Death of a Salesman

An American Tragedy
by Arthur Miller

Sameet

Introduction
Arthur Miller

⚫ Born in New York City on October 17, 1915; he died

February 10, 2005.
⚫ Began as playwright at University of Michigan
⚫ Pulitzer Prize winner for Death of A Salesman
⚫ Double winner of New York Drama Critics Circle
Award
Productions of Death of a Salesman

⚫ 1950 - first sound recording of Death of a

Salesman
⚫ 1951 - 1st film version
⚫ 1951 - 1952 - US Tour
⚫ 1954 - 1st radio production
⚫ 1983 - Miller directs Death in China
⚫ 1985 - film version with Dustin Hoffman
on CBS; 25 million see it!
Miller’s Legal Troubles

⚫ Suspected of being a Communist sympathizer

⚫ Death of a Salesman was seen as un-
American
⚫ Miller has troubles with the HUAC/McCarthy
panel hearings
⚫ 1953 - Miller denied a passport
⚫ 1955 - HUAC pressures NYC not to allow
Miller to make a film for them about juvenile
delinquency
The Saga Continued...

⚫ 1957 - Miller convicted of contempt of

Congress for refusing to name names.
And then...
⚫ 1958 - US Court of Appeals overturns his
contempt conviction.

But all of this could not deter the public

from viewing and revering his work for
generations!
The American Dream

People have the right to a decent

place to live, a fair reward for hard work
and recognition of their worth as human
beings. This play is similar to A Raisin in
the Sun in that it asks the same basic
questions: Has the American Dream
become an unkept promise? Is it just a
mirage?
The play

⚫ …addresses family conflict and ethics in post

World War II America
⚫ takes a close look at the price paid for the
“American Dream.”
⚫ charges America with creating a capitalist
materialism centered around a postwar
economy.
⚫ This materialism skewed the original view of
the “American Dream” as envisioned by the
founding fathers.
⚫ Original Title – “The Inside of His Head”
Miller’s Assertions

⚫ Death of a Salesman is not a “document

of pessimism.”

⚫ Death of a Salesman is not un-American;

it celebrates the life of Willy Loman.

⚫ Miller believes that tragedy is “inherently

optimistic.”
The Common Man as Hero

Miller’s thoughts:
⚫ “Everyone knows Willy Loman.” (allusion
to the morality play, Everyman.)
⚫ “The common man is suitable for a tragic
hero.”
⚫ Willy is meant to be seen as greater and
better (at least in potential) than the
society.
Miller’s Modern Tragedy

⚫ The hero is a common man.

⚫ The hero struggles against society.
⚫ The hero meets his downfall.
⚫ The downfall is a result of an incongruity
between his own perception of the world
and reality.
⚫ The hero achieves a kind of redemption
in his downfall.