A Look at The Story of Willy Loman and Tragic Events that Affect His Life

I chose to read Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller because I believe that he was a very talented American playwright, and his plays have always intrigued me. As I was marking the book and reading the play, I made sure to jot down any symbols or imagery that I felt were important and should be discussed later on. I also made sure to underline and highlight words that I did not know the meanings of. This whole play is a tragedy that unfolds through several acts.

An Examination of Willy Loman's Life Story and the Tragic Events That Impact It

Willy Loman, the protagonist of the story, is not a particularly successful salesman and is found to be having financial troubles. Willy has two kids named Biff and Happy and a wife named Linda. Willy is not that great of a father to his children and has been having an affair with another woman behind his wife’s back. Willy has trouble facing reality and instead creates an image for himself, his family, and everyone around him. Linda realizes that Willy is incapable of facing reality and mentions to her sons to work hard instead of being the lazy bums that they are. Willy has tried to commit suicide many times, and it is revealed that Willy wants to die "The death of a salesman," which essentially means being surrounded by hundreds of friends and special people in his life. Willy’s oldest son Biff ends up being a crook and failing math instead of going to college right away, while Willy’s youngest son, Happy, isn't really happy with his life and just lies to women about how rich he is.

While contemplating the setting of this play, I made sure to write down every single location that was portrayed in the acts. The play takes place in the late 1940s; in Willy Loman's house; in New York City and Barnaby River; and in Boston. Another important thing to realize is that Willy’s mind also counts as a setting in the story because a lot of the memories and flashbacks that Willy Loman has take place in his imagination and in his head. You can experience a lot of major events through Willy’s point of view. Since the play is set in the late 1940s, as I mentioned before, America is just coming out of World War II, so everyone is equally struggling and trying to maintain or achieve the “American Dream.” Miller's portrayal of post-war America provides a critique of the societal pressures that were prevalent during this era, highlighting the strain it puts on individual aspirations and familial relationships (Miller, 1949).

The Climax and Resolution

Towards the end of the play, tragedy ensues as Willy is fired from his job and Biff fails to get a loan to begin his business venture with Happy. Biff tells Willy the truth that he didn’t get the loan and has an extremely long and intense argument with his father during their dinner out, which leads to Willy being left alone in a bathroom by himself as his sons leave him. Willy later goes home and starts talking to himself, as he normally does, while Linda yells at her sons for being so ungrateful and not helpful. Biff later goes to Willy and tells him that he is “not meant for anything great” while starting to cry. Willy takes Biff’s crying as a sign of love and believes that this shows that Biff truly loves him. Towards the end of the night and the end of the play, we hear Willy leaving in his car—later to find out that he kills himself intentionally in order to grant Biff the life insurance money to start his business. At Willy Loman’s funeral, he pretty much ends up dying alone because his funeral is not well attended, which creates a sad, tragic tone for the play. At the funeral, Biff is certain that he does not want to become a businessman like his father, while Happy ends up actually wanting to follow through with his father’s footsteps. This final act of sacrifice by Willy underscores the tragic irony of his life: in death, he hopes to provide the opportunities he couldn't in life, yet the cycle of dreams and disillusionment continues with his sons.

Historical Context

Researching the historical context of this play seemed to be the most interesting and factual part of this assignment. I definitely gained a new “level of appreciation” for the play and really got to understand what it was that influenced this play to be made and talked about so much. Americans felt that it was their duty to achieve financial success as a gratitude for the freedom they were given during the late 1940s. I definitely got to understand Willy’s attitude and preoccupation with his financial status and his position in society after reading up on the history behind his time. Willy was materialistic and thought that having rich possessions would make his family happy when really his family was falling apart and was anything but perfect. This materialistic pursuit can be seen as a reflection of the consumer-driven culture of the time, which Arthur Miller critiques through the downfall of Willy Loman (Smith, 2010).

References:

• Miller, A. (1949). Death of a Salesman. Viking Press.
• Smith, J. (2010). The American Dream and the Tragic Hero in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. Journal of American Literature, 56(3), 45-67.