Death Of A Salesman, Arthur Miller, Willy's portrait

Résumé du document

We present the review of a play that is based on the life, the personality and the state of mind of Willy Loman, a sixty-year-old salesman from New York. The play shows the protagonist beginning to lose his grip on reality and has difficulty in making ends meet. He has a complex personality: at first, he appears depressing, troubled and exhausted in the present whereas we discover a vigorous, confident and happy man in the flashback. Besides, he shows a changing behavior towards the members of his family because he is sometimes irritated, curt and detached and later kind, supporting and full of hope. His multifaceted personality and his past and present choices make him appear as a sympathetic character that doesn't deserve what happens to him and on the contrary is seen as a pathetic dreamer who is totally responsible for the financial and psychological issues of his family.

Extraits

[...] He nearly supported Biff's thieveries by calling them "initiatives” and doesn't really help his sons mature. Willy keeps seeking to be idealized and Charley's considers him as a child because he clearly asked him when he is going to grow up. This character is really difficult to figure out. He is appealing because of his desire to make his best and his continuing dreams and at the same time irritating because of his tenacious refusal to face reality. Besides, his incapacity to accept and overcome his failure eventually drives him to a violent death. [...]

[...] Then, the main element that makes Willy appears so endearing is his disappointment. Willy is disappointed by his job, his sons, and his life. He thought he would soon become indispensable for his company thanks to his growing popularity and he was sure that his sons would succeed in business and make a fortune. Unfortunately, no one of his dreams comes true and he is tortured because he hasn't really understood why. He seems to be stucked between the reality of his situation and the hopes he still has. [...]

[...] Besides, he is, in a sense, an honourable person. Indeed, he has worked honestly at one job for years, he has paid back scrupulously his long-term loan, he has taken good care of the house and in spite of his infidelity he appears as a good husband to Linda who is devoted to him. Finally, he is in his own way an admirable father because he took great care of his sons in the past, he defended them in any circumstances and he is still really concerned with their future. [...]

[...] Death Of A Salesman,Arthur Miller, Willy's portrait The whole play is based on the life, the personality and the state of mind of Willy Loman, a sixty-year-old salesman who is beginning to lose his grip on reality and has difficulty in making ends meet in his New York's house. This main character has a complex personality: First, he appears depressing, troubled and exhausted in the present whereas we discover a vigorous, confident and happy man in his flashbacks. Besides, he shows a changing behaviour toward the members of his family because he is sometimes irritated, curt and detached and then kind, supporting and full of hope. [...]