Death of a Prince
(An analysis of three important symbols in Death of a Salesman) Every human is unique in their own way and they all die a death that is similar, but yet different. It is similar in the fact that everyone takes their last breath, but different in the fact that they choose when they die or they let nature choose for them. Arthur Miller can be considered a master not only of writing plays, but also plays of death or tragedy. Miller’s plays follow the Aristotelian tragedy style in which the main character, or the protagonist, with whom the audience most associates with, goes through and witness a dramatic decline in character, health, or mental status (Golden). Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman was published in 1949, and according …show more content…
As the play wears on, Willy is constantly going back into his mind and back into the past that he clearly wishes was different. He brings up the matter of seeds and planting a garden several times to Linda who always assures him that it is useless because there is not enough room or sun for the plants to grow. In Act II of the play, Willy is out to dinner with his boys who end up leaving him because he is not there mentally, as they find girls to spend their time with. Willy collapses in the bathroom and Stanley helps him out. As Willy is leaving, he asks Stanley on page 122 of the play, “Tell me—is there a seed store in the neighborhood?” Stanley replies that there is and Willy goes off to go home and pick seeds up on his way even though it is probably too late and the hardware store is closed. Over the duration of the play, Willy is constantly looking for ways to seemingly prove his worth or prove him not to be a “poor pitiable fool” as best explained by Robert A. Martin in his critical essay of the play titled, “The Nature of Tragedy in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman”. Willy feels like a lost and destroyed man with the loss of his job and his inadequate ability to provide for his wife and ultimately his family as he can’t even make up a way for him to pay his insurance. The seeds could also be a symbol of Willy wanting to do one last thing for his wife before he commits
(An analysis of three important symbols in Death of a Salesman) Every human is unique in their own way and they all die a death that is similar, but yet different. It is similar in the fact that everyone takes their last breath, but different in the fact that they choose when they die or they let nature choose for them. Arthur Miller can be considered a master not only of writing plays, but also plays of death or tragedy. Miller’s plays follow the Aristotelian tragedy style in which the main character, or the protagonist, with whom the audience most associates with, goes through and witness a dramatic decline in character, health, or mental status (Golden). Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman was published in 1949, and according …show more content…
As the play wears on, Willy is constantly going back into his mind and back into the past that he clearly wishes was different. He brings up the matter of seeds and planting a garden several times to Linda who always assures him that it is useless because there is not enough room or sun for the plants to grow. In Act II of the play, Willy is out to dinner with his boys who end up leaving him because he is not there mentally, as they find girls to spend their time with. Willy collapses in the bathroom and Stanley helps him out. As Willy is leaving, he asks Stanley on page 122 of the play, “Tell me—is there a seed store in the neighborhood?” Stanley replies that there is and Willy goes off to go home and pick seeds up on his way even though it is probably too late and the hardware store is closed. Over the duration of the play, Willy is constantly looking for ways to seemingly prove his worth or prove him not to be a “poor pitiable fool” as best explained by Robert A. Martin in his critical essay of the play titled, “The Nature of Tragedy in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman”. Willy feels like a lost and destroyed man with the loss of his job and his inadequate ability to provide for his wife and ultimately his family as he can’t even make up a way for him to pay his insurance. The seeds could also be a symbol of Willy wanting to do one last thing for his wife before he commits