When was death of a salesman written

His mind is starting to slip away but he still believes that his charm and optimism will make him rich. But the realities of life haunt him. And as Willy turns to his memories and delusions to combat any feelings of failure, he begins to lose touch with reality.

Willy is flawed and is brought to ruin by his own weaknesses. In Willy Loman, Miller created a tragic hero—twentieth-century style. But Death of a Salesman also tells a larger story about American society. Willy Loman is a metaphor or symbol for something else. But Willy has come to realize that his life might have been a failure. His dreams for himself and sons are crumbling.

In order to deal with the failures of his life, Willy escapes by remembering the past and fantasizing about how things could have been. In doing so, he loses touch with reality and makes plans to commit suicide. One day—and after working his whole life for the same company—Willy loses his job and gets desperate. As the play reaches its conclusion, the audience is left to consider an important question: What does a man do when he considers his life to be a failure?

Even though Death of a Salesman was written in , it still speaks powerfully to audiences today. Here are some places to learn more about the play, about Miller, and about some historical events that inspired his work. Berger, Marilyn. Block, Haskell M. Masters of Modern Drama. New York: Random House, Brater, Enoch. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. National Endowment for the Humanities.

PBS Newshour. Shmoop Editorial Team. University of Michigan. Voice of America. Weber, Bruce. Wilmeth, Don B. The Cambridge Guide to American Theatre. New York: Cambridge University Press, Take a peek behind the red curtain and discover the artistry and history behind the world of theater. Biff realizes that Willy has created a false image of himself for his family, society, and even for himself.

Willy is not an invincible father or a loyal husband or a fantastically successful salesman like he wants everyone to believe. He is self-centered. He fails to appreciate his wife. And he cannot acknowledge the fact that he is only marginally successful. Hence, Willy fantasizes about lost opportunities for wealth, fame, and notoriety. Even so, it would be incorrect to state that Miller solely criticizes Willy.

Instead, Miller demonstrates how one individual can create a self-perpetuating cycle that expands to include other individuals. This is certainly the case within the Loman family. Until the end of the play, Willy effectively blocks the affair out of his memory and commits himself to a life of denial. He cannot remember what happened, so naturally he does not understand why his relationship with Biff has changed.

Willy wants Biff's affection and adoration as before, but instead the two constantly argue. Willy vacillates, sometimes criticizing Biff's laziness and ineptitude, other times praising his physical abilities and ambition. Linda and Happy are also drawn into the cycle of denial.

Linda is aware of Willy's habit of reconstructing reality; however, she also recognizes that Willy may not be able to accept reality, as shown through his numerous suicide attempts prior to the beginning of the play.

As a result, Linda chooses to protect Willy's illusions by treating them as truth, even if she must ignore reality or alienate her children in doing so. Happy is also a product of Willy's philosophy. Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the book by reading these key quotes. Test your knowledge of Death of a Salesman with quizzes about every section, major characters, themes, symbols, and more.

Go further in your study of Death of a Salesman with background information, movie adaptations, and links to the best resources around the web. SparkTeach Teacher's Handbook. Summary Read our full plot summary and analysis of Death of a Salesman , scene by scene break-downs, and more.