DEATH+OF+A+SALESMAN

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** Death of a Salesman ** **By Arthur Miller** **Overview of the Play** This play is about the Loman family who live in America in the 1940s. The protagonist, Willy Loman, is a salesman struggling to make enough money to pay the bills who is obsessed with appearing to be successful and ‘well liked’. Willy has a long-suffering wife, Linda, and two sons: Biff and Happy. Although Biff was extremely popular and a talented footballer in his youth, he is still trying to ‘find himself’ at the age of thirty-four while the ironically named Happy is boastful and competitive but equally dissatisfied with his life. The structure of the play is such that we are not so much interested in asking, ‘what is going to happen to this family?’ as ‘what has happened to this family to make them like they are?’ The play is pervaded by different kinds of dreams: the American dream, hopes and ambitions and daydreams and fantasies. These dreams motivate the characters, (temporarily) shield them from the disappointing ‘reality’ of their lives and give them false hopes. Arguably, it is the characters’ dreams which ultimately lead to the play’s tragedy.

** The Context ** The context link gives information on the context of Miller's life, his major plays, the context of the American Dream, and the theatrical context in term of Realism, Expressionism and Tragedy. **Staging the Play** It's very important to be able to visualise the play in terms of set design and staging. Check out some of the images here to see which you feel best fit Miller's stage directions at the beginning of the text. ** Study Guide ** What doe the references to diamonds mean? And the seeds? Find out that and much more in this useful student made student guide...    ** Study Questions ** Questions Act One Visit our etherpad discussion to find out some of the answers to the above: [] Questions Act Two ** Revision Activities **
 * 1) What is the implication of Willy saying ‘It’s all right. I came back.’
 * 2) Why does Linda support Willy, according to the stage directions?
 * 3) Why is Willy ‘Tired to the death’?
 * 4) Select and explain two quotations which encourage us to feel sorry for Willy.
 * 5) Select and explain two quotations which encourage us to admire Willy.
 * 6) What is Willy’s opinion of Biff?
 * 7) Why is Biff worried about Willy?
 * 8) What does ‘simonising’ mean?
 * 9) What are Biff and Happy’s attitudes to women? Select and explain a quotation to support your ideas.
 * 10) Can you see any similarities between Biff’s and Willy’s ideas about nature and the outdoors?
 * 1) What indication is there in the stage directions that the mood has changed at the start of Act 2?
 * 2) Why is it ironic that Willy dreams of living on a farm?
 * 3) What is ironic about Willy’s constant complaints about the failure of consumer goods, given his job?
 * 4) Why does Linda describe Willy as a ‘little boat looking for a harbour’? What does this reveal about her attitude to him?
 * 5) How does Howard’s reaction to Willy’s appearance contradict what Willy has said about himself in the past?
 * 6) What similarity can you see between Howard and Willy? What does this highlight?
 * 7) Willy believes that the right psychological approach can always win the day – this is what he tells Biff. How does the scene with Howard contradict this?
 * 8) Which aspects of Dave Singleman’s life did Willy particularly admire? What does this tell us about his personality?
 * 9) How do **//you//** feel about Willy at this point? Is he self-pitying and deluded or is he heroic and ambitious?
 * Create a mind map for each of the following: characters, themes, writer’s concerns, staging devices and structure of the play.
 * Plot tension graphs of the different sections of the play.Where is it most tense and why?
 * Choose three moments in the play you think are particularly significant. Explain their significance.
 * Work out the chronology of the play. Design a chart showing the past and present.
 * Choose a motif from the play and find three points where it is used. Why does Miller use it and what is its impact?