Informative Essay on Death Of A Salesman

will, Miller introduced the concept of an imperfect character without evil intentions. In comparison to Aristotle, Miller's idea of tragedy is more suitable for the modern world and thus holds greater relevance in today's context.

Miller himself highlighted the tragic purpose of the play in an interview around the time it was first performed. He expressed that the presence of a character willing to sacrifice their life for the sake of preserving their personal dignity evokes a sense of tragedy within us (Miller, 1949). This perspective showcases Miller's distinct interpretation of tragedy, challenging the traditional Greek notion. He dismisses Greek tragedy as outdated and suggests that it is only appropriate for individuals in privileged positions like kings or those with power.

The author suggests that the common man is a suitable subject for tragedy as tragic action can uplift all individuals, regardless of hero status. Additionally, ordinary people's struggle against their surroundings can generate feelings of terror and fear. In "Death of a Salesman," Willy's daydreams mirror those commonly experienced by Americans today. Nevertheless, his tragic downfall is attributed to his defiance of societal norms.

The primary focus of the story is the idea of the "American Dream" or what can be viewed as the "Perverted American Dream". It represents the prosperous era of America in the late 1940s, emphasizing how the American Dream was destroyed amidst economic prosperity and material wealth. The story exposes how people in America distorted the principles of the American Dream by prioritizing displaying affluence and seeking personal indulgence, fame, and achievement.

The individuals become self-centered and resort to vulgar methods to acquire wealth. Moreover, disloyalty

reaches its pinnacle, causing them to disregard the fact that the American dream was originally focused on exploration, individuality, and the pursuit of happiness. Kernodle's analysis of the play is that Arthur Miller aimed to create a tragedy about ordinary people in our time (47). However, it was not just an attempt; instead, it symbolized the emergence of a new type of tragedy based on a unique theory.

The play "Death of a Salesman" by Arthur Miller combines elements of classical and modern tragedy, exploring the inner weaknesses and flaws of its characters to evoke sympathy from the audience. Miller's focus on universal dilemmas found in both drama and real life creates a contemporary and personal tragedy. The protagonist is an ordinary individual who must confront their own insignificance instead of being overwhelmed by their exceptional qualities.

Although Willy, the protagonist, fails as a salesman, he manages to evoke identification from us. Throughout the evening, we become emotionally affected by recognizing ourselves in him. Despite his desperate exploration of his past, Willy ultimately falls short of achieving the self-awareness that tragic heroes typically acquire. Ultimately, his suicide serves to highlight his limited understanding of reality.

Despite gaining self-awareness and understanding of the sales profession, he was unable to acknowledge his personal failures and deceit within himself and his family as a result of a lifetime of dishonesty. His stubborn obsession prevented him from fully comprehending his true identity as a "lowman" on both personal and spiritual levels, consequently making it impossible for him to grasp the distorted reality created by his troubled mind. However, certain critics disregarded Willy's limited self-awareness and

instead concentrated on his participation in lies, delusions, and self-deception.

The main point of the text is that Willy Loman's distressing day results from his inability to acknowledge and value the love shown to him by his family. The narrative portrays this powerlessness as the true tragedy. Despite experiencing numerous failures, Willy Loman makes a significant sacrifice to leave behind an inheritance for his son, all in pursuit of the American dream. However, ultimately, Willy's death proves useless in terms of inheritance. Hence, whether or not Willy Loman can be viewed as a tragic hero in "Death of a Salesman" remains a topic open to discussion.

Despite being portrayed as unfaithful, some argue that Willy Loman lacks nobility despite his respected moral character. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that in this context, the term "noble" extends beyond ancestry and encompasses a larger-than-life attribute. This notion of grandeur perfectly reflects Willy Loman as he embodies an extraordinary existence.

Willy consistently imagined and described things as magnificent in the play, portraying himself as a person with ambitious plans and lofty dreams. Even if someone examines the play from a different perspective, the characters are not just ordinary individuals but exaggerated representations, larger than life.

Although there is no consensus on the next section of the criterion, it can be argued that Death of a Salesman lacks beauty, eminent intensity or gravity, dark humor, or poetry. However, upon closer inspection, one can observe that Miller does incorporate imagery into the play. While these imageries may not be as clever as those in Greek tragedies, they still effectively use language according to Aristotle's criterion.