Death of a Salesman

Arthur Miller
THE AMERICAN DREAM:

Is there a constant Contrast between Tragedy and social Tragedy?????????

magnitude, complete in itself dramatic nor in narrative form language with pleasurable accessories, each kind brought in separately in the parts of the work with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions.

Imitation of an action that is serious, having

DIVISION OF TRAGEDY ACCORDING TO PARTICULAR AGE/ERA

Greek Tragedy
Elizabethan Tragedy Modern Tragedy

Arthur Millers Concept

Tragic feeling is evoked in us when person lay down

his life to secure his personal dignity Miller rejects the Greek tragedy and calls it archaic fit only for kings Common Man is Apt Subject for tragedy The feeling of terror and fear can be aroused by mans fight against the environment ,too It takes place when human loses grip over th forces of life.

Willy

Loman actually a Lowman Common Materialistic Concern More dreaming, Less practicality Willy Facing Common/small Problems An Elegy on the unsuccessful Willy Weak and sensitive

Critics views
Eric Bentley ,a stimulating critic Feels that the play

is not a Tragedy, it arouse pity but not terror/fear He remarked it a social drama a/Tragedy
Its main theme is the little man as victim Man is here too little two passive to play the tragic

hero.

Eleanor Clark Agrees with Eric Bently Clark Sees Miller as a Marxist who has been confused By tragedy He said that it was written against the capitalism It is of course the capatilistic system that has done Willy

"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.

A Few key traits of the Tragic Hero

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

Father Son Relationship

In 20th century American literature relationships were key to the Plot Death of a Salesman gives us a pen picture of Willy Loman and his relationship within his sons. Willy favours biff which leads to to a social conflicts with the less favoured son Happy Biff was Willy Favourite son, Biff had also idolizes his father

Death of a Salesman is called the first great American tragedy A tragedy is the story of a tragic hero. Tragedy originated with the ancient Greeks. The philosopher, Aristotle, defines a tragic hero as a character who:

Is a noble (high ranking) person in society Is neither completely good nor completely evil. Undergoes a terrible downfall The downfall is due partly to fate (circumstances beyond the characters control.) The downfall is also due in part to some flaw in character (tragic flaw or weakness) The hero eventually comes to some enlightenment about himself or about life.

The play deals with a family in conflict, but also attacks Americas national values. Miller charges America with selling a false myth centered around widespread materialism. He believes widespread materialism obscures personal truth and moral vision, the original American dream a dream of freedom and opportunity for all. Miller, like other writer and artists of his generation, was disturbed that so many Americans center their lives around the pursuit of material possessions (cars, appliances homes etc.) often in competition with equally materialist neighbors.

The play is about failure and disillusionment. A sons belief in his father and a fathers dreams for his sons and himself are sadly crushed. Although the play deals with dismal failure, it also celebrates the love between a father and a son. The play is a realistic study of the decline of a man, Willy Loman, and the symbolic presentation of the pursuit of the American dream. The dream conflicts with reality of American life. (For example, the consumer goods Willy labors to secure break down before theyre paid for the car, appliances etc.)

The are two personifications of success in the play

Ben who succeeds through luck, not hard work. Dave Singleman the successful salesman Willy strives to emulate.

We never know what Willy sells its not important. What a true salesman peddles is not the product, but himself. The the success of a salesman is vastly important on a personal level. (This is why Biff lies hes selling his product himself.)

Willys

failure is a loss of his manhood. He stresses manhood in his admiration of Biffs womanizing prowess and athletic ability. Death of a Salesman reflects on a character who is in conflict with society and himself. Names in the play are somewhat symbolic. (Willy Low man, Dave single man, Happy etc.)