“In fact, he kills himself for money. Because he confuses materialistic success with a worthiness for love, he commits suicide to give his son Biff the insurance benefit as a stake for more business.” (Cardullo). His family, however, did not think the same way as Willy, and they did not live by the same lifestyle. His family cared more about him than they did about the money that he could provide. Willy did not see this though, In his mind, the life insurance money was worth more to them than he
Biff, on the other hand, had it worse because his father sold him lies about his importance in the business industry, which forced Biff to admire Willy and strive to be like him one day. Willy’s consistent stroking of Biff’s ego misled Biff into thinking that he could get away with anything simply because he was “popular” and “well-liked”. However, when Biff accidentally stumbles upon his father’s adultery, his world crashes in on itself as he loses his sense of identity. He quotes, “I realized what a ridiculous lie my whole life has been” (Act II). Willy wasn’t much better with his “friends”.
Joe is the typical small town America ‘everyman’, and is relatable to everyday life which complies with Aristotle’s Poetics that tragic characters should imitate life. Joe is thought to be tragic because he makes the mistake of lying about the cylinder head incident that led to Steve’s imprisonment. From this one event, it triggers a chain reaction of occurrences that drives the play, and pilots the themes that contribute to the tragic nature of Joe’s character. The recurring theme of money and profiteering from the war comes from Joe’s hamartia as he constantly justifies his actions by saying that everything he does is for his family; ‘Chris, I did it for you.’ This also shows that Keller is refusing to take responsibility for his actions and tries to put the blame onto his own son. In comparison, Chris Keller is seen as more of a noble character rather than an ‘average Joe’, as he would put himself on the line for someone else; ‘man for man’.
This furthermore leads to the downfall of Willy and his family, proving that Willy Loman is a tragic hero. To conclude, “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller satisfies the criteria for a tragic play because Willy’s pride is a tragic flaw that leads to his downfall. Ultimately, Willy gains enlightenment of his false perception of life and realizes how he inhibits the success of his family. This epiphany leads him to sacrifice himself for the well-being of his family. During his lifetime, Willy’s pride caused him to have an overinflated ego, a bizarre idealistic view on life, and a false value system.
Willy was a deluded idealist who at a very early age taught his two sons to believe that, “…the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who... ... middle of paper ... ...of her very persona and individuality. Linda was forced to live a lie, which caused her great pressure, because she knew if Willy were to leave his false dreams, he would commit suicide. Linda was willing to go great lengths in order to prevent Willy from committing suicide, even if it meant emotionally hurting herself along the way. Finally, Willy’s delusions robbed her of her husband and left her to take care of her two sons as a widow. Willy’s fabricated dreams affected both him and his family negatively.
War gives soldiers the main purpose to kill, while for Paul and Xavier killing a human is not morally wrong. In addition, Paul, like Xavier haves regret and shame for all the comrades and enemies that they have lost. This causes them to go into a state of anger and guilt which they cannot control. This is seen after Xavier cannot think straight after destroying a base along with enemies, Xavier proclaims, “I replay it over and over in my head so that I don’t sleep all night, pulling the pin on my mill bomb, throwing it and watching it arc until it disappears into the crater, the concussion and screams. I have killed someone now” (Boyden, 75).
The Effects of Male Expectations Male expectations are ever present in our world creating an adverse effect on men making them feel inferior if they are unable to succeed financially. Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman explicitly shows just how harmful these expectations can be to a person and their families. The main character in the play Death of a Salesman Willy Loman is greatly affected by these male expectations. The man is expected to not only support his family but must also be able to climb to the top of the corporate ladder. Willy’s inability to succeed financially as expected from society in turn affects his two sons Biff and Happy and his loving wife Linda.
Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman as Social Commentary Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman portrays the Loman's and all the family conflicts they faced. It's also apparent on a bigger scale that this play is a social commentary. It touches all the problems brought on by wealth and success in our culture. Death of a Salesman is more effective as a reflection of society and the problems it faces than as a depiction of family conflicts. The play showed how Willy Loman's longing to be successful controlled his life and ruined his family.
However, he keeps this alternative career hidden from his family and slowly becomes consumed by his alter ego “Heisenberg,” a man so hungry for power and money that his relationships with his loved ones suffers. While Walter thought he was creating a better life for his family, in reality he was just tearing it apart. Likewise, Macbeth’s hunger for power causes suffering for his loved ones.
The news the oracle delivers to Oedipus is catastrophic. He is told that he will ... ... middle of paper ... ...hooses to be ignorant to the truth rather than see reality is abundant. His choice to blame others for his wrongs and his arrogance make him responsible for his crimes. Sophocles’s tragic play Oedipus Tyrannus induces catharsis in the audience and rouses exciting debate revolving around the morality concerned with Oedipus’s crimes. It is often argued whether Oedipus is truly responsible for the loathsome crimes of patricide and incest.