s] sons. Since I was gangling and unhandsome, I lacked their promise. When I stopped by I always had to expect some kind of insinuation of my entire life’s probable failure, even before I was sixteen.”

Linda Loman Loving, devoted wife Naïve and realistic of Willy’s hopes Emotionally supportive of Willy Willy’s strength until his tragic perishing

Happy Loman Younger son, 32 years old In Biff’s shadow all his life Relentless sex and professional drive Represents Willy’s sense of self importance and ambition Often engages in bad business ethics

Charley The Lomans’ next door neighbor Successful businessman Often gives Willy financial support Described sadly as Willy’s only friend although Willy is jealous of Charley’s success

Bernard Charley’s son Successful lawyer Often mocked by Willy for being studious Compared to Loman sons by Willy; they do not measure up to his success

Ben Willy’s deceased older brother Independently wealthy Appears to Willy in daydreams Willy’s symbol of success that he desperately wants for his sons

The Woman Willy’s mistress Her admiration for Willy is an ego boost Biff catches Willy with her in a hotel room Biff loses faith in his father due to infidelity

WILLY: I'm not interested in stories about the past or any crap of that kind because the woods are burning, boys, you understand? There's a big blaze going on all around. I was fired today. BIFF (shocked): How could you be? WILLY: I was fired, and I'm looking for a little good news to tell your mother, because the woman has waited and the woman has suffered. The gist of it is that I haven't got a story left in my head, Biff. So don't give me a lecture about facts and aspects. I am not interested. Now what've you got so say to me? (from Death of a Salesman)