Death Of A Salesman Why Does Linda Loman's Dream

The opening excerpt from Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman exemplifies Linda Loman’s naivete to her husband, Willy Loman, throughout the play. Linda’s attempts to satisfy Willy characterize her clueless personality, and often lead to her own detriment. Her strong commitment blinds her of her husband’s woes, and contribute to confusion when Willy commits suicide. Despite his wavering finances and his mistress, Linda stays blind to the corruption in her own life. Linda Loman’s devotion to her husband often leaves her unable to see his wrong doings. Willy's mistress, for example, remains completely unknown to Linda throughout the play, despite various hints from both Willy and her son Biff. Willy at one point lashes out a Linda for mending her stockings because it reminds him of his …show more content…
When he dies, Linda searches for reasons that are already in front of her, “Forgive me, dear. I can’t cry. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t cry. I don’t understand it. Why did you ever do that? Help me, Willy, I can’t cry. It seems to me that you’re just on another trip. I keep expecting you. Willy, dear, I can’t cry. Why did you do it?” (Requiem). Even with the numerous hints to Willy’s mental condition with his delusions, failures at work and numerous attempts at suicide beforehand, Linda’s characteristic doting blinds her. Even at his funeral she fails to recognize her husband's true position in life when no one shows up. Linda’s own delusions keep her from being satisfied in life, often condemning her to confusion. Linda Loman, of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, has a childlike lack of knowledge when it comes to her late husband. Her constant doting and denial of significant issues in her own life cause confusion when Willy commits suicide. Even though she is constantly reminded of her husband's failures, she herself is deluded into thinking that they are following a life of