COURSE 401

NAME- NAWAMI MUKHIA

SEMESTER- IV
ROLL NO- 100
REGISTRATION NO- 0111705010320
RAJARAMMOHUNPUR CAMPUS
TOPIC NO-2
2. Discuss Willy Loman as a tragic protagonist.

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is an appropriate illustration of a tragedy as

defined by Aristotle in his Poetics. Willy Loman is the protagonist in Miller’s famous play

and has attributes that qualify him as a tragic hero. The Aristotelian tragedy entails the fall of

a high esteem person such as a king or a ruler as a result of their weakness also known as a

tragic flaw. The tragic hero according to Aristotle is brought down by an error also known as

hamartia. A tragedy is a serious play that evokes emotions among the audience through

catharsis and purge those emotion. Additionally, Aristotelian tragedy has a six element

namely plot, character, diction, thought, spectacle and song or music. The play Death of

Salesman by Arthur Miller qualifies to be a tragedy as a defined by Aristotle. Willy Loman as

the protagonist could be said to be the tragic hero in Miller’s play. Unlike the classical or

Aristotelian tragedy whereby the hero suffers from an excessive pride, Willy’s tragic flaw is

evidenced in his obsession with illusionary vision. Willy is used by the playwright to address

the elusiveness of the American dream that would forever remain nothing but an illusion to

the most people. The protagonist remained fixated in his vision of becoming a successful

salesman to the extend that he did not see the harm he was causing himself and the others

close to him. Significantly, Willy could be said to have pride to some extend in that he

refused to accept reality and continued to believe in his vision. Willy was once an influential

member of the society as a renowned businessman but had fallen from grace to a state of

disillusionment and unhappiness. Aristotle regarded tragedy as a serious play with a sad or

tragic ending. Miller’s play is a tragedy emphasized in how willy ended up committing

suicide after realising that he would never be successful. Willy could not have lived and that

he was a terrible husband and father which compelled him to seek refuge in death. Willy left

his family with nothing that they could inherit from him in addition to the grief of losing a

father and a husband. The protagonist opted for a death since he could not adapt to change as
he continually made mistakes throughout his life. The protagonist faces various obstacles as

the play develops. Willy was his own biggest obstacle as he failed to accept his shortcomings

and failure. Instead of living with the reality and striving to become a better person. Willy

opted for the easy way out and committed suicide. Willy made many mistakes in his life, but

the fact that he failed to admit that he was wrong gives the play a tragic element. The failure

of Willy weighs down on the protagonist and he leads a miserable life eventually committing

suicide. Willy also has to deal with his failing health as he grows older but still sticks to his

vision of becoming successful. Willy was no longer as effective in his work as he used to be

when he was younger. “After all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the

years, you end up more dead than alive” (Miller,1823). Willy’s thoughts foreshadowed the

protagonist’s tragic ending when he decided to take his life. Miller’s play is a tragedy based

on the protagonist but also on other characters especially his family. The play is about the

failure of a husband who drags his entire family to doom as well. Willy had two sons, but it is

apparent that they would inherit his failure and also lead miserable lives in poverty. Willy’s

son Biff might have become a footballer. Willy’s wife Linda is also left in dismay since just

like sons were entirely dependent on willy. The play is a tragedy since it ends on a sad note

with the family being destined to lead a miserable life after the death of their provider.

Willy’s entire family gives the play tragic elements as Miller’s uses the characters to create

an atmosphere of misfortune, failure, despair and tragedy. The play is also a tragedy since it

arouses then emotions of pity and fear among the audience. Miller’s playsuits the Aristotelain

guidelines of a tragedy, but the playwright strives to imitate or create a new form of modern

tragedy. Miller wrote his famous play in the postWorld War II era during which the nations

was recovering from the toll war. Miller addressed the aspect of the aspect life of the

American dream and its tragic outcomes. Willy was used by Miller to describe the ordinary

American citizens who struggle with such issues as financial challenges, parenting roles and
marriage among others. Willy was not the only salesman who led a difficult life as depicted

in “…he died the death of a salesman, in his green velvet slippers and smoker… hundreds of

salesmen and buyers were at the funeral (Miller,1814). Additionally, it is important to note

that Miller’s play does not entirely fulfil the Aristotelian definition of a tragedy. Aristotle

holds that a tragic hero has to have a noble background, but Willy as the protagonist is just

but an ordinary man. “I don’t say he’s a great man. Willy Loman never made a lot of money.

His name was never in the paper. He’s not the finest character that ever lived’’ (Miller,

1802). However, Willy play’s a central role in developing the play as a tragedy as evidenced

in how he committed suicide. Lastly, Miller’s Death of a Salesman is a perfect illustration of

the modern tragedy that follows the guidelines of the Aristotelian tragedy through the use of

such characters as Willy Loman and his family to arouse emotions of pity and sadness among

the audience.
 Works Cited

Helene Wickham. A collection of critical Essays. Printing Hall, INC, Englewood Cliffs.

1983. Print

Miller, Arthur. Death of a salesman certain private conversations in two acts and a Requiem.

Penguin Books. 375 Hudson Street, New York 10014, U.S.A. 2009. Print.

Siegel, Paul. Willy Loman and King Lear. College English 17 . March 1956. Print.