Arthur Miller's Treatment of Women

Essay by ....85High School, 12th gradeA-, April 2007

download word file, 4 pages 3.0

Throughout "Death of a Salesman", Arthur Miller presents a very bleak view of women. From the male opinion, to their place in the play, women were subjugated. Some may think this was just a role set out by Arthur Miller for this play. I find this difficult to believe given the ubiquity, leaving me to think that Mr. Miller is an unrelenting misogynist. This is not only demonstrated by the superficial factors such as, dialogue, events, but also the subtle nuances. Factors like setting and relationships. Through this essay I will make clear Arthur Miller’s true opinion on women evident via events, characters, setting, relationships and dialogue; the much concealed misogyny of Arthur Miller, and Death of a Salesman.

The most apparent demonstration of Arthur Miller’s misogyny was through the dialogue. One of numerous occasions the Loman men objectified women was while Happy and Biff are having a boorish conversation about a past girl they had both slept with, “that was my first time I think.

Boy, there was a pig!” (Death of a Salesman, page 21) Pigs are known as foul and dirty ubiquitously throughout a variety of different cultures and religions. I vehemently cannot see a greater disrespect than associating this animal with a human being. I don’t think there could be more a dehumanizing comment. Throughout the novel the Loman men, especially Happy referred to women as “creatures.” This once again, is utterly disrespectful; it classifies women as subhuman. A common misconception about poor-standing characters in novels is that they don’t necessarily represent the author’s beliefs. This is something that I couldn’t agree with more, but in order for this to happen, you have to demonstrate an opposite; a moral high ground, which Arthur Miller doesn’t do whatsoever. Not...