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In Arthur Miller s Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman is a salesman whom lives his life chasing the American Dream. Willy Loman envisions being an individual who is well known and liked, something quite superficial. Because he cannot attain what he dreams of success his life becomes a series of denials and falsehoods. Arthur Miller writes Willy Loman as a contradiction of the American dream. He is not a tragic hero with the potential for greatness, yet a common man who cannot come to terms with reality. Willy cannot reach self-realization and would rather live in a false world than come to terms with the actuality that he is nobody, just another salesman.
Willy Loman is a common man who lives inside his American dream, the thing that would later destroy him. There are many elements in Death of a Salesman that can easily mistake Willy Loman for being the typical tragic hero. The typical model of a tragic hero dictates that this character must invoke sympathy and terror in the audience. Willy Loman evokes these two emotions, thus making Death of a Salesman not entirely foreign to the reader. Willy was a diligent worker who is labeled as, a dime a dozen a hard-working drummer who landed in the ash can like all the rest of them! (Miller, 132). Biff, Willy Loman s son identifies with the fact that his father was nothing but a man who worked hard and did not succeed in society.
He is common, like all the rest of them. Willy is not a grand figure one looks up to, but yet a creature, like the rest of us. Bierman explains the reason that we can easily relate to Willy Loman being that, we are Miller s American contemporaries. (Beirman, 265). America is made up of men similar to Willy Loman.
Willy does not fit the model of a tragic hero. Willy invokes sympathy in the reader, but is not a grand man. Arthur Miller identifies that the model of a tragedy is, fit only for the very highly placed, the kings or the kingly (Miller, 143). Walter Loman was not a emperor or a noble man, but the complete contradiction. Miller expresses the idea that many tragedies are comprised only of men such as Othello and Macbeth, men who had a high stature in society. Linda Loman, Willy s wife further supports this fact when she says, I don t say he s a great man (Miller, 56).
She knows that her husband was not a prominent man that many would look up to. He was an ordinary workingman trying to survive in the cruel world of world of business. In the end this is the factor, which becomes only a means to an end (Clurman 213). The fact that Willy is not a great man is what kills him. Willy has not achieved the success he dreams of and lives within, but denies this. Miller writes, this further explains the point that even though Willy lives in a dream world he is still a letdown to society and himself.
Despite many factors in Willy s life he fails to realize that he is deteriorating. In the typical model of a tragedy this factor is extremely important. Willy was a common man, who dreamed of being great. He believed that, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead (Miller, 33). Willy s definition of success is something quite shallow. He believes that being well liked is the key to achievement and triumph.
Willy tries to create this plastic persona through out his adult life. Willy is a salesman and has sold himself on the idea that he is a great success. Therefore Willys entire life has been lived according to ideas about personal attractiveness and false illusions. He never questioned these values and never realized that he lived in a world of false impressions and dreams. He lives his life chasing this notion and boasts about his artificial success and affirms, they all know me they know me up and down New England (Miller, 31). Willy believes that he has succeeded.
But the exact opposite is true. The company he has worked for, for 35 years has taken, away his salary (Miller 56). Willy now strictly works on commission, and is treated, like a beginner, an unknown (Miller, 57). Willy is branded a failure and a nobody.
By taking away his salary the world has smacked him the face, yet Willy refuses to believe this. He still considers himself to be a, big shot who could have knocked em cold in Providence, slaughtered; em in Boston. (Miller, 33). Willy s unwillingness to believe that he has hit rock bottom, is the point that makes him not fit to be a tragic hero Willy refuses to come to a point of self-realization. Willy is now a nobody, but refuses to admit this to himself or his family. Willy has broken a law it is the law that says that a failure in society and in business has no right to live (Miller, 169). Willy is not a success and is not well liked, but yet refuses to arrive at this point.
He has failed society according to the ethics of business. Charley, Willy s neighbor recognizes that to Willy, when they stop smiling back- that s an earthquake (Miller, 138). Charley comments that to Willy when he is no longer noticed, or adored there is nothing else. Charley also is familiar with the concept Willy bases his life around and inquires, Why must everybody like you? (Miller, 97). He does not comprehend why Willy will not admit he needs assistance. Charley offers him a job and in doing so insults Willy.
Willy utters, I got a job Don t it insult me (Miller 43). To Willy this is the ultimate slight. The admission of his failure and meek existence would ruin his sense of achievement, thus the walls of his false dream world would come crashing down. The world is a battleground for Willy Loman where he must constantly fight to maintain dignity in the face of adversity. Willy can not admit he is common. If he were to confess this to himself and his family, it would be the admission that, the life he had was without form and inner meaning (Miller, 168).
Willy would rather be wrapped in a world filled with dreams and false hope than realize that he was a failure. Clurman explains how salesmanship implies a certain element of fraud: the ability to put over or sell a commodity (213). Willy is able to maintain this constituent of fraud and sell himself as if he were an article of trade. Through out the play he keeps up with the, commercial face with a commercial smile (Clurman 213). His job is to sell, he is a salesman, but has done a better job selling himself on a dream than he has in his business. The American dream destroyed Willy Loman.
Willy was scared to believe that he was no different from any other salesman or human being. He always wanted to believe that he was greater than that anyone else. His son accuses him of being an ordinary man, but Willy shouts back, I am not a dime a dozen! I am Willy Loman (Miller, 132).
The dream of being a great man engulfed Willy. A man once insulted Willy and he responded by hitting, him right across the face. I won t take that. I simply will not take that (Miller, 37) Willy would not admit he was an ordinary man.
When someone challenges him he refuses to remain inactive. Willy Loman is a contradiction of the American dream. The, the American dream has become distorted to the dream of business success (Clurman 213). In the past the American dream was a vision of promise of a better life. Willy has bought into this new vision of the American dream.
Willy s dream killed him. Willy has failed to live up to his American dream. His whole life he has talked about Willy Loman. A big shot yet this was merely the disillusionment of a deteriorating man. He literally lived within his dream, yet did not come close to accomplishment.
If Willy were to admit he was a failure his world of dreams would be torn apart. To Willy his dream was indescribably cruel. Willy has affirmed that America is a nightmare, a cause death. But Willy is not a tragic hero, but a foolish and feeble man whom we pity. Willy Loman dreamed of having success moreover the American dream was a delusion he lived in.
Willy was desperate to hold onto his American dream and block out reality. Willy dreamed of being well liked, and was unable to reach self-realization, something that would lead to his downfall. He does not embody all the characteristics of a tragic hero, making Death of a Salesman the story of a common man. Willy has become a failure.
He has been demoted in his work, his salary has been taken away, and worst of all is treated as a disappointment. He is unwilling to stay passive when his dignity has been challenged.
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Research essay sample on Death Of A Salesman Dime A Dozen
