Running head: PLAYWRIGHT 1

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

Name

Institution
PLAYWRIGHT 2

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

The American Dream is an apparent roadmap for the direction that life should take. This

is the core element presented in Death of a Salesman, a play written by Arthur Miller in 1949.

The American Dream promises a prosperous and entirely fulfilling life for those who take

advantage of every opportunity presented to them and work hard. Regardless of the status or

class, America presents a land of opportunity for all where if one works hard, they gain personal

fulfillment and success. Dreams may vary but they still fundamentally drive the vitality of

success.

The play Death of a Salesman is an important artifact of both the American history and

culture. This is a play that has uplifted Arthur Miller’s name to a household sensation, and has

been showcased in different theatres and for different audiences since it was written in 1949. To

this day, the playwright is regarded as among the greatest dramatists of the twentieth centuries,

due to this play, and others such as The Price (1968), A View from the Bridge (1955), The

Crucible (1953), and All My Sons (1947). Aside from plays, the playwright penned many

screenplays, essays, and radio plays, all of which contributed to his accolade and popularity.

Death of A Salesman premiered in theatres on Broadway on 10th February 1949. The play

follows the life of Willy Loman, as he desperately pursues his long-held dream of success for

himself and his children. This play has been acclaimed for its emotional intensity, its fluidity to

the time and the place that it was set, and its impact dramatically. For its drama, Miller was

awarded the 1949 Pulitzer, The New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, and a Tony Award for

the Best Play. Initially, this play ran for 742 performances and continues to be performed in

different contexts culturally or otherwise since then. The initial production of play in a review by
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the Belvoir theatre, called attention to the impeccable lighting of the play designed by Jo

Mielziner[ CITATION Bel132 \l 1033 ].

Arthur Miller presents a tragic hero who is unique in the face of Willy Loman[ CITATION

Oly09 \l 1033 ]. Loman is the head of a middle-class family who resides in Brooklyn. Willy is

sixty-three years old, and a salesman. He is the main character in the play, alongside his family

who comprise Linda, a devout, caring and loving wife, and his two adult sons Happy and

Biff[ CITATION Mil49 \l 1033 ]. This play is an account of the last day of Willy’s life on earth, and

his interactions with his family on this particular day.

Throughout the play, Miller lets the past of the Loman family unfold in memory

snapshots from Willy. Alongside these snapshots, the play takes place in the present. The

snapshots depict the life of the young boys and how Willy interacted with them as a proud father.

It also includes snapshots of Willy’s successful brother Ben who is apparently dead, and Willy’s

supposed mistress[ CITATION Mil49 \l 1033 ]. The question, however, is whether these snapshots

are truthful recollections or they are distorted memories that Willy misshapes to reflect what he

wished had happened in his life. During the course of the play, it is evident that Willy holds great

regard for the American dream and wishes that he and his sons had accomplished this.

Constantly, Willy asserts that people who are well liked the general “somebody” are the ones

who are held to high regard by others in the society; and as a man who suffers ridicule, Willy

may not be valued and has not accomplished much[ CITATION Mil49 \l 1033 ].

The principles Willy holds in high regard, are characteristic of the American Dream.

Values such as initiative, freedom, family, hard work, consumerism, self-sufficiency,

recognition, fulfillment, and competition among others all fall into the rhetoric of the American

dream[ CITATION Yor12 \l 1033 ]. Since it is a land filled with opportunity, people living in
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America are encouraged to have initiative and to work hard in order to achieve this dream. A

failure, therefore, implies that the person and not the system, has failed. Miller is quoted saying

that blame was impacted upon oneself during the Great Depression, and in times of harsh

economic conditions, instead of on the system and particularly this is what ensured that there was

no revolution at the time of economic crisis[ CITATION Yor12 \l 1033 ]. More so this particular

attitude is evident in not only Willy but also Biff, who place blame upon themselves because

they do have not achieved the economic success and admiration or reputation that was an after

effect of the American Dream.

Different issues are brought to light in the play. These issues are depictions of the way of

life or the regard to which life was held in 1949. This was an era rife with constant change, both

industrial, political and technological[ CITATION Yor12 \l 1033 ]. It was the era after the Great

Depression, and two global wars. These issues within the play highlight the plight and concern

held by other Americans at the time. Since technology was slowly taking over, and the war was

over, many industries and therefore forms of employment were becoming obsolete. The result

was dire financial conditions for individuals living in these families. In addition, different

generations hold different values, as was evident in Willy and his son Biffs differences. The play

questioned how generational differences and shifted values ought to be dealt with in the context

of family, business and in the general society.

Alongside this paradox of living in a society slowly changing because of technology, the

Death of a Salesman outlines theme of isolation[ CITATION Hoo10 \l 1033 ]. From Willy Lowman

to his sons, the idea of isolation is interwoven throughout the play. For Willy, isolation stems

from being alienated. He constantly feels like he is ridiculed, laughed at, not taken seriously, and

not recognized. His work alienates him, taking him from his home to a different city; and his
PLAYWRIGHT 5

lack of success alienates him from his family and friends. Biff, is alienated due to his constant

lack of proper employment, and Happy is alienated due to a lack of stability in his relationships.

This alienation especially from his children and due to lack of financial stability and the power

associated with it is what drives Willy to suicide. His materialistic wishes instead of granting him

solace, break him and result in his end.

A somber satire, Death of a Salesman is a masterpiece which has transcended time and

application. Its usefulness in the era of technological advancement and the unabashed pursuance

of the American dream have extended to this day. Essentially, the questions raised by the play

still hold grave significance today. Economic instability in households, unemployment, changing

values within generations, technological advancements, the price of progress, the overbearing

needs of a capitalist society, violence in households, infidelity, isolation, and suicide. All these

are issues that are constantly at the core of society today and this play outlines our conditions

today and has never held more relevance than now.

As a result of this, the play continues to be produced on and on in different theatres and

with different cultural contexts and other contexts. For instance, the play has been produced in

the Yale Repertory Theatre and directed by James Bundy. Here, the play has been presented as a

lesson to students. Another reproduction of the play was performed in 2012 at the Belvoir St

Theatre and directed by Simon Stone. Another reproduction directed by Damien Cruden was

performed in the York Theatre Royal in London. These few are examples of the many

productions of the play, and an illustration of the impact that the play continues to have in the

society today.

Indeed the topics expounded upon in the Death of a Salesman were very relevant at the

time it was produced. It attacks notions of the American Dream, the oppressive burdens of the
PLAYWRIGHT 6

capitalist society, the character of the consumer society at the time and technological

advancements. The play also outlines different social issues which play a great role in the society

both today and at the time of production. Issues of family, betrayal, suicide, alienation all come

to light as fundamental aspects of the society. In bringing these issues to light, Miller presents a

masterpiece that continues to shape households and the society at large. He enunciated the issues

facing America and gave thought to the American people. It is no surprise, therefore, that his

name has been ranked among the most successful playwrights of the 20th century, and his play

continues to reawaken audiences even today.

PLAYWRIGHT 7

Works Cited

Belvoir. Belvoir Presents: Death of a Salesman. 2013. 15 April 2018.

<https://belvoir.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Salesman_Resource-

Kit_Belvoir.pdf>.

Hooti, Noorbakhsh. "Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman: A Postmodernist Study." Studies in

Literature and Language (2010): 15-28. 13 April 2018.

<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/50934204_Arthur_Miller's_Death_of_a_Sales

man_A_Postmodernist_Study>.

Miller, Arthur. "Death of a Salesman." (1949). 13 April 2018.

<http://www.pelister.org/literature/ArthurMiller/Miller_Salesman.pdf>.

Olyaie, Donesh. "Death of a Salesman: An Introduction." (2009). 15 April 2018.

<https://yalerep-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/study

%20guides/Salesman_Study_Guide.pdf>.

York Theatre Royal. "Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman." (2012). 14 April 2018.

<https://www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/userfiles/files/Death%20of%20a

%20Salesman.pdf>.