The Play Death of a Salesman - Essay Example

The Play Death of a Salesman The play 'Death of a Salesman' is written by Arthur Miller who is one of the most influential playwrights in the history of America. Miller's plays are a depiction of the everyday life of Americans and the problems they undergo. Miller has been psychologically attached to the minds of Americans and has in depth knowledge of their everyday issues therefore relating to them and feeling their emotions, Miller then devises such plays which touch the heart and soul of Americans to which they can easily connect too. A very good example of such a play is 'Death of a Salesman’; it is one of the most influential American plays that has captivated the heart of many readers. It is also a guiding pathway for all those young writer who seek to incorporate the essence of America in their writing. This play has won millions of hearts and has even been able to attract various awards. This play has made it way to be the recipient of prestigious awards such as the 'Pulitzer prize for drama' in the year 1949 and also the 'Tony award for best play'. This play according to me is a quintessential American drama. Many playwrights in recent times have debated on whether this play is a perfect example of American drama and to my understanding I side this approach. As Bigsby acknowledges the play to be revolving around American essentialism, I also believe that the play has a deep core of essentialism in it. Bigsby acknowledges it in the following words "In an era when many scholars question precisely what constitutes American essentialism; most theatregoers still regard Death of a Salesman as the quintessential American play. But the play also transcends its own American heritage and claims to American essentialism" (Bigsby 63). In 'Death of a salesman', Miller purposely uses geographical location that ties the entire essay to America. In the course of the essay the writer shows the bending of time in that era. It is a merger of the past and the present in such a way that the audience relates to the life of the main lead. This way the author builds up on the affinity to the place so the masses could easily connect and relate to their place that is their homeland. This relation is very important so that the entire essay is tied to a solid, strong and firm geographical reality. Sterling acknowledges the fact that the drama is related more than an American Dream itself as it can relate to many societies and countries who are experiencing the same kind of matter. He states "The culture, ideology and geography, that speaks to all people of all societies, and all ages" (Sterling 38). Through the character of Willy the writer tries to portray and develop the image of a flawless American man and the obstacles he faces in his everyday life. His family life, that is with how he behaves and what sort of treatment he gets from his family. Despite the fact that he has grown up sons he still is the only bread winner for his family. His sense of responsibility is something to be appreciated over the course of the story. His wife tends to support the laziness of her children who which annoys Willy, which is usually seen in all blue collar families that the wife tends to support the children despite they are wrong and the burden mostly comes over the male who then has to bear all expenses on his own. The character of Willy is best described in the words of Londre, "A portrayal of a near tragic proportions, presenting a quintessential American salesman as has been, struggling to understand and justify his failure to himself and his family" (Londre 401). Willy Loman is a perfect example of a tragic hero that is usually seen in American dramas but this does not encompass the features of a classical tragedy. The honesty and nobility of Willy has been seen throughout the play. A great example of his honesty lies in the fact when he asks Howard (his boss) for a raise in his income. He humbly asks for only a raise of fifty dollars every week so that he can make both ends meet easily. This clearly shows that he is not hungry for money and maintains his nobility by demanding for just what was required. Miller has written his play in a manner that it covers the problems that may be felt by the American common man. He puts forward the tragedy in a very remorseful manner so that the audience grows emotions for the character involved. It can be said that Miller and Aristotle differ in the notion of tragedy. Aristotle puts forward that tragedy is something related to the fall of a great man whereas Miller puts forward that tragedy truly comes in way when the fall of a common man is witnessed. Willy Loman himself is a common man who further goes down with the complexities of life whereas in Greek tragedies kings and rulers come to a downfall. Miller further highlights the aim of Willy to achieve the American Dream in the eventual downfall. It can be said that Willy Loman himself has become a character of inspiration for the people who are pursuing the American Dream. Loman is seen as the darker side of the American Dream by the people of America (Smith,Theatre Producer Broadway Asia West End China ). In a nutshell it can be said as "A love story between a man and his son, and in a crazy way between both of them and America" (Sterling 41). This is a brilliant play which has enthralled the audiences because of its relatable content. It has also been able to acquire the Tony Award for Best revival because of its ongoing demand. It is not wrong to say that this play is a great depiction of an American drama which is thoroughly enjoyed by all. Miller has explicably put forward his play to compare the downfall of a common man in the pursuit of the American Dream. It acts as a source of inspiration for people who are pursuing the dream in the same manner whereas they still tend to fail in achieving the dream successfully. It can be said that the play “Death of a Salesman” is indeed a quintiessential American drama. WORKS CITED: Smith, Susan Harris. "Death of a Salesman." Toby Simkin - Theatre Producer Broadway Asia West End China N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. . Bigsby, C W. E. The Cambridge Companion to Arthur Miller. Cambridge, U.K: Cambridge University Press, 1997. Print. Londré, Felicia H, and Daniel J. Watermeier. The History of North American Theater: The United States, Canada, and Mexico : from Pre-Columbian Times to the Present. New York: Continuum, 1998. Print. Sterling, Eric. Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2008. Internet resource. Read More