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Colleen Norton
Professor Pamela Tolbert-Bynum
English 102
October 12, 2015
Tragically Flawed: The Role of Willy Lowman in Death of a Salesman
According to Arthur Miller in his article, Tragedy and the Common Man, a tragic hero
is defined as, a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing his
sense of personal dignity. Regarded as one of the finest dramas of American theatre, Death of a
Salesman, tells the story of a depressed and overworked businessman, Willy Lowman, as he
experiences the internal conflict of pride and regret following his chase of the American Dream,
ultimately influencing the decision to commit suicide. While some would argue that Willy is a
depicted as a tragic hero, its more evident to see through his actions and decisions made
throughout the course of the play that his demise stems from not only being a victim of tragic
flaws, but also a general loss of his personal dignity. Considering his overall failure as a parent
and his foolish pride, it can be said such flaws in Willys character have influenced the situations
under which he chooses to end his life.
In regards to Millers belief of what evokes to audiences the tragic feeling, its clear to
see how Willy Lowmans suicide was not instigated by fate, but by the result of the tragic flaws
which placed him in the position he found himself by the plays end. In terms of Willys
personal dignity, it could be argued that Willy lost his dignity long ago, using his sense of
false pride as an illusion to fool others (Miller 63). As Willy has been ready to lay down his

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life, its difficult for audiences to sympathize with him considering his selfish, arrogant actions
as a result of the imperfections of his character.
Debatably his largest tragic flaw, Willys negative effect on his children as a parent
results in their development from popular and admired young men to under-achieving adults,
ultimately causing frustration for our protagonist. While instilling in his sons, Biff and Happy,
the priority of reputation and physical appearance, Willy urges them, be liked and you will
never want (Miller 21). As he mocks his intelligent nephew, Bernard, for being a contentious
student and a worm, Willy encourages his sons to focus more on their social lives and success
as athletes as opposed to their schoolwork (Miller 21). In a flashback, he admits to his brother,
Ben, his strive to teach the boys to seek out their successes in being, rugged, well-liked, allaround (Miller 34). Based on Biffs performance in sports and Happys charm with women, its
been suggested that Willy feels his sons were raised beyond the level of merely human by the
extent of their prominence among others (Jacobson 5). Constantly boasting of his success in
business, solely on the basis of being well-known, Willy fails to teach his children the struggles
of effort and hard work and hides from them his own personal insecurities and self-doubt.
Through his denial of Biffs ability to do wrong, Willy also fails to confront and punish his son
when the situation calls for it. By neglecting to scold his son as a child and teaching him not to
steal, Biff continues to be a thief as an adult and serves time in jail for committing such a crime.
It can be seen in the play that Willys mistakes as a parent have not only shaped Biff and Happy
into the men they have become, but have also influenced their relationship with their father.
Biffs laziness as a result of Willys parental neglect has inevitably cost him to lose his ability to
graduate school and make use of his football scholarship. Willys frustrations with Biff, who still
seeks to find himself at 34, cause a great deal of stress in their relationship with one another,

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contributing to Willys depression and insanity. One literary critic shares that, most seem to
accept the assumption that Willy Loman determines to commit suicide because his older son Biff
has at last openly and unequivocally declared his "love" for his father (Phelps, Millers Death
of a Salesman). Based on this interpretation, it could be suggested that without the element of
Willys failure as a parent serving as a tragic flaw, neither the dysfunction that occurs in his
relationship with his with his son nor the fatal revelation of Biffs love for him would be present.
Acting as another tragic flaw, Willys sense of pride contributes to a great deal of conflict
throughout the course of the play and inevitably leads to his ultimate demise upon taking his life.
Having watched Ben, his older brother, strike rich at the age of 21, Willy struggles with his
desire for wealth and his chase of the American Dream. As a result of his pride and rarely
revealing his insecurities in the presence of others, Willy tends to be extremely critical of those
around him, denying himself the opportunity to have quality relationships with his loved ones
and business partners. In one of the plays most revealing scenes, Willy loses his job following a
heated conversation between himself and his boss, Howard. When Howard denies him a position
in New York, Willy loses his temper, insisting that, in 1928 I had a big year. I averaged a
hundred and seventy dollars a week in commissions (Miller 62). Following Howards attempt to
correct him in regards to this statement, Willy becomes even more enraged, demonstrating the
frustration that results from his inability to use his pride as a crutch. Its important to note that
Howard is not entirely unfamiliar with Willlys inflated ego, being quick to reference his false
pride when Willy shares with him Biff and Happys business deal (Miller 63). No longer with a
job, financially struggling, and weekly borrowing money from his neighbor, Willy considers his
life insurance policy, recognizes that he is worth more to his family dead than he is alive, and
ends his own life. It is not only Willys pride in himself, but also his pride in his children that

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influence where he finds himself at the plays end. Willys pride in Biff and Happys successes as
children prevent him from being an effective parent and recognizing when they must be
corrected.
In his article, "Death of a Salesman, Life of a Jew: Ethnicity, Business, and the
Character of Willy Loman, Bert Cardullo critiques that, Miller's most highly regarded work yet
a relatively early one in his career, has been for me like going to the funeral of a man you wish
you could have liked more. The occasion seals your opinion because you know there is no hope
of change or improvement. While Miller strived to evoke the tragic feeling in audiences and
readers alike, its hard to consider Willy Lowman a tragic hero in Death of a Salesman. Due to
his tragic flaws, Willy had influence over that which drove him to end his life. Whether it be
his neglect as a father or his tendency to make decisions based on his sense of pride, its
impossible for audiences to find tragedy in the death of a character who so greatly brought
conflict onto himself.

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Works Cited
Cardullo, Bert. "Death Of A Salesman," Life Of A Jew: Ethnicity, Business, And The Character
Of Willy Loman."Southwest Review 92.4 (2007): 583-596. Academic Search Premier.
Web. 10 Oct. 2015.
Jacobson, Irving. "Family Dreams In Death Of A Salesman." American Literature 47.2 (1975):
247. Academic Search Premier. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.
Miller, Arthur. "Tragedy and the Common Man." New York Times [New York] 27 Feb. 1949: n.
pag. Print.
Phelps, H.C. "Miller's Death Of A Salesman." Explicator 53.4 (1995): 239. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.