Death of a Salesman: Background

Genre: Tragedy

Centered on the ambitions and tribulations of an American family, Death of a Salesman, is immediately relatable and yet, also prophetic.

In the play, the protagonist is a failing and ageing salesman who is mentally degenerating on account of his lack of success and diminishing material wealth. He is supported by a harrowed yet resilient wife and two sons who see their father as a failure; as a man who could not achieve the “American Dream” despite all his attempts and diligence.

The play is a tragedy because it shows that for some people, no matter how hard they try, the American dream is completely unattainable. It is tragic that many people only experience the struggle for success and inevitable disappointment whilst chasing the American dream.

Philosophical and Historical Background

In the late 1940s, the world was recovering from the impacts of World War II. There was a resurgence of hope and the desire to rebuild the world– particularly in the Allied nations and more so, in the newly found hero of the world– the United States of America.

At this time, Arthur Miller was a young man in his early thirties, who was already making a name in the academic circles of Connecticut. He wrote Death of a Salesman in a single day, as a representation of not only his personal and family history and desires, but as a representation of the society he lived in.

The play is based in New York City and follows the life of Willy Loman, a struggling salesman with big ambitions and little privilege. The impact that such fate has on him and his family is relatable to many across the world, not just in that time but also today.