Death of a Salesman A Play by Arthur Miller

Death of a Salesman was written by Arthur Miller in 1949. The play earned him success and a prominent place in theater history. It is a popular production for school, community, and professional theater companies and is considered one of the essential modern plays that everyone should see.​ For decades, students have been studying Death of a Salesman,  exploring various elements of the play, including  the character of Willy Loman,  themes of the play,  and  criticism of the play.  Dramatists Play Service  holds the rights to Death of a Salesman. Act One Setting: New York, the late 1940s Death of a Salesman  begins in the evening. Willy Loman, a salesman in his sixties, returns home from a failed business trip. He explains to his wife, Linda, that he was too distracted to drive and therefore headed home in defeat. (This wont earn him any brownie points with his boss.) Willys thirty-something sons, Happy and Biff, are staying in their old rooms. Happy works as an assistant to the assistant buyer at a retail store, but he dreams of bigger things. Biff was once a high school football star, but he could never embrace Willys concept of success. So he has just been drifting from one manual labor job to the next. Downstairs, Willy talks to himself. He hallucinates; he visualizes happier times from his past. During one of the memories, he recalls an encounter with his long-lost older brother, Ben. An adventurous entrepreneur, Ben declares: When I walked into the jungle, I was seventeen. When I walked out I was twenty-one. And by God, I was rich. Needless to say, Willy is envious of his brothers achievements. Later, when Biff confronts his mother about Willys unstable behavior, Linda explains that Willy has been secretly (and perhaps subconsciously) attempting suicide. Act One ends with the brothers cheering up their father by promising to meet with a big shot businessman, Bill Oliver. They plan to pitch a marketing idea -- a concept that fills Willy with hope for the future. Act Two Willy Loman asks his boss, 36-year-old Howard Wagner, for $40 a week. (Recently, Willy has not been making zero dollars on his commission-only salary). Somewhat gently (or, depending on the actors interpretation, perhaps disrespectfully), Howard fires him: Howard: I dont want you to represent us. Ive been meaning to tell you for a long time now.Willy: Howard, are you firing me?Howard: I think you need a good long rest, Willy.Willy: Howard -Howard: And when you feel better, come back, and well see if we can work something out. Willy tells his troubles to his neighbor and friendly rival, Charley. Out of sympathy, he offers Willy a job, but the salesman turns Charley down. Despite this, he still borrows money from Charley -- and has been doing so for quite some time. Meanwhile, Happy and Biff meet at a restaurant, waiting to treat their dad to a steak dinner. Unfortunately, Biff has bad news. Not only did he fail to meet with Bill Oliver, but Biff swiped the mans fountain pen. Apparently, Biff has become a kleptomaniac as a way of rebelling against the cold, corporate world. Willy doesnt want to hear Biffs bad news. His memory drifts back to a tumultuous day: When Biff was a teenager, he discovered that his father was having an affair. Ever since that day, there has been a rift between father and son. Willy wants to find a way for his son to stop hating him. (And hes been considering killing himself just so Biff could do something great with the insurance money.) At home, Biff and Willy shout, shove, and argue. Finally, Biff bursts into tears and kisses his father. Willy is deeply touched, realizing that his son still loves him. Yet, after everyone goes to bed, Willy speeds away in the family car. The playwright explains that the music crashes down in a frenzy of sound symbolizing the car crash and Willys successful suicide. The Requiem This short scene in Death of a Salesman takes place at Willy Lomans grave. Linda wonders why more people didnt attend his funeral. Biff decides that his father had the wrong dream. Happy is still intent on pursuing Willys quest: He had a good dream. Its the only dream you can have -- to come out number-one man. Linda sits on the ground and laments the loss of her husband. She says: Why did you do it? I search and search and search, and I cant understand it, Willy. I made the last payment on the house today. Today, dear. And theyll be nobody home. Biff helps her to her feet, and they leave the grave of Willy Loman.