Death of a Salesman In A Nutshell
Death of a Salesman is a tragedy about the differences between a New York family's dreams and the reality of their lives. The play is a scathing critique of the American Dream and of the competitive, materialistic American society of the late 1940s. The storyline features Willy Loman, an average guy who attempts to hide his averageness and failures behind delusions of grandeur as he strives to be a "success."
The idea for the play first manifested itself as a short story, which Arthur Miller abandoned. His interest was renewed later on however, by an uncle who was a salesman. When the play version appeared on Broadway, it was a total hit. It won Arthur Miller the Pulitzer Prize in 1949.
Death of a Salesman is widely considered even to this day to be one of the greatest American plays ever written. It's often ranked right up there with classics like Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey Into Night, Thornton Wilder's Our Town, and Tennessee Williams's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Like all classics, Death of a Salesman's themes still ring true today. Its harsh criticism of American capitalism may not be quite as shocking as it was when the play first premiered. But we have a feeling that every modern-day audience member knows exactly what Miller is getting at – whether you agree with it or not.
Why Should I Care?
OK, think about The Office (especially the British version, with Ricky Gervais instead of Steve Carell). Great – because that’s Willy Loman in a nutshell. He’s delusional, thinks everyone loves him, and is depressing in an "I’m manifesting everyone’s fears about obsession with material success" kind of way.
Death of a Salesman is often considered an attack on the American Dream. Sound familiar? In 2004, surveys found one-third of Americans adamantly insisting they were not living the American Dream, with half of them saying it wasn’t even attainable for them.
What has the American Dream come to mean, anyway? For Willy Loman, it was popularity and demeanor. For many of us, it’s a big-screen TV and a BMW in the garage. The bigger question is what we’re sacrificing for this big, glittery dream. "Success" starts being a relative term. You’re only successful if you’re more successful than other people you know; your car is only sexy if it’s sexier than the one next door.
So try to read Death of a Salesman with this in mind: if the American Dream isn’t working, or if it has shifted to the point where success is no longer equated with happiness, what’s the point From Shmoop.com
As we read this play, you will need to watch how Miller develops themes through the course of the play. Below is a list of themes:
Abandonment
Pride
American Dream
Lies and Deceit
Success
Freedom and confinement
Respect and Reputation
At the end of this play you will be asked to write the following essay:
Choose two themes and analyze how they develop, interact, and build on one another during the course of the play.
So…how does a writer develop theme?
What are you opinions?Agree or Disagree:
Being “well-liked” should be a personal goal for everyone.
Dreams are purely a form of self-deception
The American Dream is possible for anyone willing to work hard.
Concrete evidence of success distracts us from the more important intangibles on life (love of family, love of self, inner peace…)
We are all confined by society.