KeyFactsFULLTITLE•DeathofaSalesman:AUTHOR•ArthurMillerTYPEOFWORK•PlayGENRE•Tragedy,socialcommentary,familydramaCLIMAX•ThesceneinFrank’sChopHouseandBiff’sfinalconfrontationwithWillyathomePROTAGONISTS•WillyLoman,BiffLomanANTAGONISTS•BiffLoman,WillyLoman,theAmericanDreamSETTING(TIME)•“Today,”thatis,thepresent;eitherthelate1940sorthetimeperiodinwhichtheplayisbeingproduced,with“daydreams”intoWilly’spast;alloftheactiontakesplaceduringatwenty-four-hourperiodbetweenMondaynightandTuesdaynight,exceptthe“Requiem,”whichtakesplace,presumably,afewdaysafterWilly’sfuneralSETTING(PLACE)•Accordingtothestagedirections,“WillyLoman’shouseandyard[inBrooklyn]and...variousplaceshevisitsin...NewYorkandBoston”FALLINGACTION•The“Requiem”section,althoughtheplayisnotreallystructuredasaclassicaldramaTENSE•PresentFORESHADOWING•Willy’sflutethemeforeshadowstherevelationofhisfather’soccupationandabandonment;Willy’spreoccupationwithLinda’sstockingsforeshadowshisaffairwithTheWoman;Willy’sautomobileaccidentbeforethestartofActIforeshadowshissuicideattheendofActIITONE•ThetoneofMiller’sstagedirectionsanddialoguerangesfromsinceretoparodying,but,ingeneral,thetreatmentistender,thoughattimesbrutallyhonest,towardWilly’splightTHEMES•TheAmericanDream;abandonment;betrayalMOTIFS•Mythicfigures;theAmericanWest;Alaska;theAfricanjungleSYMBOLS•Seeds;diamonds;Linda’sandthewomon’sstockings;therubberhoseAnalysisofMajorCharactersWillyLomanDespitehisdesperatesearchingthroughhispast,Willydoesnotachievetheself-realizationorself-knowledgetypicalofthetragichero.Thequasi-resolutionthathissuicideoffershimrepresentsonlyapartialdiscoveryofthetruth.Whileheachievesaprofessionalunderstandingofhimselfandthefundamentalnatureofthesalesprofession,Willyfailstorealizehispersonalfailureandbetrayalofhissoulandfamilythroughthemeticulouslyconstructedartificeofhislife.Hecannotgraspthetruepersonal,emotional,spiritualunderstandingofhimselfasaliteral“loman”or“lowman.”Willyistoodrivenbyhisown“willy”-nessorperverse“willfulness”torecognizetheslantedrealitythathisdesperatemindhasforged.Still,manycritics,focusingonWilly’sentrenchmentinaquagmireoflies,delusions,andself-deceptions,ignorethesignificantaccomplishmentofhispartialself-realization.Willy’sfailuretorecognizetheanguishedloveofferedtohimbyhisfamilyiscrucialtotheclimaxofhistorturousday,andtheplaypresentsthisincapacityastherealtragedy.Despitethisfailure,WillymakesthemostextremesacrificeinhisattempttoleaveaninheritancethatwillallowBifftofulfilltheAmericanDream.Ben’sfinalmantra—“Thejungleisdark,butfullofdiamonds”—turnsWilly’ssuicideintoametaphoricalmoralstruggle,afinalskewedambitiontorealizehisfullcommercialandmaterialcapacity.Hisfinalact,accordingtoBen,is“notlikeanappointmentatall”butlikea“diamond...roughandhardtothetouch.”Intheabsenceofanyrealdegreeofself-knowledgeortruth,Willyisabletoachieveatangibleresult.Insomerespect,Willydoesexperienceasortofrevelation,ashefinallycomestounderstandthattheproducthesellsishimself.ThroughtheimaginaryadviceofBen,WillyendsupfullybelievinghisearlierassertiontoCharleythat“afterallthehighways,andthetrains,andtheappointments,andtheyears,youendupworthmoredeadthanalive.”BiffLomanUnlikeWillyandHappy,Bifffeelscompelledtoseekthetruthabouthimself.Whilehisfatherandbrotherareunabletoacceptthemiserablerealityoftheirrespecti...
