Death of a Salesman & Oedipus the King

Willy as the sales representatives purchased the attempt to close the deal that utilized by the American culture to promote itself and paid for it with his own particular life. The play discusses contracts, mark names and enormous multinationals. By the day's end, is as ready to bear the cost of his family a house and nice living and even trusts that he would be worth more dead than alive. He trusts that Biff, his child would profit by his protection pay following his demise.

However, things begin to fall apart. From Willy having an affair on Linda, (his wife) to him denying a job, to his mysterious death. In other words, his constant mercurial sequences leads to him suffering from overwhelming depression. That until his

There is little room for the truth in Willy’s world. When Willy is surprised by young Biff in Boston, he simply lies about the woman in his hotel room. Willy’s constant lying and bragging later blinds him regarding the lack of success of his sons.  He believes Hap to be an "assistant to the director" at his job, but Hap's position is barely influential, if at all.  Willy has elevated Biff's past employment experience with Oliver to that of a leading salesman, when in reality Biff was simply a shipping clerk.  The truth simply does not fit into Willy’s immoral world.

        Willy is like an impetuous youngster with high ideals and high hopes.  Children always have high hopes for their

Willy’s self- image that he portrayed to others of being successful was a lie that he had lived with for so long

Willy was illusive thinking that he was good enough to get a better a job, instead he end up looking as a

Willy’s unreasonable expectations of Biff creates a hostile relationship between Biff and Willy. Ever since Biff was in highschool, Willy always expected Biff to be very successful without instilling the tools

This is what Willy has been trying to emulate his entire life. Willy's need to feel well-liked is so strong that he often makes up lies about his popularity and success. At times, Willy even believes these lies himself. At one point in the play, Willy tells his family of how well-liked he is in all of his towns and how vital he is to New England. Later, however, he tells Linda that no one remembers him and that the people laugh at him behind his back. As this demonstrates, Willy's need to feel well-liked also causes him to become intensely paranoid. When his son, Biff, for example, is trying to explain why he cannot become successful, Willy believes that Biff is just trying to spite him. Unfortunately, Willy never realizes that his values are flawed. As Biff points out at the end of the play, "he had the wrong dreams."

Unfortunately, he became tied up in the thought of being successful and the quest for the American dream and it ends up destroying himself and his family. The play mainly addresses issues related to the loss of one’s identity in the quest

Willy Loman is a troubled and misguided man - a salesman and a dreamer with an extreme preoccupation with his own definition of success. Willy feels that physical impact is greater than the elements of his self-defined success. However, it is apparent that Willy Loman is no successful man, even by the audience's standards. He is still a travelling salesman in his sixties with no stable location or occupation, but clings on to his dreams and ideals. He compares his sons with Bernard, using him as a gauge of success. Nonetheless, he stays in the belief that his sons are better than Bernard. Willy recollects the neighbourhood years ago, and reminisces working for Frank Wagner, although he was also in the same condition then as now. He feels that the older Wagner appreciated him more, yet it was himself who voted Howard in. Arthur Miller presents Willy as a man with great bravado but little energy left to support it. He is always tired and has dementia, contradicting himself in his conversations and showing some memory loss, living in his world of illusions and delusions. He argues with Biff, both men without knowing why. The two sons of Willy display the physical appearance of adulthood, but their talk and attitude displays immaturity. Billy finds that he is a failure because of his lack of `success', while Happy thinks he is unfulfilled because he lacks failure.

Linda knows the truth. But, Linda continues to protect Willy's fantasy. In Scene 11, Biff tries to reconcile with his father. The problem is that Biff wants to be honest with Willy, but Willy does not give him the chance.

Another example of Willy’s sufferings was when he lost his job. For instance, Willy is dissatisfied with his career and decides to ask his boss Howard to work in the town instead of traveling for work from New York to New England every two weeks. Howard ends up saying “there just is no spot here for you” (Miller 56) and ends up firing him. Although Willy had a long career with the company and was very productive, Howard let him go. Willy defends himself by saying “I put thirty-four years into this firm, Howard, and now I can’t pay my insurance!” (Miller 57). Howard fires Willy at a time when he was most desperate. This shows the “change in the hero’s fortunes” (Nardo 73). Regardless being fired from his job, Willy still had hopes for his sons Biff and Happy to start a new business. Things did not go according to the plan and the business ends up not happening which causes Willy to suffer even more. Willy goes through financial troubles which prevent him to achieve the American Dream, keep his job, and provide for his family. These are all signs of disappointment and

Willy goes in and out of daydreams, causing his children to treat him like a child, thus angering the independent minded man. It causes further tension in their relationships. Yet Willy is not merely losing his grip on reality- he is choosing to let it go. Still racked with guilt over his adulterous affair, Willy- in the back of his troubled mind- knows that occurrence is the root of his difficulties with Biff. He pathetically claims over and over again, “…don’t you

Even though Willy paints himself as a successful and respected businessman, who is well-liked, the way others treat him and address him contradicts this description. Initially, when Willy enters the Howard’s office, his boss, Willy has intentions to convince him to offer him a job, which does not involve travelling, as per the wishes of Linda. While Willy is trying to talk, Howard shushes and interrupts him to continue showing him the recordings of his family. Because Howard does not respect Willy, he treats him poorly and takes him for granted. After Howard repeatedly says that no position is available, he explains to Willy, “it’s a business kid, and everybody’s gotta pull his own weight” (60). By referring to Willy as “kid,” even though Will is older, shows that other don’t view him as equals, which shatters the image that Willy paints for himself.

Willy wants to be well-liked and successful as he used in the past. As he says to his sons " bigger than uncle Charley! .Because Charley is not liked. He is liked, but not well liked". Also, he is searching to find the right path and the problem is that there is no right path. Moreover, he suffers from a mass of contradictions. This is so declared through his speech " I `m very well liked in Hatford, the trouble is, Linda, people don`t seem to talk to me" (I.45). Howard refuses to provide Willy with a job in New York, so he protests" you can`t eat the orange and throw the peel away a man is not a piece of fruit"