Struggling to Write Your Thesis on Willy Loman as a Tragic Hero?

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motivations, and the tragic circumstances that lead to his downfall.

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This is because they are ready to do anything to get ahead and get consumed by the system. Willy
Loman and his family is the representation of everyman with an American Dream that soon
transforms into a nightmare. Adding to this, Aristotle states that the downfall must not wholly rely
on the tragic hero’s personality and character, but also include external forces, that influence the
eventual outcome. Was not until the end that he received what he wanted, his family's respect. Both
of them make a lot of mistakes, as well as suffering from circumstances they find themselves in as a
result of these mistakes. However, as the play progresses, it slowly unveils the character flaws of
Othello. Unleashing the Power of AI Tools for Enhancing Research, International FDP on. Since he
approaches the issue in an impersonal way, elements of modernism are evident. The diamonds are a
physical symbol of the American dream. The main difference lies in the fact that Willy is not a tragic
hero but a tragic figure of the story. Each of the plays seems to demonstrate values, which are
propagated by capitalism. A fatal character flaw would cause his downfall and the consequences or
punishments that he receives for it usually surpass the crime. His virtue and nobility are considered
to be the keys to the successful role of the tragic hero. In the drama, it is very evident to the audience
that Loman makes several attempts to survive and get “noticed”, Running Head: WILLY LOMAN
AS A MODERN TRAGIC HERO AND HIS TRAGIC FLAWS IN DEATH OF A SALESMAN 2
just like the fellow men in society. This essay has the tendency to retell, rather than analyse, and this
is mostly due to the poor structure of the argument. Shelley’s worst mistake is that he decides to live
in line with the same rules as his colleagues. Death of a Salesman: Is Willy Loman a tragic hero or a
tragic victim? Pride has the ability to deceive an individual, tempting them to pursue aspirations that
are not rightfully theirs. The plot revolves around the story of a salesman named Willy Loman, and
the audience comes to a mixed combination of his past and the present and present with the help of
expressionistic scenes. Taking into account the entire features one can surely identify Oedipus as a
real tragic hero. Success is external and visible, it is material wealth. AbstractionThe Willie Lynch
Letter is a papers that allegedly is a address given by a white slave proprietor from the West Indies.
The capitalists main goal is to ensure the people continue to buy. Willy's tragic flaw is his inability to
be satisfied by. It is Loman’s son who wishes his father were more, that enhances the tragic nature of
the play. Susan C. W. Abbotson (1999) states in Understanding Death of a Salesman, “Pursuing the
dream of middle-class status and success, Willy does everything he thinks a good salesman is
supposed to do. He makes many mistakes and his life turns out to be as tragic as the life of Willy
Loman in the end of the play though Shelly does not commit suicide. When one of the customers of
their firm decides to end the contract he made before, manager of the office lies to him, trying to get
his money in any case. This factor is very important in the scenario because it can cause fear of the
audience for the hero’s fate. The moral values of the society, as well as gender issues were
questionable. As Harold Bloom (1991) writes in Willy Loman with an excerpt by Thomas Lask and
his writing How Do You Like Willy Loman (New York Times, January 1966).
Firstly, he is not of noble birth, although in the play Miller makes a link known to the audience
because Willy is made to appear of noble birth as he is in fact referred to as, “a prince”, by his son.
He wanted to illustrate a perfect man who tried his best to be misguided by the newly established
superficial standards of the modern generation. The author tried to illustrate this hero as a man who
did his best in order to reach his goals of life to become a successful salesman. Miller commented, “I
believe that the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were”. On
the contrary, Mamet presents the themes in his play in a subjective manner since he fails to portray
any orientation towards the problem, but instead presents it to the audience so that they could
evaluate it. The analysis of the true tragic hero showed the main characteristics and features of such
characters. The capitalists main goal is to ensure the people continue to buy. Willy’s imagination is
much larger than his sales ability. As Harold Bloom (1991) writes in Willy Loman with an excerpt by
Thomas Lask and his writing How Do You Like Willy Loman (New York Times, January 1966). On
one occasion, he comes home boasting of his success and wealth on the return of his lasted business
venture it actually turns out it was not as successful as it first seems to be. The one thing this essay
lacks is a discussion of why Miller has constructed Willy as a tragic hero or tragic victim. The play
can be viewed as a social commentary about the American system, an insight, an understanding of
the deep essence of the United States. All his actions are done regarding his own choice and it
explains his brave nature and strong-willed character. Arthur Miller writes that “tragic feelings” can
be found when a person must “secure one thing-his sense of personal dignity”. While Willy is at first
hopeful in being a salesman, and grateful for a family (especially when his son was in high school
and received great cheers for being a star football player) both men are complete yin and yang in the
play, and Willy becomes despondent at the end of Miller’s play. Success is judged by the amount of
wealth acquired by an individual. This is a juxtaposition of views because Willy claims he is very
popular and well liked all over the country, which is another sign of his delusion. Levene and
Aaranow were later seen breaking into the manager’s office in an attempt to steal a contractor and
obtain a deal from another contractor. Biff tries to make his father see facts as facts but he. I always
felt that if a man was impressive, and well liked, that nothing-“(Miller 97). It is, therefore, clear that
whereas Miller’s play is a modern play, Mamet’s play is a postmodern reply to the issue. The plot
revolves around the story of a salesman named Willy Loman, and the audience comes to a mixed
combination of his past and the present and present with the help of expressionistic scenes. Although
Willy Loman does not experience a fall from a great height, it is his pride that destroys him and
establishes him as a modern tragic hero. This notion completely coincides with that one provided by
Aristotle. AbstractionThe Willie Lynch Letter is a papers that allegedly is a address given by a white
slave proprietor from the West Indies. Even in the common man’s world Loman doesn’t stand out as
unique or special; his flaw is in his power to be invisible. Hence, to understand the traits of Willy
Loman as a tragic hero of the American bourgeois society, the concept of tragedy and the tragic hero
needs to be established. The author managed to illustrate the inner struggles of Willy Loman. Charley
is constantly loaning Willy money and while Willy is grateful for the help he is also extremely jealous
of Charley for his good fortune, income, and son’s status in society. The depiction of this character
allows the audience to see a real tragic hero with all necessary for its characteristics.
While Willy is at first hopeful in being a salesman, and grateful for a family (especially when his son
was in high school and received great cheers for being a star football player) both men are complete
yin and yang in the play, and Willy becomes despondent at the end of Miller’s play. Also, in defining
and finding the correct terms in which to define the tragic hero Loman has a great tragic flaw
(hamartia) which is his devil may care attitude at the beginning of the story, to the despondency and
stagnation of hope that meets him at the end of the story, thus Miller’s play is a literary canon
because it does not only utilize the Greek term of tragedy but puts a modern twist on it by stating
that Loman’s characteristic optimism is his flaw. You can purchase already completed solutions to be
used as samples and you can order assignments to be done afresh by our competent writers. As the
story comes to an end, he was overcome by his suspicion of his wife’s dalliance, which made him kill
her. He smiles, he tells jokes, he hustles women receptionists. Nevertheless, it is crucial to consider
the negative aspects of pride before fully embracing it. Please tell about Dad.’ The symbol associated
with this betrayal is the flute. Pride has the ability to deceive an individual, tempting them to pursue
aspirations that are not rightfully theirs. Was not until the end that he received what he wanted, his
family's respect. Witnessing Willy’s affair affected Biff, motivationally. By continuing, you agree to
our Terms and Conditions. While Willy seems to hit many circumstantial pitfalls which cause him to
get fired, has his family life destroyed with false identities in his sons, and the lack of caring from
home expected of a man who just got fired, as Willy’s wife Linda says of Willy, “I don’t say he’s a
great man. His affair could be to get him the feeling of self-worth and achievement that he craves for
in his sales job, but is not getting, as a result of his own beliefs, and the harsh business environment
which he’s forced to work in. By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service
and privacy policy. One of the aspects that are repeated in simultaneous occasions is the fact that
being “liked” was a matter of prime importance for Loman ( Bloom). Willy has falsely convinced
himself and his family that they are underrated important people consistently lingering at the verge of
greatness. Both of them make a lot of mistakes, as well as suffering from circumstances they find
themselves in as a result of these mistakes. This sums up Loman’s fate; his drowning enthusiasm
pitted against an uncaring cast of characters. This play looks at the life of the Loman family in
particular Willy Loman who is the central character in this play. Despite not reaching anagorsis,
sympathy is still felt for Willy by the audience, especially as the character did not achieve anything
by the time of his eventual downfall. Both men suffered through the final moments of life, losing all
sense of control and struggling to regain their respective places on top. The main difference lies in
the fact that Willy is not a tragic hero but a tragic figure of the story. You can use them for
inspiration, an insight into a particular topic, a handy source of reference, or even just as a template
of a certain type of paper. From the flashbacks throughout the play we learn that Biff and Willy used
to be close, “missed you every minute”. His house is surrounded with big buildings, his garden,
which was rather big, turns out to be a small yard; he is unfaithful for his wife and his son Biff finds
it out. As always, make sure you use in-text citations and an end reference. Discuss theses two
aspects of Willy Loman's character and comment on how they affect both Willy himself and the
other characters' relationships with him. For Willy Loman, his reality isn’t attributed to ego; he knows
where he is, what he is, but his tragic flaw is accounted for in the pitfall of banal acceptance, which is
the cornerstone of the play as a literary canon. It shows how guilty he feels about his poor decision
and he forever criticizes himself. The American idea of a tragic hero differs substantially from the
Ancient Greek idea of the tragic hero and one’s tragic flaw.
This betrayal, sacking Willy is the most obvious betrayal of his loyalty and dedication to try and
become a success. The refrigerator consumes belts like a Goddamn maniac. In some ways in the play
Charley seems to remind Loman of his older brother Ben who left for Alaska and then Africa at a
young age and was rich when he died as Willy states, “The man knew what he wanted and went out
and got it. Willy builds his whole life around the philosophy that if a person is well-liked and good
looking, he will be successful. The story closes with the family realizing that they were on the verge
of mediocrity and that dream would have been attainable and fine. In comparison Linda, his wife
betrays him because she never forces Willy to face up to the truth the fact that he is not a success.
Miller and Mamet use characters who interpret success in terms of material perspectives. His
colleagues do not think a lot about the ways they earn money as they deceive people, selling them
lands which cannot be used for life at all and they know that very well. Othello, somehow manages
to fit in classically while Loman had to achieve it by diving deeper into the criteria. Vowing revenge
upon his Uncle, Hamlet begins to falter, quickly losing touch with reality. It could also be said that
Willy Loman doesn’t possess a fatal flaw- he has many. This unfortunate turn of events can be
classified as peripeteia. He lives with his wife Linda and two sons Biff and Happy. Both men
suffered through the final moments of life, losing all sense of control and struggling to regain their
respective places on top. Willy hopes that his family will get his life insurance. He is weak living in
the past, constantly in hope that his visions of a great future for his sons will come true and his
family will conform to the American dream. Report this Document Download now Save Save To
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Lawrence AI-enhanced title and description The character of Willy Loman is created by Miller to
show a man out of place in the world he finds himself in. Hence, alienation brings with itself, a sense
of loss that is formed due to a feeling of social injustice. Miller uses the writing approach of
modernism, which entails presenting issues from the author’s point of view. They were ambitious for
success since they associated success with wealth. His obsession with the American dream is the one
thing he cannot sell to Biff. It is important to stress that the similarities of the characters are almost
unnoticeable and that is why it was very difficult to name both of them tragic heroes. Hamlet clearly
falls from grace and struggles to understand what has happened. We will write a custom essay on
your topic a custom Research Paper on Willy Loman and Oedipus as Tragic Heroes 808 writers
online Learn More Considering the definition of the tragedy given by Aristotle one can identify the
main features of the tragic hero. Willy does not want to face the fact that he is not earning enough. In
the waste of his life, his fate touches us all” (Lask 60). London: Yale UP. Miller, Arthur. (1996).
Death of a Salesman. It can be argued that Willy Loman’s only tragic flaw is a strong desire to be a
popular salesman. Among the more popular tragic heroes in the literary history are Othello from
Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare and Willy Loman from Arthur Miller’s Death of
a Salesman. According to his view, this action was considered to be covered by pity and fear causing
a burst of emotions.
The introduction offers nothing - examiners will hate to see introductions which simply explain the
author of the play and a short plot summary. Othello, somehow manages to fit in classically while
Loman had to achieve it by diving deeper into the criteria. Just talk to our smart assistant Amy and
she'll connect you with the best. Arthur Miller writes that “tragic feelings” can be found when a
person must “secure one thing-his sense of personal dignity”. But Willy’s talents are ordinary at best,
and his value in the market is marginal” (Abbotson 212). It is Loman’s son who wishes his father
were more, that enhances the tragic nature of the play. Susan C. W. Abbotson (1999) states in
Understanding Death of a Salesman, “Pursuing the dream of middle-class status and success, Willy
does everything he thinks a good salesman is supposed to do. Throughout Arthur Miller's Death of a
Salesman, Wily Loan is in pursuit of this Dream. According to his view, this action was considered
to be covered by pity and fear causing a burst of emotions. Nobility is the component for which he is
respected by the audience. This point is best seen with Charley’s character and the opposite of this is
seen with Loman, as Willy says in the first act, “The man who makes an appearance in the business
world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. People respect him and
look up to him because of his noble stature. Instead, introductions should engage with the question
and set up a cogent argument. They were ambitious for success since they associated success with
wealth. Loman’s sons epitomize this failing of the American Dream as Biff says he cannot be happy.
This need for material goods, success, blocked out any truth or moral vision. It can be argued that
Willy Loman’s only tragic flaw is a strong desire to be a popular salesman. Ben: “Why boys, when I
was seventeen I walked into the jungle. This dull acceptance means to the modern audience that
Loman has given up ideas of grandeur, in getting out of his neighborhood, of being more than a
salesman, he only recognizes these as flaws when his son brings it to his attention. He never comes to
terms with reality and appears to live in the past which is what clouds his judgement in the present.
Despite this, Willy is determined to succeed in his career, to provide for his family, and increase
reputation. Unleashing the Power of AI Tools for Enhancing Research, International FDP on. If you
are the copyright owner of this paper and no longer wish to have your work published on IvyPanda.
They have some similar features as both of them are sales agents and both of them are not able to
achieve their main aim in life, which is to earn a lot of money. Remember! This is just a sample You
can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers Get custom essay References Knox, Bernard.
As always, make sure you use in-text citations and an end reference. His wife Linda tells him to just
forget it and life can be based on luck. Act 1. By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our
terms of service and privacy policy. Witnessing Willy’s affair affected Biff, motivationally. He could
be overlooking him, in order to focus his effort onto Biff, who lacks the deluded aspirations that Willy
wants him to have. We must not build up ourselves at the expense of others.
Are their common men who do heroic but small acts. Looking at dramatic techniques such as
soliloquies would be relevant here. When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the
moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator. It’s the fact that they share the same problems
as we do today, the same flaws, hopes and fears. His struggle with his situation, the sense of
inevitability and destiny that surrounds him make him a tragic hero in the contemporary sense of the
term. Charlie because accepting his offer would mean admitting to. He would have affairs with other
women and treat them better than the way he could treat his wife. His farther betrayed him because
he had abandoned him when he was small. Throughout his full life Willy believed that he would
decease a rich and successful adult male. London: Yale UP. Miller, Arthur. (1996). Death of a
Salesman. Willy is under the impression that he is loved by all. He wanted to illustrate a perfect man
who tried his best to be misguided by the newly established superficial standards of the modern
generation. Willy could be considered worried or protective in this scene. A star like that,
magnificent can never really fade away! ( Bloom) ” It is essential to highlight that the post-war era
for the vast majority of Americans were times when the traditional form of life ceased to exist, and
people were “boxed” and left without “a breath of fresh air”. Despite this, Willy is determined to
succeed in his career, to provide for his family, and increase reputation. Willy's tragic flaw is his
inability to be satisfied by. He smiles, he tells jokes, he hustles women receptionists. Shelley’s worst
mistake is that he decides to live in line with the same rules as his colleagues. Attention, attention
must finally be paid to such a person” (Miller Act One), it is with Charley who takes on a more
pragmatic approach as is seen with him owning his own business that the audience sees as the true
hero of Miller’s play since Charley does not give in to his circumstance. However, Biff helps create
Willy as a tragic hero, because he does learn that Willy’s beliefs which he clung to desperately all his
life were not actually that important, “He has the wrong dreams”. Willy has an affair with a client's
employee to kill the loneliness. After his marriage, he engaged in various extra marital affairs and had
two children, Biff and Happy. These two characters, although both fit the qualifications of a tragic
hero, do so in different ways. As a matter of conclusion, it is important to stress that both Willy
Loman and Oedipus are heroes in a way. It was to persuade people to buy goods; many goods could
be paid in instalment. Willy Loman and his family is the representation of everyman with an
American Dream that soon transforms into a nightmare. The connotation here is that Loman was
blind in the beginning of Miller’s play, but not really in the second act. Oedipus proves his heroic
nature by his brave and significant actions, while Willy Loman is considered to be a selfless person.
Charlie because accepting his offer would mean admitting to. Flute music is heard throughout the
play at significant times during Willys daydreams. It illustrates his insecurities and remains us of
betrayal.