Evaluation of Death of a Salesman

Evaluation of Death of a Salesman

The play was written by Arthur Miller who was born in Manhattan in 1915 by Jewish immigrant parents. He witnessed the depression and the failing of his fathers businesses. He went to college at the University of Michigan well he wrote and worked with plays.

He wrote Death of a Salesman in 1948 in a small Connecticut studio. The play took place in the great depression where a struggling business man tried to provide for his family. He has been working for years and is becoming very tired and crazy. He dies a sudden death in the end and he never completes the dream he wanted to as a salesman.

As soon as the play starts you get a feel for what the play is going to be like. Its dreary a dark mood Willy’s dream of becoming a wealthy salesman have fallen. The house they once bought that had such a spark has now decayed around other apartment buildings like Willy’s dream is slowly decaying. Everyone can relate to this they first have a big outlook and dream but when the dream falls so does everything else around someone. The play unfolds slowly throughout using a number of symbols, themes, and motifs. The play picks apart everyone especially Willy. The play contains two acts and a Requiem which takes place at the end of the story where Willy’s death occurs. Many troubles lead up to his death.

The story contains many symbols one is the seeds. These represent Willy’s career he keeps planting trying to be a better salesman and a better father but keeps failing. As said “You can’t raise a carrot in the back yard.” (lines 120-121). This also lets you know that things are not going well for him. Not only can he live the American dream but he cannot even plant a seed for crops, his career or with his son Biff.

The American dream is constantly mentioned and it is something very important it is something Willy is striving for and not only him but so does everyone in today’s society. To live the American dream was very hard then and is becoming very hard now we can all relate to that. We try to be well like, have a good personality, and want good modern things American life offers us but some fail just like Willy. He doesn’t have a good personality its gritty you can see this when he called Bernard a nerd and also says, “Bernard is not well liked is he?” (line 481). This lets you know how he feels about him and this happens in everyday society because he is smart people called them geeks but they are the ones who will be successful in life.

Betrayal is also a big issue in the story. Willy feels betrayed by Biff because he is not going to be a business man like his father. Biff can’t find his way in life. Everyone at my age can relate to that. Fathers and mothers have expectations for us and want us to follow in their footsteps when it is truly not what we want. We strive to figure out what we want to do and receive from life just as Biff did all through the play. He is a character of importance that everyone can relate to. He is much different that Happy who is big in the business world like his father and for that he is admired more than Biff is. But you see inside Happy is not as happy as it appears he is lonely and has betrayed so many people as stated, “I went and ruined her, and furthermore I can’t get rid of her. And he’s the third executive I’ve done that to.” (lines 317-318) He sleeps with his co-workers soon to be wives which is a bad trait. While biff wants to find the one. Everyone can relate to someone in this play.

The play also mentioned a lot about other countries one was Alaska, where his father found his fortune. While Ben on the other hand found his in Africa. The Alaska and African jungle symbolize Willy’s failures in life and as a business man, but on the other hand the American West gives him hope and potential in which he so desperately needs but never finds. A lot in the story also there is a mention of diamonds which is mentioned by Ben this represents the wealth Willy desperately craves. In the end Ben influences him by telling him to kill himself to make his life more meaningful and to help his family.

The play is more interesting when the woman arrives. First reading I became drawn into it and couldn’t stop I just wanted to know what the woman had to do with the whole plot. The stockings played a key role. They were a symbol of betrayal not only to Linda but to Biff who had caught him with her and I assume never forgave him for what he had done to his mother, but his mother never found out the truth which was what I was waiting on to happen. Willy would also by new stockings to give back to Linda out of guilt of what he had done to her and Biff.

Then later in the story you find out Willy has tried