Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman as Classic Greek Tragedy

Miller’s Death of a Salesman is an interesting and complex play set at a time of great change in America. Some people believe that it is one of a few classic tragedies written in modern time. While on the surface this play and characters don’t appear to hold the definition of tragedy that Aristotle described. In a modern context I believe it may be very close to fitting that mold.

Willy is a person that has always been a dreamer. Willy is very proud and self reliant in his approach to life. So much so, that his attitude contributes to his overall downfall. Willy’s character lives during a time of great change in America. Willy’s job along with the American way of life he loved and felt secure with has outgrown him. As his life and job slip away from him, Willy’s attempts to hold his dreams and family together continue to deteriorate to a point that all he has left are his memories.

The main character Willy Loman has a certain rough appeal. He is married and a father, and supports his family both financially and emotionally. Willy shows encouragement to his children when they are younger. Willy certainly shows the ability to be great, at least in the eyes of his family and children and that seems important to him.

Willy’s children and wife see him as a great man and father, as all small children and loving wives do. The children, especially Biff, idolized him as a person in their youth. This is characterized in the way Biff “simonizes” the car as a child. Biff hangs on every word from his father; wanting to know where he’s been on his trips and if he can come along and carry his valises. When Biff discovered he’d failed math, surely his greatest time of…

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…te for Willy to be in, it certainly is not necessary. His house is almost paid off, his other bills are also almost cleared. He has been given a job offer numerous times by Charley. Willy he can’t have someone else give him the answer or fix things for him or give him a job like Charley or Ben offered a number of times. Willy has to do it himself, he has to accomplish the task because he’s Willy Loman. This is certainly the case when he decides to end his life and he is not sad about doing this. Willy is actually excited and enthusiastic. He’s figured out a way to give Biff a chance to make something of himself with the life insurance money, and he gets himself out of having to admit he’s not the man he’s portrayed himself to be. Willy isn’t doing this for profit or to hurt anyone, it’s a solution to a problem that Willy can provide. The ultimate sale so to speak.