The Duality of a Salesman
When Arthur Miller wrote Death of a Salesman at the end of the 40's, it was with a purpose. There was much he wanted to say being a man of loud and strong opinions and Death of a Salesman may have been one of his most profound works. With this in mind, every production of the play has created thoughtful representations of the tale.
The original theatrical run of the show on Broadway opened in February 10, 1949 and had a year and a half run (http://www.playbill.com/production/death-of-a-salesman-morosco-theatre-vault-0000002446). That original production was legendary for many reasons, and created a legacy that marked the way for revivals and film/TV adaptations for the next 60 years. One of the best productions done for Death of a Salesman occurred in 1985 starring Dustin Hoffman as Willy Loman, Kate Reid as Linda Loman, John Malkovich as Biff, and Stephen Lang as Happy. This production best showcases the dichotomy of the play as it was transferred from …show more content…
The reason Willy goes from moment to moment, from joyful to angered, so quickly happens because the life he leads is both the best and the worst thing that ever happened to him. This duality of a salesman is shown in the theatrical yet real sets, in the adherence to the 1984 play's staging, dialogue, and set. Even the cast comes from the '84 play. The house which is so prominent and integral to the story and Willy's view of his life stands in a fake world too close to the edges as it falls apart becoming frailer each day. What is real and what is creation becomes blurred not only in Willy's head, but also in each location of this film. Therein lies the premise of the play; what we think maybe the most important part, may in fact be a cardboard façade that will only disappoint us in the
When Arthur Miller wrote Death of a Salesman at the end of the 40's, it was with a purpose. There was much he wanted to say being a man of loud and strong opinions and Death of a Salesman may have been one of his most profound works. With this in mind, every production of the play has created thoughtful representations of the tale.
The original theatrical run of the show on Broadway opened in February 10, 1949 and had a year and a half run (http://www.playbill.com/production/death-of-a-salesman-morosco-theatre-vault-0000002446). That original production was legendary for many reasons, and created a legacy that marked the way for revivals and film/TV adaptations for the next 60 years. One of the best productions done for Death of a Salesman occurred in 1985 starring Dustin Hoffman as Willy Loman, Kate Reid as Linda Loman, John Malkovich as Biff, and Stephen Lang as Happy. This production best showcases the dichotomy of the play as it was transferred from …show more content…
The reason Willy goes from moment to moment, from joyful to angered, so quickly happens because the life he leads is both the best and the worst thing that ever happened to him. This duality of a salesman is shown in the theatrical yet real sets, in the adherence to the 1984 play's staging, dialogue, and set. Even the cast comes from the '84 play. The house which is so prominent and integral to the story and Willy's view of his life stands in a fake world too close to the edges as it falls apart becoming frailer each day. What is real and what is creation becomes blurred not only in Willy's head, but also in each location of this film. Therein lies the premise of the play; what we think maybe the most important part, may in fact be a cardboard façade that will only disappoint us in the