value and dignity to ordinary human life.
Willy’s Tragic Flaw: Like a classical hero, Willy also has a flaw. His weakness is his blind faith in false dreams. He believes that being liked and popular can bring success. He says,
“It’s not what you do... It’s who you know and the smile on your face.”
He never learns that honesty and skill matter more than charm. His pride stops him from facing truth. His wrong idea of success ruins his job, his sons, and his peace. This false belief is the root of his tragedy.
Conflict Between Dream and Reality: Willy cannot accept the difference between dream and truth. He dreams of fame and comfort, but he earns nothing. He says,
“After all the highways... you end up worth more dead than alive.”
These words show his pain and failure. He tries to live through memories and illusions. He imagines his brother Ben, who became rich easily. But the real world does not match his dream. His struggle between what he wants and what he has makes him miserable. This conflict is the heart of his tragedy.
Family Suffering and Emotional Pain: Willy’s tragedy spreads to his family. Linda loves him deeply and protects him. She says,
“He’s a human being... and a terrible thing is happening to him.”
Her words show her pity and pain. Biff’s love turns to anger when he discovers Willy’s affair. Happy follows his father’s false dream of success. The whole family lives between truth and lies. Their love becomes suffering. Miller shows that modern tragedy is not only personal but also family-based, where one man’s failure breaks everyone’s heart.
Death as a False Victory: At last, Willy kills himself to find peace and pride. He believes that his life insurance money will help his family. He says,
“The jungle is dark, but full of diamonds.”
This line shows his final illusion. He thinks his death will bring success. But his funeral is small and empty. No buyers or friends come to honor him. His death gives no victory, only sadness. Miller ends the play with irony. Willy’s dream of greatness dies with him. It proves that his success was only an illusion.
In conclusion, “Death of a Salesman” is a powerful modern tragedy. Willy Loman is a common man with noble dreams but weak judgment. His pride, false values, and illusions cause his downfall. Arthur Miller shows that tragedy can belong to any man whose dreams crash against hard reality. Willy’s death teaches that truth and self-knowledge are more valuable than false success and pride.
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