We all see a few realistic and unrealistic dreams. Dream keeps the faith, hope in us alive. But when a dream shatters, the stronger the dream the intense will be the depression.
‘Death of a Salesman’ a play by Arthur Miller focuses on the concept of ‘American Dream’ which led to many settlements in America during the 19th century. Miller went through a of lot ups and downs in life and he pours his emotions in the central character, Willy Loman.
Willy is a sixty years old sales man and had been working for Wagner Company for the past 34 years. His wife Linda blindly trusts him and believes the claims he makes on his popularity.
I will never have to wait in line to see a buyer. ‘Willy Loman is here!’ That’s all they have to know, and I go right through.
The identity Willy believes he has is actually an illusion. As the play unfolds the reader is exposed to his fake life style. Biff and Happy are his two sons who are proud of him.
Willy: America is full of beautiful towns and fine, upstanding people. And they know me boys, they know me up and down New England.
I can park my car in any street in New England, and the cops protect it like their own.
Biff has an unstable career and knows he is a failure. He hasn’t done anything to make his dad proud. Happy achieved a little but is a loner. They fail to appreciate their father who has put in a lot of service. Willy is at his retirement age and in spite of knowing what their father is going through they haven’t made any effort to take the responsibility
Happy: He stops at a green light and then it turns red and he goes.
Biff: May be he is color blind.
Willy has put in years of service but loses his job as his age doesn’t permit him to do excessive traveling which is the job requirement. He starts borrowing money from his friend Charley to pay the insurance premium. He is often seen talking to himself; he is hallucinating about his brother being alive. Linda though tries to understand him fails to build the trust in their relationship.
Biff and Happy want to go into a business together. They are irresponsible, unaware of what the situation Willy is in, they ask him for 20, 000 dollars.
This play focuses on the bitter reality of life that is failure. The one who goes through it should accept it and move ahead. As long as failure lingers on the mind it will make things worse. Willy always advised his sons that what really matters is being well liked and being attractive. But towards the end we are exposed to Willy’s real identity and his unacknowledged career as a Salesman.
A man who is unsuccessful doesn’t want his son to follow his path. But when his identity is an illusion he cannot even stop him..
Read this play to find out to what extend a father goes to fulfill his sons’ demand.
About the Play:
The play is divided into two Acts. A classic study of failure.
Reader is exposed to the American life style, the common man his ambition and dreams.
Miller’s narration has given this play a discrete and remarkable existence.