Gender Roles In Death Of A Salesman

The Death of a Salesman is a definite portrayal of how people were expected to fall into their “natural roles” based on their gender. The death of a salesman is an American classic about an average American family falling apart because of the societal pressures each character had. The portrayal of women and men highlight how they were pushed into certain roles which, in turn, created a family that tore itself apart.

A woman’s significance is defined by how well she fits into the stereotype and the role created for her before she was even born. Linda seems like the typical “perfect wife” of the time of this story. Linda, as sad, as it is, is an example of a tragic stereotype. She emotionally supports yet gets little in return. She is his “foundation and support.” Emphasis on the word “his” because she seems to live to serve and cater to her husband and her two sons. Being called this feels like less than. Notice how nothing makes them seem as a couple should, a team or duo. No partnership was implied, she is there to support him.

Willy: Why do you get American when I like Swiss?

Linda: I just thought you 'd like a change.

Willy: I don 't want a change! I want Swiss cheese. Why am I always being contradicted?”

Her love for him is quite unwavering. Then there is The Woman, the sexually appealing one, the polar opposite of Linda. The Woman was an outlet of frustration so he could prove to himself that he was still a man, as if his gender was defined by what he did and how useful he felt. Linda and The Woman were used to feed his ego. The fact that these two women are the only characters they decided to include, the fact that these are extremely different the roles were next to each other shows how poorly women were represented and how sorely they were viewed in that