Unacknowledged Mastery In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

An Unacknowledged Mastery

Introduction:

Arthur Miller’s, Death of a Salesman is undeniably a masculine focused play as it reveals a man’s struggle to achieve success. However, through careful examination, many literary scholars have found it to be the women in these men’s lives that have the most impact on their accomplishments. As exemplified through the male and female relationships in Death of a Salesman, man’s success is heavily influenced by a women's indirect authority.

First Para:

Correspondingly, the potential success of Willy Loman is extinguished by the convincing words of his wife Linda. In one of Willy’s many flashbacks, reference is made to Willy’s brother, Ben asking Willy to join him in Alaska and develop a business together. Ben enthusiastically tells his brother that he “could walk out rich” and be a successful

Linda’s strongest objection is “why must everybody conquer the world?” as she sees no value in “cut-throat competition”(Stanton). Linda also heightens his ego by telling him he is “doing well enough” and is “well liked” (Miller, 65). Above all, her strongest “supporting points are Willy’s own statements about his career fed back to him” (Stanton). Although Willy finds the offer tempting, he refuses the offer after Linda makes reference to Dave Singleman, who Willy idolizes. Dave Singleman, without ever leaving his hotel room, conducted a successful sales career and Willy strongly believes in his method. Linda indirectly takes advantage of Willy’s unworthy assurance in Singleman. When Willy developed the idea that he would never retire he assumed he didn’t have to worry about the future therefore, there would be no reason to go to Alaska. Linda presumed that by