The Tragic Roles In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

Postmodernism expressed the life of Americans after World War II through different forms of literature. The population boomed, technology advanced, and the curriculum progressed around the 1940s and 1950s which further added to the changes faced by the American people. Although life for citizens slowly began to heal itself, especially after the war, families still suffered from their own issues. In other words, literature displayed the tragedies found within American households at the time and can still be seen today. At times literature exposes a tragic plot that “typically ends in disaster and that focuses on a character who undergoes unexpected personal reversals” (Tragedy 483). A famous play that exemplifies such a tense term is Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. This …show more content…
For instance, Willy was a typical American guy who wanted to support his family and wanted his sons to be as successful as they can possibly be. However, he paid a guy named Bernard to give his son, Biff, the answers to a math test, cheated on his wife Linda, and constantly began arguments with his sons. Furthermore, tragedy heroes tend to contain “courage or jealousy [that] may equally be the trait whose expression leads to the direst of consequences” (Tragedy 484). Likewise, Willy repetitively compared his lifestyle and his sons’ lifestyles to the lifestyles of his father and brother. Such comparisons increased Willy’s thrust for victory and a better life due to the jealousy it stirred within him which also represents Willy’s hamartia. It is a hamartia because it caused Willy’s character to only worsen by screaming at each person that got in his way, including his boss. Furthermore, Willy’s concept about what makes a person successful, being likeable rather than smart, is also his hamartia. Also, Willy’s temper is associated with his tragic flaw, his mental health condition. His hallucinations added more tragedy to