DOAS critical context
The lost father- Charlene Fix
Arthur Miller's down syndrome son, Daniel, was placed in Southbury, an institution in a pastoral setting like Willy
Willy reaches manhood feeling that he must know his father in order to know himself and clarify his vocation
the Loman family manifests a kind of psychic contagion whereby Willy’s father’s hunger and thus identity and vocational confusion is passed on to his sons
rather than admit the
bankruptcy of his legacy, he sells his death to perpetuate it.
a foil for the “diamond” of Willy’s life insurance policy is the subplot of Charley, whose refusal to pass on hype to his son results in Bernard’s success.
Biff encounters the real Willy: a lonely man fearful of failure having an adulterous affair- the loss of a son’s faith in
his father, resulting in the loss of that son’s faith in his own bright future.
Biff says "I know who I am", rejecting the business success ethos that is only on the surface of Willy's legacy and embracing the deeper layers of love of nature and labour
By not knowing his own father and instead choosing to emulate Singleman, Willy repressed his real talent.
the play’s surface is the deep structure of myth: sons seeking lost fathers, the lost promise of youth.
Miller, who manipulated the myth of the lost father so compellingly, may have been a lost father himself.
the theme of the lost father is relevant anywhere people inhabit worlds different to the predecessors and haunted by those worlds seeks identity and vocation
Critical analysis- Kambli
Milller's works portray middlemen as heroes, bitterly and futilely fighting against the entire system of what Americanism is
Critics have remarked on the fragile nature of Willy Loman (primarily believed to be the protagonist of the play by many) [...] and that he may not be the central character
Linda is another character which makes an impact in her own right- the quiet force, the glue that holds the family together,
Loman’s futile efforts to attain whatever he envisages, his great aspirations despite the realization of mediocrity- all flaws- are ultimately the contributors of versatility in character.
Loman's death is not only an escape from shame but as a
last attempt to re-establish his own self- confidence and his family's integrity"
Biff’s character is an antithesis of what an ideal candidate for the American dream- Biff’s personality is stronger than that of his father, just because of that realization.
He is always looking for an opportunity to change Biff in order to satisfy some deep personal ambition, but Biff is unaffected by his father’s attempts,
Biff does not wish to emulate the “ideal” man as his father envisions, but wants to go his own way, no
matter how indecisive or reckless it may otherwise seem.
Willy's death changes nothing; it implies instead that a man's frenetic attempt to make the world a home can defeat the viability of his private home
The American Dream- Wade Bradford
Biff Loman does have the potential to pursue the “right” dream—if only he could resolve his inner conflict
Charley and Benard demonstrate that with the right attitude, the American Dream is indeed achievable
Happy is following in Willy's footsteps of self-delusion and pretenses
one must be ruthless (or at least a bit wild) in order to achieve it.
Linda, one of the characters who can actually distinguish from true and superficial values, is frightened and concerned by Ben
Ben embodies the original American Dream—the ability to start with nothing and somehow make a fortune:
His tragic flaw is that he fails to recognize the love and devotion that surround him and elevates the goals prescribed by society above all else.
when people take the material success for the end-all-be-all and elevate it above spirituality, connection with nature, and, most importantly, relationships with others.
Biff is captured by his love and admiration for his father and struggles to decide what is the right way to live. On the other hand, he also inherited his father's sense of poetry and love for the natural life
Willy pursued an empty life. He sold nameless, unidentified products, and watched his American Dream fall apart.
Ben- Angelica Frey
Willy greatly admires Ben, and wishes he could embody similarly masculine traits
The high value Ben puts on masculine competition, taming of the wild, and riches, puts him in opposition to the more humane values that Linda embodies, of domesticity
Willy is enamoured with the ideal his brother embodies, and tries to instil his interpretation of the “jungle” parable into his sons,
Ben inherited the adventurous and entrepreneurial spirit of his father, while Willy is a failed salesman.
The conflict between Ben and Linda represents The conflict between the city and the wilderness
Ben represents in his mind the parental voice that approves or disapproves of his actions and choices. Ben’s voice has berated and belittled Willy throughout the play, until at the end it approves of his suicidal decision