The Modern Tragedy: Death Of A Salesman :: essays research papers

A Modern TragedyA form of drama in which a person of super intelligence and character is overcome by the very obstacles he/she is struggling to remove defines a cataclysm as most people know it. However, tragedy can reflect another aspect of life the tragedies of the common people. Heroic behavior in these instances may at times be impossible. We expect, from reading the firstly tragedies, that only kings or nobility can be tragic heroes. Arthur Miller himself said, I believe that the common man is as apt a vitrine for tragedy in its highest sense as kings wereThe same characteristics which were enacted by royal beingsapply to everyone in similar emotional situations. Death of a Salesman can be defined as a tragedy, with Willy Loman as the tragic hero. Willy Loman has a tragic taint characteristic of all tragic heroes, however, it is not necessarily a weakness. Willy has a lot of dignity, and he is unwilling to remain passive in the face of what he conceives to be a challenge t o his dignity, his image of his rightful status. His tragic flaw leads to his demise.A tragic hero begins with a purpose, falls on hard times, but, in the end, gains a better perception. This perfectly describes Willy. Willys initial purpose is to assign his dignity by pretending in front of his family and not accepting a job that he believes would lower his position. He obviously falls on hard times he loses his job, his sons are lazy bums, Biff is a thief, he constantly relives his mistakes, and Biff resents his dad because of something that happened years ago. All of these are exhibit of the hard times he is having in his life. After a confrontation with Biff, which occurred because of Lindas insistence, Willy gains a better perception of his life. Or, at least, he thinks he does. Willy believes that, by committing suicide, he can gain dignity in the eyes of his family. By doing this, they can live off the insurance money, and he will finally relieve oneself been able to provi de for them.