Death of a Salesman
1 Setting
2 Character
3 Style
4 Structure
5 Theme
Death of a Salesman
SettingWhere and when is the play set?America in the twentieth century: important for the characters and their dreams.
What impact does society have on the Loman family?Lomans live in a consumer society where buying/selling/money are key issues. This influences goals and dreams.
Stage directions are crucial to understanding the importance of setting. Read through the stage directions and make notes on the key quotations. E.g:
Willy’s house is small and surrounded by “towering, angular buildings”. This suggests that society is progressing around Willy and he is not, both in work and professionally. What then is the impact of the closing stage directions?
Willy’s house is symbolic of his success; his goal is to pay off his mortgage. How does Miller hint about this through setting and stage directions?
There are two realms which we can consider as different settings: reality and the imaginary world. How does the audience know the difference between the two?
Death of a Salesman
Character
Willy Loman
Linda
Biff
Happy
Bernard
The Woman
Charley
Uncle Ben
Howard Wagner
Stanley
Miss Forsythe
Jenny/Letta
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Death of a Salesman
Style
In any question you will have to discuss style.
You could mention:
Dramatic techniques such as:
Characterisation, Dialogue,Imagery, Symbolism.
Theatrical techniques, such as:
Real and imaginary realms, music, flash backs.
Death of a Salesman
Structure
In any essay you will be expected to comment on Structure.
You could mention:
Acts, Requiem(as Epilogue) and juxtaposition.
Are there any incidents which are made more dramatic because of what happens immediately before or after?
e.g. in Act One, Willy’s line: “you’re the best there is, Linda…I want to grab you sometimes and kiss the life outa you.” is juxtaposed(put next to) with the revelation Willy has been unfaithful in the past.
Death of a Salesman
You will be expected to comment on theme in the exam.
What are the main themes of Death of a Salesman?
Themes suggested by you:
Dreams Failure False Hopes Loss
Regret Identity Falsehood Denial
Being trapped Isolation
“An air of the dream clings to the place, a dream rising out of reality.” Act One
What are the main characters’ dreams? Are they obtainable? What is ironic about the conclusion?
What evidence is there to support your ideas?
Some examples:WILLY: Figure it out. Work a lifetime to pay off a house. You finally own it and there’s nobody to live in it.
Biff says in Act One: “I’ve always made a point of not wasting my life, and everytime I come back here I know that all I’ve done us to waste my life.
Happy says in the Requiem; “ Willy Loman did not die in vain. He had a good dream. It’s the only dream you can have - to come out number one man.”
He’s got no character…Act One
The man don’t know who we are. Act Two
Biff says of Willy:
Does Willy know his sons? Do they know him?
How do the characters want to be identified?
Find examples. Here are some to get you started.
Biff: I stopped in the middle of that building and I saw - the sky. I saw the things I love in this world. The work and food and time to sit and smoke. Act Two
Linda: Why must everyone conquer the world? You’re well liked, and the boys love you… Act Two
Willy: I realized that selling was the greatest career a man could want.” Act Two
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Link to Character
Death of a Salesman
Willy Loman
Self deluded- boasts about his success in work – “they don’t need me in New York. I’m the New England man. I’m vital in New England”: page 4.
Disappointed in Biff - “Biff is a lazy bum.” “How can he find himself on a farm? Is that a life? A farm hand.” Not finding yourself at the age of 34 is a disgrace” :page 5
Proud ;He is offered a job but refuses – “What the hell are you offering me a job for?” pg 28
Contradictory;He says his car is good and then bad – “Chevrolet, Linda, is the greatest car ever built.” Pg 21 “that goddamn Chevrolet, they ought to prohibit the manufacture of that car.” Pg22
Trapped;“the way they box us in here… bricks and windows, windows and bricks” pg 6
Page Character trait Evidence Key Quotation Act 1 Page 3
Daydreamer Crashes car “I’m tell ing you, I forgot I was driving
Act 1 Page 6
Fells Trapped Boxed in his home
“The way they boxed us in here”
Act 1 Page 28
Arrogant Turns down job
“I got a job”
Act 1 Page 3
Forgetful He’s under stress, not coping with his failure
“I absolutely forgot I was driving”
Willy Loman
Page Character Trait Evidence Key Quotation Act 1 Page 5
Contradictory Accuses Biff of being a lazy then said he is a hard worker
“The trouble is he’s lazy”
Act 1 Page 2
Tired Works so hard and is so tired
“I’m tired to death”
Act 1 Page 4
Self-deluded (denial)
Thinks he’s going to be a success
“I’m vital in New England”
Act 1 Page 28
Pride Charlie offers him job, but he turns it down
“Yo u want a job”
Act 1 Page 4
Doubt-full Doubts his own success sometimes
“I could sell them”
Act 1 Page 5
Disappointed Disappointed with Biff working on a farm
“How can he find himself on a farm”
Act 1 Page 6/7
Temperamental Mood swings “I don’t want a chance”- to Linda then- “Yo ur not worried about me, are you sweetheart?”
Willy Loman
Death of a Salesman
Biff
Act/Page Description Evidence Quotation Pg78 / Act2
Criminal Steals a pen
“I took his fountain pen”
Pg11 / act1
Confused Mixed up “No, I’m mixed up very bad”
Pg18 / Act1
Loving Wants to go with his dad
“I’d love to go with you sometimes”
Pg9 / Act1
Idealist Has hopeful Dreams
“Lotta dreams and plans”
Pg37 / Act1
Worried Worried about his mum
“I mean to change, I’m trying”
Pg14 / Act1
Hopeful Thinks he can get a job anytime
“He said Biff, come to me”
Pg17 / Act1
Sporty Coach tells him to practice
“Coach told me to practice passing”
Pg13 / Act1
Lonely Wants to settle down
“I’d like to find a girl”
Page Character Trait
Evidence Key Quotation
Pg38 / Act1
Angry Angry at mum for sticking up for willy
“Stop making excuses for him”
Pg9 / Act1
Unsure Unsure relations “Why does dad mock me?”
Pg9 / Act1
Romancer Lying in bed speaking to Happy about girls
“ 500 women want to know what’s been said in this room”
Biff
Death of a Salesman
Imagery and Symbolism
Miller uses lots of imagery in his dialogue and stage directions.
Try to analyse the following, then click for answers.
Act one, 1.- there is “an angry glow”; Willy is described as having a “mercurial nature”; Willy’s house is dwarfed by the tower-blocks around.(Opening stage directions)
2. Willy:The world is an oyster but you don’t crack it open on a matress.
Act Two:
3. Linda: ..But he’s only a little boat looking for a harbour.
4. WILLY:..you can’t eat the orange and throw the peel away-a man is not a piece of fruit!
5.“Nothing’s planted. I don’t have a thing in the ground.’
6. “They’ve boxed in the whole goddam neighbourhood.”
Look through your notes and plays for more examples.
Imagery and Symbolism - Analysis
1. “angry glow” = personification; lighting indicates the built up, it is angry because there is a element of ruthlessness to get by in business.
“mercurial nature”= metaphor for hot-tempered nature; like mercury, the element in thermometers
Willy’s house being dwarfed symbolises his lack of progression.
2. Metaphor indicates Willy’s perception that there are lots of opportunities which you get through hard work; I.e. not by sleeping.
3.Metaphor for Willy; comparison to small boat in stormy seas; he is distressed and in serious trouble looking for safety.
4. Metaphor. Willy is reacting to be cast aside by the company he has served for years. Ironic because you do throw skin away, just as he is now useless to company.
5. Metaphor: ties in with nature/business dichotomy.Willy refers to future plans and savings; he has no back up plan.
6. Metaphor suggests that possibilities are curbed in this society. Willy can’t do anything and isn’t progressing unlike his surroundings.
Death of a Salesman
SettingThere are many opposites/dichotomies which link setting and theme. Look at the
following.
a) Explain the link to setting and theme?
b) Find any other examples in the play? You might think about failure/success, reality/dreams.
1.Nature versus the built-up area
WILLY; They’ve boxed in the whole goddam neighbourhood.(Act Two)
WILLY: There’s no question, no question at all. Gee, on the way home tonight I’d like to buy some seeds.
LINDA: [Laughing] That’d be wonderful. But not enough sun gets back there. Nothing’ll grow any more.
WILLY: You wait, kid,before it’s all over we’re gonna get a little place out in the country, and I’ll raise some vegetables, and a couple of chickens… (ACT TWO)
2. Consumer society versus self-reliance
HAPPY:..But then, it’s all I wanted. My own apartment, a car, and plenty of women. And still, godammit, I’m lonely. (Act One)
WILLY: Oh, I’d better hurry. I’ve got to get some seeds…I’ve got to get some seeds, right away. Nothing’s planted. I don’t have a thing in the ground. (Act Two)
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