Death of A Salesman

SUMMARY:
Death of a Salesman begins in the home of Willy Loman. Willy
returns home exhausted from his latest sales excursion. He worries
because he is having difficulty remembering events, as well as
staying focused on the present. His wife, Linda, reassures him that
he is only suffering from mental fatigue. Linda suggests that Willy
should request a New York assignment rather than travel each
week. At first Willy hesitates, complaining that his boss Howard
does not respect his contributions to the company and might not
listen to him, but Linda encourages Willy to tell Howard of his
accomplishments. Willy decides to talk to Howard in the morning.
Willy and Linda argue about their son Biff. Willy calls Biff a "lazy
bum," but Linda defends Biff on the premise that he is still trying to
"find himself." Willy then contradicts his previous statement by
saying that Biff is not lazy, and he decides to get Biff a job as a
salesman. Willy drifts back into the past, remembering how
everyone admired Biff when he was in high school. He comes out of
his reverie and assures Linda that he is fine. He announces that he
will no longer argue with Biff about his job. Linda suggests a picnic
lunch, and Willy realizes that, all day, he thought he was driving
the 1928 Chevy rather than the Studebaker.

CHARACTERS:
Dustin Hoffman as Willy Loman
Kate Reid as Linda Loman
John Malknovish as Biff Loman
Stephen Lang as Happy Loman
Charles Duming as Charley
Louis Polito as Howard Wagner
Barbara Eda- Young as Jenny
Tom Signorehi as Stanley
Linda Kozlowski as Miss Forsythe
Kathyn Rossebtter as Letta

INTRODUCTION:
Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman (1949) is considered to be both the
playwright's masterpiece and a cornerstone of contemporary American
drama. This play gained a number of honors and awards including, the
Pulitzer Prize and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. When
Arthur Miller finished writing this play, he entitled it as The Inside of His
Head.
Later on he became dissatisfied with this title. Then he conferred second
title of the play. This second title is Death of a Salesman. From the first
title we get a profound insight into the psychological make-up of the
protagonist who is a salesman.
In this play, the protagonist is a salesman by occupation. He harbored a
tremendous ambition. But this ambitious dream of the protagonist never
got accomplished. No matter how hard Willy worked, his dream remained
unattainable. As a result, he became gradually sick and miserable. He
became mentally dichotomous. He became a split personality. In the
course of his life he was completely smitten with a scorching flame of
frustration. Finally, he committed suicide. The playwright wants to show
the inflicting effects of the American dream in the middle class people who
regards the material gain is the absolute happiness.
Death of a Salesman is such a popular play that it has remained at the
center of the modern American plays. This play is an experiment in the
theatre. It is the best example of expressionism in modern American play.
As an expressionistic modern American play, it uses a cross section of a
house as a metaphor for an entire house and an entire life. The death
in Death of a Salesman implies the destruction of a family holding certain
beliefs that have been wrong from the start.
Death of a Salesman has been given a privileged position in American
drama because it is a modern tragedy. Aristotle felt that only characters
of noble birth could be tragic heroes, but Miller confounds this theory, as
Eugene O'Neill did, by showing the human integrity in even the most
humble characters. Miller's Willy Loman is not a peasant, nor is he noble.
In fact, Miller took a frightening risk in producing a figure that we find
hard to like. Willy wants to be well liked, but as an audience, we find it
difficult to like a person who whines, complains and accepts petty
immorality as a normal way of life. Despite his character, we are awed
by his fate.
Willy stands as an aspect of our culture, commercial and otherwise that
is at the center of our reflection of ourselves. Perhaps we react so strongly
to Willy because we are afraid that we might easily become a Willy Loman
if we are not vigilant about our moral views, our psychological well-being,
and the limits of our commitment to success. Willy Loman has mesmerized
audiences in America in many different economic circumstances:
prosperity, recession, rapid growth, and cautions development. No matter
what those circumstances we have looked at the play as if looking in a
mirror. What we have seen has always involved us, although it has not
always made us pleased with ourselves.

Play Review
“ The Death
of a
Salesman”
Submitted by:
John Mark Traje
Grade 9- Aristotle
Submitted to:
Mrs. Milagrosa D. Bilog
English Teacher

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SUMMARY:

Death of a Salesman begins in the home of Willy Loman. Willy

returns home exhausted from his latest sales excursion. He worries

because he is having difficulty remembering events, as well as

he is only suffering from mental fatigue. Linda suggests that Willy

should request a New York assignment rather than travel each

week. At first Willy hesitates, complaining that his boss Howard

listen to him, but Linda encourages Willy to tell Howard of his

accomplishments. Willy decides to talk to Howard in the morning.

"find himself." Willy then contradicts his previous statement by

salesman. Willy drifts back into the past, remembering how

everyone admired Biff when he was in high school. He comes out of

his reverie and assures Linda that he is fine. He announces that he

the 1928 Chevy rather than the Studebaker.

Dustin Hoffman as Willy Loman

Kate Reid as Linda Loman

John Malknovish as Biff Loman

Stephen Lang as Happy Loman

Charles Duming as Charley

Louis Polito as Howard Wagner

Barbara Eda- Young as Jenny

Tom Signorehi as Stanley

Linda Kozlowski as Miss Forsythe

Kathyn Rossebtter as Letta

Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman (1949) is considered to be both the

playwright's masterpiece and a cornerstone of contemporary American

Later on he became dissatisfied with this title. Then he conferred second

title we get a profound insight into the psychological make-up of the

protagonist who is a salesman.

In this play, the protagonist is a salesman by occupation. He harbored a

tremendous ambition. But this ambitious dream of the protagonist never

unattainable. As a result, he became gradually sick and miserable. He

became mentally dichotomous. He became a split personality. In the

course of his life he was completely smitten with a scorching flame of

frustration. Finally, he committed suicide. The playwright wants to show

regards the material gain is the absolute happiness.

Death of a Salesman is such a popular play that it has remained at the

center of the modern American plays. This play is an experiment in the

theatre. It is the best example of expressionism in modern American play.

As an expressionistic modern American play, it uses a cross section of a

beliefs that have been wrong from the start.

Death of a Salesman has been given a privileged position in American

drama because it is a modern tragedy. Aristotle felt that only characters

humble characters. Miller's Willy Loman is not a peasant, nor is he noble.

In fact, Miller took a frightening risk in producing a figure that we find

hard to like. Willy wants to be well liked, but as an audience, we find it

difficult to like a person who whines, complains and accepts petty

immorality as a normal way of life. Despite his character, we are awed

Willy stands as an aspect of our culture, commercial and otherwise that

is at the center of our reflection of ourselves. Perhaps we react so strongly

audiences in America in many different economic circumstances:

prosperity, recession, rapid growth, and cautions development. No matter

what those circumstances we have looked at the play as if looking in a

always made us pleased with ourselves.

John Mark Traje