Playwright born in New York City on October 17, 1915, began career as student at University of Michigan, wrote Death of a Salesman which won Pulitzer Prize
Death of a Salesman
Miller's most famous work, addresses painful conflicts within one family, tackles larger issues regarding American national values, examines the cost of blind faith in the American Dream
Subject
The waning days of a falling salesman
Setting
1940, Willy Loman's house in New York City and Boston
Main Characters
Willy Loman
Linda Loman
Biff Loman
Happy Loman
Willy Loman
The play revolves around his actions during the last24hoursofhislife, craves attention and is governed by a desire for success, carefully selects memories or re-creates past events, perceives himself as a failure
Biff Loman
Drives Willy's actions and thoughts, particularly his memories, grew up believing hewasnotboundbysocialrulesorexpectations, rejects Willy and his philosophy after learning of his affair
Happy Loman
Incorporates his father's habit of manipulatingreality, exaggerates his position to create the illusion of success
Linda Loman
Loving, devotedwife, naïve and realistic of Willy's hopes, emotionally supportive of Willy, Willy's strength until his tragic perishing
Major Themes
Theme of success
Theme of pride
Theme of infidelity
Theme of AmericanDream
Theme of Success
Willy pursues concrete evidence of his worth and success, projects his obsession with material achievement onto his sons
Theme of Pride
Pride functions as a means of self-deception, the Lomans celebrate their own successdespitestrugglingfinancially
Theme of Infidelity
Willy betrays Linda's love and Biff's trust with his affair, preoccupied by the fear of betrayal
Theme of American Dream
Willy is a dreamer of epic proportions, his dreams of materialsuccess and freedom dwarf other aspects of his mentality
Techniques used to reflect Willy's inner conflicts
1. Flashbacks showing Willy's misconceptions about the American Dream from the past
2. Hallucinations alongside the current action of the play in the present, Willy breaks from his present and shifts to talk with imaginary people
Differentconcepts of the AmericanDream shown in the play
Willy thinks success = beingwell-liked and attractive
Charley and his son Bernard believe success is determined by hardwork
Willy's manager Howard embodies a materialistic, capitalisticview