The Character of Willy Loman in Arthur Millers Death of...

The Character of Willy Loman in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Willy Loman, the main character in Death of a Salesman is a complex tragic character. He is a man struggling to hold onto the little dignity he has left in a changing society. While society may have caused some of his misfortune, Willy must be held responsible for his poor judgment, disloyalty and foolish pride. Willy Loman is a firm believer in the American Dream: the notion that any man can rise from humble beginnings to greatness. His particular slant on this ideal is that a man succeeds by selling his charisma, that to be well liked is the most important asset a man can have. He made a living at this for 30 years, but as he enters the reclining years of†¦show more content†¦Biff, after catching his father with the woman begins to question these values. He realizes that for him, at least, these values are not applicable, and he is not too concerned if he doesnt come out on top. He just wants to be able to say he knows who he is. The aptly named Happy continues to believe in these ideals even after his fathers death and decides that the Loman name will succeed. In 1949, shortly after the plays premiere, Miller wrote a controversial essay about how Death of a Salesman was a true tragedy, only with common people rather than kings. Lomans lack of self-awareness is not unlike King Lears, it could be argued - both men evoke the tragic by dying in the effort to secure, in Millers words, a sense of personal dignity. As the play progresses, one begins to feel sorry for Willy and his predicament, but also angry and frustrated with the character for his foolish pride. It is this trait that prevents him from accepting a steady job with Charlie, something that could have saved his life. However, it is this false pride has been sparking the family flame for years, the notion that the Loman name was well known and well-liked. The family lie even amongst themselves about their position as is revealed during the climax of the play: BIFF ...We never told the truth for ten minutes in this house! HAPPY We always told the truth! BIFF (turning on him) You big blow, are you the assistantShow MoreRelated Minor Characters Impact on Willy Loman in Arthur Millers play, Death of a Salesman471 Words   |  2 PagesMinor Characters Impact on Willy Loman in Arthur Millers play, Death of a Salesman In the Arthur Miller play Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman comes in contact with several characters, many of whom prompt him to examine his past as well as his conscience. Charleys son Bernard is such a character. Lacking dimension and depth of character, Bernard functions primarily as a foil to expose Willys tragic and pathetic nature. The other characters have no real interaction with Willy that wouldRead MoreArthur Miller s Death Of A Salesman Essay1567 Words   |  7 Pagesis a sad story, which represents a character with a tragic flaw leading to his downfall. In addition, in traditional tragedy, the main character falls from high authority and often it is predetermined by fate, while the audience experiences catharsis (Irving 247). Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman is considered to be a tragedy because this literary work has some of the main characteristics of the tragedy genre. In this play, the main character Willy Loman possesses such traits and behaviorsRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller1573 Words   |  7 Pagestragedy is a sad story, which represents a character with a tragic flaw leading to his downfall. In addition, in traditional tragedy, the main character falls from high authority and often it is predetermined by fate, while the audience experiences catharsis (Bloom 2). Art hur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman is considered to be a tragedy because this literary work has some of the main characteristics of the tragedy genre. In this play, the main character Willy Loman possesses such traits and behaviorsRead More Willy Loman, Redefining the Tragic Hero in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman1065 Words   |  5 PagesWilly Loman, Redefining the Tragic Hero in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman      Ã‚  Ã‚   The events in the life of Willy Loman in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman are no doubt tragic, yet whether or not he can be considered a tragic hero in a traditional sense is a topic requiring some discussion. Aristotle set the criteria for qualities a character must possess in order to be considered a tragic hero. 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The criteria and standards proposed by Miller may be used to evaluate his timeless work, Death of A Salesman. The first major standard of tragedy set forth is:   â€Å"...if the exaltation of tragic action were truly a property of the high-bred character alone, it is inconceivable thatRead MoreThe American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller1127 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican dream. To have a big house, two kids and a picket fence. In Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman every character uses lies and deceit as a way to escape reality. With this said, it is only Biff’s character that is dynamic, realizing the error of his ways. Constantly, each character escapes their problems with deceit. Even Biff remains in this state of falsehood, until he reaches his epiphany. The main character Willy Loman, is constantly fooling himself into believing that he is a hugeRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Millers Death Of Salesman 1611 Words   |  7 PagesResearch paper on death of salesman Arthur Miller created stories that express the deepest meanings of struggle. Miller is the most prominent twentieth-century American playwrights. He based his works on his own life, and his observations of the American scene. Arthur Asher Miller was born 17 October 1915 in Manhattan, New York city. He was the son of Jewish immigrants from Poland. His parents had a prosperous clothing company. Unfortunately when the stock market crashed, because his familyRead More The American Dream Conspiracy in Death of a Salesman Essay1728 Words   |  7 PagesArthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman tells the story of the failure of a salesman, Willy Loman. Although not all Americans are salesmen, most of us share Willy’s dream of success. We are all partners in the American Dream and parties to the conspiracy of silence surrounding the fact that failures must outnumber successes.(Samantaray, 2014) Miller amalgamates the archetypal tragic hero with the mundane American citizen. The result is the anti-hero, Willy Loman. He is a simple salesman who constantlyRead MoreWilly Loman And The American Dream Analysis1075 Words   |  5 Pages In Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, Willy Lomans pursuit of the American Dream is characterized by his selfishness, demonstrating how the American Dream can subtly turn into the American Nightmare. However, Willy’s role is quite important because he often led to failure through the creation of the American Dream and the real world. To fully understand the storyline of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, one must evaluate each member of the Loman family. The death of Willy Loman implies