Arthur Miller Death of a Salesmen why willy commited suicide

"The Death of a Sales Man" a play by Arthur Miller

A Professional Studies Critique by tom chadwic

In this critique of 'The death of a sales man' I will attempt to shed light on the reason why the Author Arthur Miller portrays the main character so, with emphasis as to the reasons why he results to his eventual suicide.

Willy the protagonist has a family status of a nuclear stature, with two children and is therefore the ideal family status for the author to use. The hierarchy at the time between sex, race, creed is present and relevant in an in the play as Willy has a mistress who is only referred to as 'The woman'. Biff, his son eventually realises the truth as an adult, and the affects it had on his future and how it seemed to spoil everything. Every man for him self'. Willy appears chauvinistic and materialistic, using women as objects.

Arthur Miller, American playwright

The American Dream, New Jersey 1991

The Statue of Liberty front shot, on Liberty Islan...

This capitalist demeanour of the American Dream in turn seems to affect his ambitions and aspirations. His parenting is unorthodox but at the time accepted, the way that he doesn't make such simple facts such as wrong and right known to his sons. Biff steals a football and is praised for using his initiative. This shows a slack approach to basic moral values, but infers a ruthless demeanour of the American dreams competitive nature and the strain of the competitive dog race. The play is about the American dream and Miller appears to criticize the rewards that the dream has to offer, claming they are spurious.

Expansion and development in the surrounding area seem to swallow the family up, leaving desolate ground around them. Willy plants seeds where he knew it would be to no avail as the showing Willy's false aspirations. The message...