Willie Loman is a salesman. He travels more than he'd like. He doesn't do as well as he'd wish. He's generally disappointed with his life. When his sons visit for a few days, Willie slips into a reminiscent mode, in which he relives past events, and spends a lot of time talking with his recently deceased older brother.

This concerns the Lomans, and they try to help. But at the same time, Willy's two sons learn a lot about their father from his flashbacks. Some things good, but other things bad.

The play itself is masterfully written by Arthur Miller, playwright of other notable works, including The Crucible and All My Sons. Miller masterfully paints a picture of a salesman, down on his luck, dissatisfied with life, and at the end of his rope, resorting to crazy (both highly irrational and legitimately insane) means to cope with his wasted life.

The play is both beautiful and tragic, wonderful and horrible, showing the dichotomy of visceral real life. Showing you a world that's too real, and too sad. Showing you a world that makes you glad it's not happening to you.

If you enjoy dramatic writings, then you must read Death of a Salesman. If you read it in school and HATED it, then you MUST reread it. Don't worry about extracting and dissecting during your reading. Enjoy, let yourself get wrapped up in its words. But don't get in too deep. Be careful not to get in too deep. ( )

This is my second experience of reading Arthur Miller (I've never seen him in performance, alas), and though Death of a Salesman lacks the emotional punch of The Crucible, it's still pretty dang good. Willie Loman is one of those people I can't help but empathize with, as he throws himself into his work to the utmost extent. Shame he's got two lackadaisical sons, and shame even more that it appears to be his fault. The flashbacks are confusing on the written page, but I'd imagine they'd look pretty good on stage. A damning indictment of the principles by which I sometimes feel I live my own life.

I was struck by the closeness of the ending to some aspects of It's a Wonderful Life, which came out only three years before this, and though the two very obviously have different tones, I can't help but think there's something in that. Death of a Salesman attacks the very principles upon which that film rests; furthermore, it attacks the entire 1950s before they even happened, which is both clever and depressing.

One of the best American dramas.

"And now, I get here, and I don't know what to do with myself. I've always made a point of not wasting my life, and everytime I come back here I know that all I've done is to waste my life."

Arthur Miller's 1949 drama basically revolves around the American dream of a father who makes many mental errors that lead to his downfall.

The inner life of the father, Willy, is presented by the use of monologues in his head. He is a washed up salesman that does not realize it, and tries to rub off his overwhelming cockiness on his two sons.

Biff, one of his sons, transforms from a cocky, young football player into a doubtful, young man. Biff understands the reality of life through the falseness of the American dream, which ultimately, destroys his father who is living a virtual American dream. If Biff had listened to his father his whole life, he would still just be a cocky, young football player. Instead Biff realizes what a ridiculous lie his life has been!

He realizes he does not want to follow in his father's footsteps and become a washed up salesman. Biff just wants to live a normal life where Willy is not pressuring him about everything. Willy is one of those fathers who think their child is the greatest at everything no matter what. That is good in some cases, but not when Willy sets unrealistic goals for his child.

This drama portrays how many parents treat their children. Most parents try to push their children, but some go over the line, as seen in this drama. But what Willy has truly failed in is his family life and his married life. That is the corruption of the true American dream.

The theme of this drama is seen in the mental approaches Willy has in his life. You have to think about what you say to certain individuals and spot errors. Could Willy Lomans downfall have been avoided or not?

This drama has a tragic but far-fetched ending that puts a twist on the entire novel. Willy does something drastic, which he thinks is best for his children. We will leave that for you to decide if this decision was the best one he could have made.

Book Details:

Title Death of a Salesman
Author Arthur Miller
Reviewed By Purplycookie ( )

a classic play not my fav. ( )