Willy Loman Died a Coward in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman "In his early sixties he knows his business as well as he ever did. But the unsubstantial things have become decisive; the spring has gone from his step, the smile from his face and the heartiness from his personality. He is through. The phantom of his life has caught up with him. As literally as Mr. Miller can say it, dust turns to dust. Suddenly, there is nothing" (Internet 1). The New York Times has expressed the tragedy…

Willy Loman as Coward in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman Everybody feels the penetrating presence of fear throughout life. However, people’s reactions to this fear separate the brave souls from the cowards. Mark Twain once said, "Courage is resistance to fear; mastery of fear, not absence of fear" (Twain 6). In Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman fears rejection by his son, Biff, and the business world. His fears master him, creating in him a fantasy world of life as it…

Willy's Loneliness and Alienation in Death of a Salesman Willy Loman’s feelings of alienation and loneliness are direct psychological results of his interaction with society and the conditions that are found within it. Although, he does not necessarily have the ability or allow himself to have the ability to define his feelings as such, they are still very much a part of his everyday existence. This is evident in his constant bragging and attempted compensation. He does not feel that he…

Understanding Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman In order to really understand Willy Loman, from Arthur Miller’s play Death Of A Salesman, the reader must analyze the way his character is developed. Studying his thoughts, actions, how he relates to other characters and how other characters relate to him enables the reader to come to an understanding of the world in which Willy lives. Although Willy sometimes has flashbacks, examining them, as well as his thoughts…

Willy Loman as a Tragic Hero in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman Should 'Willy Loman' of Arthur Millers classic, Death of a Salesman be regarded as a tragic hero, or merely a working-class, socially inadequate failure? Described by Miller as a "self-destructive, insecure anti-hero", it seems almost impossible for Loman to be what is known as a tragic hero in the 'classical' sense, but with the inclusion of other factors he maybe a tragic hero, at least in the modern…

The Impact of Ben Loman’s Character on Theme and Character Development in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman Some characters in literature who only appear briefly in the work can have a tremendous impact on the literature. These characters have a significant presence in the literary work. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Ben Loman is that character. Ben is the brother of the main character Willy. Though Ben has a brief part in this play, he affects the theme and development of other…

The Character of Linda Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman Linda is the heart of the Loman family in Arthur Miller's play, Death of a Salesman. She is wise, warm, and sympathetic. She knows her husband's faults and her son's characters. For all her frank appraisals, she loves them. She is contrasted with the promiscuous sex symbolized by the Woman and the prostitutes. They operate in the world outside as part of the impersonal forces that corrupt. Happy equates his promiscuity…

In Arthur Miller’s essay “Tragedy and the Common Man”, a picture is painted of a “flaw-full” man, known as the modern hero of tragedies. Miller describes what characteristics the modern tragic hero possesses and how he differs from the heroes depicted by classic Greek playwrights such as Sophocles and Aristotle. In order to understand how drastically the modern hero has evolved, one must first understand the basic characteristics that the heroes created by Sophocles and Aristotle encompass. The…

The Character of Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman Willy Loman, the main character in Death of a Salesman is a complex tragic character. He is a man struggling to hold onto the little dignity he has left in a changing society. While society may have caused some of his misfortune, Willy must be held responsible for his poor judgment, disloyalty and foolish pride. Willy Loman is a firm believer in the "American Dream:" the notion that any man can rise from humble beginnings…

Willy Loman, Redefining the Tragic Hero in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman The events in the life of Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman are no doubt tragic, yet whether or not he can be considered a tragic hero in a traditional sense is a topic requiring some discussion. Aristotle set the criteria for qualities a character must possess in order to be considered a tragic hero. In order to reach a conclusion on this matter, all six criteria must be examined to determine…