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Examining the Beginning of "Death of a Salesman"
Summary: Even in the early stages of his play "Death of a Salesman," Arthur Miller successfully portrayed the character of Willy Loman as unstable and doomed. The interactions between Willy and other characters and their behavior, along with theatrical effects, allow us to understand Willy's personality and to prepare us for his inevitable death.
Arthur Miller said that he began "Death of a Salesman" knowing only that the main character Willy Loman would destroy himself, because he has no sense of values which means he loses his "grip on the forces of life." I am going to examine how Arthur Miller presents his eponymous character at the beginning of the play and how he conveys him to us through different dramatic techniques that Willy is doomed.
The title of the play leaves us with no doubt about Willy's fate, because we learn straightaway that he is the salesman of the title.
When we first meet Willy he has just returned from work, he is exhausted and snaps at his wife Linda when she tries to find out what has upset him. We are told in Miller's stage directions that Linda "more than loves him", she is very supportive and reassuring and we...
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This section contains 1,700 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) |
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