Reread Miller's article "Tragedy and the Common Man." Post 1-- find a quotation from the article that clearly relates and adds meaning to your reading. Explain how the quotation relates and how it provides deeper understanding.
In Arthur Miller's article "Tragedy and the Common Man" I finally grew an understanding of Willy's purpose and a figure of tragedy without him being considered a tragic hero. In the fourth paragraph of the article Miller states, "I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to save one thing-- his sense of personal dignity." This quote almost perfectly illustrates Willy because he has held high expectations and felt jealousy all because of his lack of confidence. Therefore, he believed that ending everything he struggled from was the only way to save his personal dignity despite it being more of a cowardly action. An example of Willy losing his dignity is when he loses his job from Howard and throws a major fit that slightly scares Howard as he was baffled with his behavior. Also, since Ben was more successful than Willy, as also Charley, he became jealous of the both of them as he was always depressed with Ben's presence and angered by Charley's. As a result, the tragedy of Willy's upbringing cause him to end it all to save what he believed was his personal dignity.
After rereading Miller’s article entitled “Tragedy and the Common Man,” I have a newfound understanding of the play, Death of a Salesman. In the article, Miller explains, “The quality in such plays that does shake us, however, derives from the underlying fear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world”(Miller). The word “displacement” stands out to me more after having read Death of a Salesman. Willy, the main character is displaced from the beginning of the play. He feels like he has not met his high expectations and fears not being the successful businessman he always dreamed of being. When he comes to the realization that he will not make all the money he wished to or earn a promoting that he had hopeful, Willy began to reflect his desires of success on his sons. Before reading “Tragedy and the Common Man,” I had not realized the truth in how much this fear of displacement had affected Willy. I had viewed him as a depressed man who had just gotten tired of his job. It was not until I read Miller’s article that I realized what was saddening him was the terror not being the salesman he wished to be brought him. An important aspect of the article which stood out to me was Miller’s connection to the fear of being displaced and the common man. He wrote, “Among us today this fear is as strong, and perhaps stronger, than it ever was. In fact, it is the common man who knows this fear best,”(Miller). Willy was a common man and the reader is able to see how drastically this horror can affect a man without any nobility. Reading the article after finishing the play allowed me to view Willy as the common man Miller made him out to be. Without the article, I might have lost sight of Miller’s point of the common man knowing the fear of displacement best. It would have been easy for me to only focus on the terror itself and not its effects. I believe “Tragedy and the Common Man” by Arthur Miller complemented Death of a Salesman wonderfully and allowed the reader to grasp a deeper understanding of the play.
In the article "Tragedy and the Common Man," Miller explains that tragedy can affect the common man just as often as it effects the higher class man. Miller also explains in his article that tragedy is often mistaken as a characteristic for the higher class. One of the characteristics he gives for tragedy is the feeling of displacement or disappointment in society. He goes on to say that, “The quality in such plays that does shake us, however, derives from the underlying fear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world”(Miller). In other words, not meeting up to the standards life places in front of us can be one of our greatest fears. And more than anyone in society the common man faces the most hardships. The common man has more setbacks than the man of higher class, these can include education and more crucially wealth. This characteristic of displacement made me better understand both "The Death of a Salesman" and just how the common man relates to the ides of tragedy. The feeling of displacement is what ultimately led Willy Loman to his death. He had the expectations of being a great and successful salesman, a supportive and faithful husband, and a great father figure for his two sons. However, he watched all of these expectations fade away before his eyes. Willy felt "displaced" in society, and because of this fear he decided not to live anymore. He lost his reputation as a salesman, cheated on his wife, and let his sons down. As Miller says the feeling of displacement is one of the common man's greatest fears, and Willy's greatest fear came true. This is why Miller's article, "Tragedy and the Common Man" helped me better understand Death of a Salesman.
The article titled "Tragedy and the Common Man" gives the reader a full and clear perception of what tragedy is and how one is deemed a tragic hero. Before reading this article, I had no way of deeming Willy Loman a tragic hero. Willy was the type of guy who worked hard in life, trying to support his family, but struggled. Due to his clearly mediocre position in life, I did not think of him as a tragic hero, since he was no high in status in life. When I think of a tragic hero, Macbeth is the first character which comes to mind, not a man who is a failing business man. However, after reading this article, I feel that it has truly changed my perception and makes me think different of Willy. Miller talks about how, "the tragic mode is archaic, fit only for the very highly placed," but goes on to give his input that in his mind he believes, "the common man is apt as a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were" (Miller). Due to Miller's input, it is now clear to me that besides the typical model of a tragic hero being one who is very successful at some point in their life and possibly having a lot of wealth and or power, one can simply be a tragic hero from rising in status or power in life. A character does not have to the top of the social pyramid to be considered a tragic hero, they just have to reach a higher point, whatever that may be, then have a downfall. In Willy's case, he started life not too high in class. Over time, however, he gained determination and started to succeed, at one point becoming a top business man in the area. However, Willy later declines and exhibits his tragic flaw, which was his deteriorating mental state and lack of support by his sons. The article benefited me by not only allowing me to be able to see Willy as a tragic hero, but being able to better identify any tragic hero. I can now say with confidence that I no longer think purely archaic and there is now thought outside of the box. This article will help me in the future while reading different books and analyzing characters. Also, this article helped me since I read the play before the article. With all of the knowledge fresh in my mind, it was easier for me to identify the information they were leading to and allow me to connect more readily.
The article, "Tragedy and the Common Man" by Arthur Miller thoroughly explains what a tragedy is and how someone becomes a tragic hero. This article reminded me a lot of the plot events that occurred in Death of a Salesman. One quotation that stuck out to me was, "I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life". In this particular tragedy, the character who was ready to lay down his life was Willy Loman. Willy had once been a successful salesman, and he had a wife and two sons. He would have been expected to b very content with his life. However, Willy seemed to be falling into a state of depression. He suffers from a mental disability, and it was implied that he had been attempting to kill himself for a while. Willy was disappointed in himself and his sons because neither of them had reached the high stakes set by Willy's successful father and brother. When Willy died in the end of the tragedy by crashing the car, I felt an almost sympathetic and saddened feeling toward his death. It was like we knew that Willy had been upset for a while and he ultimately wanted death, but I felt bad that his life had not turned out differently considering his future had once been so bright. I feel as though this quotation did an excellent job of explaining the manner in which Willy died. He wanted his life to end, and he got what he wanted. This theme is what made the storyline so tragic. It does not always have to be a wealthy or noble man that experiences such a tragedy, but rather it can be a poor salesman that only wanted what was best for himself and his family. I think the article did a great job of capturing this idea.
After reading The Death of a Salesmen by Arthur Miller I came to understand a different and new interpretation of tragedy then what was experienced previously with the likes of Shakespeare's pieces such as Macbeth. In traditional tragedy the tragic hero begins at the top of the wheel of fortune, then slowly begins to descend. On Miller's take of tragedy in the article he wrote titled Tragedy and the Common man he flips the script and tells us that tragedy can occur from a normal person just as it does to a king. This helped me understand The Death of a Salesmen even more. In his play Miller tried to demonstrate Willy as a tragic hero by showing that his hard work never got him to achieve the American dream. Willy being a tragic hero plays into Millers perspective of a commoner becoming a central figure for a tragic story. In his article Miller discusses how "we are often held to be below tragedy or tragedy above us. The inevitable conclusion is, of course, that the tragic mode is archaic, fit only for the very highly placed, the kings or the kingly, and where this admission is not made in so many words it is often implied"(Miller). Arthur Miller's commentary here opened my eyes to the reality that traditional tragedies do not fit the modern narrative of today. Back then tragedy revolved around a king, a man of power whom nobody of regular status could relate to and make connections. In order for modern tragedies to be written the tragic hero had to be molded into whoever may fit the story like Willy who is not a king but an average man. Miller's perspective allows me to see Willy in a different way. Instead of seeing him as any old joe, I see how Miller critiques society by showing that likely any normal man could have a tragic story. For Willy his hard work never paid off and ended up hurting his family instead of supporting it. I'd like to think Miller shows how tragic a normal life can be and also shows how society in a way forced unrealistic expectations on people causing others like Willy to buckle under the pressure. Reading Miller's article after completing The Death of a Salesmen allowed to further investigate the possibility of a common man being a tragic hero as well as a bit of his evaluation on society. -Amy Carbajal
From a standard point of view on tragedy, literary tragedies include a hero of noble stature, falling from grace as a result of their own actions. In tragedies such as "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare, the hero starts out at an extreme high (for example, a highly respected Thane of Scotland). It was not uncommon for the general public to agree that the role of the tragic hero was only meant for these successful or 'noble' characters. The article by Miller, however, titled "Tragedy and the Common Man", explores the ways that nobility does not define a tragic hero. In it, Miller states that tragedies rely on a character's relationship with morality. Typically, within the tragedy, the reader will discover something about the hero's character by way of the climax or a pressing point of the story. This discovery comes not as a philosophical or abstract concept, but as a way for the character to show their true nature. Typically among tragic heroes, this true nature will be a trait easily acquainted with nobility, such as courage. In this way, Miller combats the idea that common men were not applicable to the role of 'tragic hero'. Miller argues that the common man could hold as many redeeming traits as a noble man could. He previously explains that a tragic hero's purpose is to reclaim their dignity or to raise themselves to their rightful place. He states that, in the midst of making an important decision, any character "gains 'size', the tragic stature which is spuriously attached to the royal or the high born" (Miller). In the heat of the moment, a character is given a certain amount of power, typically regarding their own fate. An example of this would be John Proctor in "The Crucible", when he decides to keep his dignity and good name. The main point of Miller's article, regardless, is that royals are not the only people who can display heroic qualities. -Nicole Caracappa
“For, if it is true to say that in essence the tragic hero is intent upon claiming his whole due as a personality, and if this struggle must be total and without reservation, then it automatically demonstrates the indestructible will of man to achieve his humanity.” (Miller) To me, this quote gives more insight to The Death of a Salesman because of the insight it gives of the author. He is making a claim that tragedy is linked, strangely enough, with optimism. In a tragedy, a character tries their hardest to claim their “rightful place” or to succeed in some way, and although they may fall, it only serves to show how resilient humans are and how, despite evidence of eternal tragic heroes, people will always persist. Willy struggles in such a way, never giving up on being a successful salesman, and even succumbing to damaging mental issues in an attempt to achieve his dream and boost his own image to appear greater than he is. Flawed though he may be, Willy is human, and flaws are inherently human. What Miller is saying is that so it perseverance, a much more positive trait not usually associated with a tragedy (nor is the word ‘positive,’ for that matter), and that Willy is a tragic hero because he will pursue his goal until his demise.
In the article, "Tragedy and the Common Man," written by Arthur Miller, it explains how the tragic hero of a novel does not always have to be someone of high noble status, such as king or queen. In "Death of a Salesman," Miller wanted the reader to perceive Willy Loman as a tragic hero, showing that a common man can be a tragic hero, not just royalty. In his article, Miller says, "Insistence upon the rank of the tragic hero, or the so-called nobility of his character, is really but a clinging to the outward forms of tragedy" (Miller). Miller believes that Willy Loman is not a tragic hero because of nobility, but because of the type of person he represents in society. Willy "clings to the outward forms of tragedy," because he doesn't show every sign of a tragic hero, but when viewing Willy as a general type of person, he could be a tragic hero. Willy represents the hard working Americans who chase after the American dream. These people are tragic heroes because they dream of being successful and having a great life when they are young, but end up being failures and struggling to survive. This is like Willy and many other who can never achieve the American dream. This quote from the article, and the article in general, add to my opinion of Willy Loman as a tragic hero. I do not see Willy as a tragic hero, but when viewing him in this perspective, I can see why Arthur Miller wants the reader to think he is one. I can see how Willy is meant to symbolize a large group of people, who are all tragic heroes, even though they are not noble or royal, just common men. Overall, the article, "Tragedy and the Common Man," helped me to view Willy Loman as more of a tragic hero than I had originally thought. I think that it is interesting that Miller changed the traditional view of what the tragic hero is supposed to be.
After rereading the article "Tragedy and the Common Man" by Arthur Miller, I am able to better understand his play the Death of a Salesman. In the play, the main character, Willy Loman is meant to be portrayed as a tragic hero. Usually, tragic heroes are portrayed as kings, or people of a high status. Willy Loman is just a common man. However, that same feeling of pity is felt in us with Willy Loman as is felt with a well established tragic hero such as Macbeth. As Miller put it in his article, "the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing--his sense of personal dignity" (Miller). Willy's fight to secure his dignity is definitely shown throughout the play, and was something that I did not notice until after rereading Miller's article. Once instance of Willy trying to keep his dignity intact was when he borrowed money from Charley to make it seem like he was still getting a salary. He refused to make himself look weak to his wife, and decided to make it look like he was still making money. Another example is when Willy refused to take Charley's job offer. Willy had just lost his job, and Charley took pity on him and offered him one. However, Willy refused to take it. Despite being offered exactly what he needed, his dignity kept him from taking the offer. In the end, Willy's lost his dignity along with his job, his dreams, and his mental stability. He took his own life due to his dignity.
In the article, "Tragedy and the Common Man," the different variations of tragedy are shed light upon. For instance, in Shakespeare's "Macbeth," tragedy is based on the premise of royalty and a noble man's tragic fall from power. However, in Arthur Miller's play "Death of a Salesman," Arthur Miller focuses his attention on the common man and his role in tragedy. He analyzes what aspects in society can make a common man a tragic hero whether it be his ambitions or bold dreams which are too grand and elusive such as in Willy Loman's case. Willy Loman is introduced in the play as a troubled man who suffers from flashbacks in his past. He recalls his "glory days" as a good salesman with children who adore him and idol him. Willy puts on a facade that he knows his role in life and that he knows who he is and where his path is taking him- which is completely wrong in Willy's case. Willy is in reality uncertain of himself and never is actually content which is proven by his desperation for his family's admiration to justify his position in life. The article "Tragedy and the Common Man" perfectly articulates Willy's predicament by expressing that "if it is true that tragedy is the consequence of a man's total compulsion to evaluate himself justly, his destruction in the attempt posits a wrong or an evil in his environment. And this is precisely the morality of tragedy and its lesson" (Miller).This quote made me realize that in fact Willy's life is indeed a tragedy. This is because during the course of the play he explicitly made it clear that he himself did not know who he was. He was always flippant and constantly contradicted himself signifying his wavering position and never completely being sure of his actions. He also lived with the constant reminder of his brother's success and felt the weight of never truly achieving "the American Dream." Willy, therefore, ended up having an affair with a woman to try to hide and escape from his struggles which he internally faced and externally with the bills which mounted with his debts. Willy's search for himself and seeking escape from his issues caused him to lose his morality and have an affair. Biff soon found out about the affair and it became detrimental to Biff and soon after Willy who realized that Biff's lack of schooling plucked him from his ideal picture of achieving the Dream for himself. Willy's tragedy came from the fact that he was a wavering figure in common society and strived toward a dream that in his sense of state was very unlikely and achievable which was quite unfortunate. The fact that Willy's brother Ben made the American Dream also made matters worse for Willy because it made him search harder for something so elusive and unattainable. Willy's story is therefore tragic because he himself could not achieve "the American Dream" and neither could his son Biff who he practically set up himself. The most unfortunate part of the whole scenario is that each of the mainly tragic figures (Willy and Biff) both have foils which highlight their downfalls. For example, Willy's foil is Ben who succeeded and attained the Dream whereas Willy never attained the dream for himself. Additionally, Bernard foils Biff who did not achieve the Dream and symbolizes all the success Biff could have had had he not fallen so tragically due to the affair incident.
After rereading “Tragedy and the Common Man”, I have a newfound understanding of Death of a Salesman. According to the article, Willy is the ultimate example of the common man in tragedy. The epitome of a tragedy “derives from the underlying fear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world” (Miller). This concept is what defines Willy’s struggle throughout Death of a Salesman. Throughout his life, Willy maintained a dream of success that he planned on achieving. He built his life around the career of a salesman, and always dreamt of success. However, Willy’s pursuit of this dream did not end in success as he was constantly pushed back and failed to achieve his goals. Namely, Willy was plagued by debts, he lost his job, and his dreams for his sons were not attained either. This prevented Willy from reaching his chosen image as a successful salesman, making him the ultimate example of the tragedy of the common man. Miller points out in his article that tragedy is the story of “the underlying struggles that of the individual attempting to gain his ‘rightful’ position in his society” (Miller). Willy’s numerous unsuccessful attempts to achieve a position of wealth display this struggle. The article makes it clear that Death of a Salesman is, in fact, a tragedy and Willy’s life itself is tragic. This article gave me a better understanding of Death of a Salesman as a whole. It portrayed what truly qualifies as a tragedy and showed how Willy Loman’s struggle was not just normal or average but was crushing and tragic. Willy’s fear of displacement was prevalent throughout the play and when this fear became a reality, Willy was driven to suicide. -Jude Lammers
After reading "Tragedy and the Common Man" by Arthur Miller, I am struck by a new understanding of what it truly means to be a tragic hero. From the very beginning of the play, it is clear to the reader that how people perceive him is everything to him. This idea is instituted into the mind of the reader after Willy is speaking with Linda on the sales he did on his trip to Providence and Boston. Willy claims that he made five hundred in Providence and seven hundred in Boston, but Linda goes back and corrects him stating that he only did two hundred gross. Willy attempts to put the blame on the fact that, "three of the stores were half closed for inventory in Boston. Otherwise [he] woulda broke records"(35). The claim by Willy that his lack of sales is attributed to something that he cannot control shows the reader just how far Willy is willing to go to preserve his appearance. This relates directly to the assertion made by Arthur Miller that adds a deeper meaning to my reading. Miller states, "The quality in such plays that does shake us, however, derives from the underlying dear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world"(2). This quotation adds to my reading because I am now more aware of how Willy must have been feeling. In addition, I am also struck with feelings of sympathy for Willy, and now I have a better understanding of why Willy did the things he did to preserve his appearance. -Jason Frank
In plain sight, Willy Loman does not appear to be a tragic hero. This is mostly because he is unique compared to the other tragic heroes we studied this year, such as Macbeth or John Proctor. This singularity is due to Willy's lack of a high or prestigious status. Although he experiences downfall, he does not go from a high point to a lower one, as most tragic heroes do. Instead of a royal or noble status, Willy is just an average man chasing the American Dream, which at first confused me when I began to read the book. However, Miller turned out to do an excellent job in proving that a character does not need to be royalty or have a fancy appeal to be a tragic hero. Reading the article Miller wrote, his explanation that "a tragic hero can be anyone" really made his intentions as an author more clear, and deepened my understanding as to what made Willy Loman not only a tragic hero, but a very important, revolutionizing one. Miller makes it crucial in his article that a tragedy occurs everywhere, not just within those who have a noble status. He states that "Insistence upon the rank of the tragic hero, or the so-called nobility of his character, is really but a clinging to the outward forms of tragedy" (Miller). Here he states that in his opinion, the most important form of tragedy lies within the average, low-status person, and backs up this opinion by claiming that this type of tragic hero most relatable to the reader, since the reader is more likely to be a salesman rather than a King. In fact, the relation of normality between the main character and the reader may even enhance the reader's view on Willy Loman, since they might feel a stronger sense of sympathy and compassion towards him than they would to the traditional tragic hero. Therefore, Miller succeeds in directing the reader's attention to Willy's work ethic and tragic flaw, and away from Willy's social status. Overall, the article changed my perspective on what a tragic hero is, and even provided a deeper meaning and new outlook on what makes a character a tragic hero. -Maddie Chelak
In the play, 'Death of a Salesman', written by Arthur Miller, the main character, Willy Loman, is provided as the tragic hero in the play. Although this can be seen just by reading the novel, reading the article "Tragedy and the Common Man", by Arthur Miller, helped add to my understanding and awareness of Willy as a tragic hero. Willy Loman was previously a successful businessman, he was well respected, earning a good amount of money, and was quite happy with how his life was going. But this success would only be temporary. As the ways of business changed, Willy would lose almost everything, despite his refusal to accept this. As we read further into Willy's life "the tragic feeling is evoked in us [because] we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life...to secure...his sense of personal dignity" (Miller). Willy wanted nothing more than to return to his previous state of success, and refuses to accept his failure in business. For instance, Linda informs her sons that Willy asks Charley for money in order to pretend that he is still making money as a business man on his trips. For a good amount of the play, Willy is stuck in the past and reliving memories, because it was back then that Willy was most liked and successful, despite that being the complete opposite in current time. As Willy tries to build himself back up "the underlying struggles [of Willy Loman] attempting to gain his "rightful" position in his society" is shown (Miller). Willy starts by hiding his failure from others, hoping that by doing this, it'll keep the truth from being so real. Instead of facing the issues at hand, Willy is still trying to make business, which ties into the idea that "sometimes [the tragic hero] is one who has been displaced from [his place]" (Miller). Willy believes that the only place for him is in business, hence his strong attempt to keep his job. Because Willy has previously tasted success, it gives him hope that maybe he could do it again, and must therefore keep trying. This idea that Willy must keep his dignity and return to his previous state of success, is what drives Willy to do what he does. He wants to stay in business because he wants to be able to provide for his family, he wants to be respected, and he wants to be a success again. It is not until the very end of the play that Willy realizes the truth cannot be hidden, it's time to see things as they really are. But Willy is not okay with that. Instead of trying to fix his life and giving up on his business dream, Willy decides to handle things differently. Willy hoped that by dying the death of a salesman, maybe everyone would remember how successful he used to be. Because to Willy, if his dignity was gone, so was he.
The article "Tragedy and the Common Man" by Arthur Miller definitely was able to provoke me to think further into my interpretation of "The Death of a Salesman". One quote that specifically added to my reading was, "I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing--his sense of personal dignity,"(Miller). This quote was vital to my understanding of "The Death of a Salesman" because it explored the theme of personal dignity which was an important idea in the reading. Willy unfortunately spent his entire life chasing a sense of personal dignity and almost identically to what the quote explains he would have done anything to secure it. Throughout his life Willy relentlessly attempted to attain the American dream to feel as though he was successful like his brother and father were. Instead of obtaining success Willy ended up being unsatisfied with his life. He tried to make up for this by becoming a successful salesman and aspiring to be like the loved salesman whose funeral he attended. Later in life, Willy realized how many other opportunities he missed while striving to be a salesman. In order to secure his sense of personal dignity as he got older, loss most of his sales, and was eventually fired, Willy resorted to borrowing money from his friend Charlie. He did not want his family to think less of him and he did not want to make it appear that he could no longer support them. Frankly, this was an extremely low point for Willy because Charlie had offered him a job where Willy had the opportunity to earn substantial money, but instead insisted on borrowing, most likely, in order to just preserve any dignity he had left in him. Overall, this article made me realize that tragedy is many times felt in the perspective of the reader when they become conscious of the main character's desperate actions to preserve their dignity. This helped me better understand why Willy was so insistent that his son’s seeked success and he pushed them so hard when he realized that he had failed as a father and his son’s were just as lost as he was. The idea of personal dignity is not only an idea seen with royalty, but also with the common man. This made the possibility of Willy being a tragic hero so believable after reading this article. -Nicole Tanelli
The article "Tragedy and the Common Man" written by Miller himself has created a new understanding and views on a tragic hero. This article is a relevant example of the tragedy in the play and clearly describes how it applies to Willie Loman. This article helped me understand how Miller wanted him to be a tragic hero and his perception of tragedy itself. Tragedy can be seen as ,"the underlying struggles that of the individual attempting to gain his "rightful" position in his society" (Miller). This is quote really help me understand the reason many people consider Willy a tragic hero. It provided me with a deeper analysis of the book itself. The reader can most definitely see that Willy is going through a lot of struggles and hardships. Whether he got himself into his troubles, is not really relevant, but the fact that he attempts to overcome and keep dreaming of this perfect place in society is what matters. A real tragic hero recognizes his downfall. When willy is planting his garden and states, "Nothing's planted I don't have a thing in the ground" (Miller), he is abstractly referring to the fact he lost everything he has dreamed of. Throughout the book, Willy knows he is not really doing well, but continues working in hopes to live up to the american dream. His idea of the "rightful" position in society is a man who is experiencing this dream, successful job, educated, working sons, etc. There is other characters like Willy's dad and brother, along with charles and bernard, who Willy always has to compare himself to. Therefore, he is continuously working in order to gain that position and live that american dream through his struggling. Overall, I'm glad this article and quote made me recognize the aspects of tragedy and the tragic hero in the play. That quote was something I have never really realized about a tragic hero because in the past we dealt with more different of characters like Macbeth. This exemplified the qualities of a tragic hero in a common man.
The article "Tragedy and the Common Man" by Arthur Miller left a significant impact on my understanding of the play "Death of a Salesman". While during my initial reading of the play I did not consider this article to be of much importance, Miller's portrayal of Willy Loman makes much more sense after a deeper analysis and reading of the article. Because the article was written by Miller himself, it leaves little to no room to interpret whether or not Willy Loman was a tragic hero. While some may not agree with the assessment, it becomes indisputable that portraying Willy as a tragic hero was Miller's intent. Miller's purpose in writing "Death of a Salesman" was not only to bring tragedy back into common literature, but also to create a modern tragic hero out of a common man that could be more relatable to his audience. When Miller wrote, "if the exaltation of tragic action were truly a property of the high-bred character alone, it is inconceivable that the mass of mankind should cherish tragedy above all other forms, let alone be capable of understanding it", it helped to enlighten me with a deeper understanding of the tragedy of the common man. If only high-ranking officials could truly be considered tragic heroes, no common man would be able to relate, nor enjoy the story. While the majority of tragic heroes such as Macbeth from Shakespeare's "Macbeth" or Okonkwo from Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" follow the typical model of tragic heroes, starting at a high place in society and gradually declining until their eventual death, this articles makes it clear that that is not the only way a tragic hero could be perceived. Anyone who experiences a loss of comfort, security, dignity, or similar emotional situations can be considered a tragic hero, making Willy Loman a tragic hero in his own respect, a title that I had not previously attributed to him.
The article written about Arthur Miller's tragedy "Death of a Salesmen talked about many important details that came up often in the play. We saw many parts and sides of Willy that helped him to embody the qualities of a tragic hero in the play. Some very important parts are brought up in article about tragic heroes and what qualities they exhibit. Many different ideas about tragic heroes appear including how "The quality in such plays does not shake us, however, derives from the underlying fear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world. Among us today this fear is as strong, and perhaps stronger, than it ever was. In fact. it is the common man who knows this fear best. In fact it is the common man who knows this fear best". This quote shows how Willy lives out the life of a tragic hero in the play. He constantly finds tragedy and defeat in his life and it barely ever able to have something good happen to him. As a common person, you can still experience tragedy which is what happens in Willy's case. It helped me to understand that when tragic heroes are introduced into stories they may not always be the royalty or individuals with high status that many people are used to. Even a common person may experience tragedy in their life which is what we see in Willy's life. It shows that tragedy is present in nearly everyone's life no matter what age, gender, background or social class. No one is truly safe from tragedy in their life. Rereading the article also helped me to understand what makes Willy more of a tragic hero. At first glance, some parts of him had me struggling to belief that Willy was truly a tragic hero. After reading the article, however, it cemented the fact that he is one. All in all, rereading the article helped to improve my understand of a tragic hero and what it means for someone to be one. It also helped me to firm up the idea of Willy truly being a tragic hero.
After reading "Tragedy and the Common Man" by Arthur Miller, I am struck by a new understanding of what it truly means to be a tragic hero. From the very beginning of the play, it is clear to the reader that how people perceive him is everything to him. This idea is instituted into the mind of the reader after Willy is speaking with Linda on the sales he did on his trip to Providence and Boston. Willy claims that he made five hundred in Providence and seven hundred in Boston, but Linda goes back and corrects him stating that he only did two hundred gross. Willy attempts to put the blame on the fact that, "three of the stores were half closed for inventory in Boston. Otherwise [he] woulda broke records"(35). The claim by Willy that his lack of sales is attributed to something that he cannot control shows the reader just how far Willy is willing to go to preserve his appearance. This relates directly to the assertion made by Arthur Miller that adds a deeper meaning to my reading. Miller states, "The quality in such plays that does shake us, however, derives from the underlying dear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world"(2). This quotation adds to my reading because I am now more aware of how Willy must have been feeling. In addition, I am also struck with feelings of sympathy for Willy, and now I have a better understanding of why Willy did the things he did to preserve his appearance. -Jason Frank
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ReplyDeleteBrianna Thompson
ReplyDeleteIn Arthur Miller's article "Tragedy and the Common Man" I finally grew an understanding of Willy's purpose and a figure of tragedy without him being considered a tragic hero. In the fourth paragraph of the article Miller states, "I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to save one thing-- his sense of personal dignity." This quote almost perfectly illustrates Willy because he has held high expectations and felt jealousy all because of his lack of confidence. Therefore, he believed that ending everything he struggled from was the only way to save his personal dignity despite it being more of a cowardly action. An example of Willy losing his dignity is when he loses his job from Howard and throws a major fit that slightly scares Howard as he was baffled with his behavior. Also, since Ben was more successful than Willy, as also Charley, he became jealous of the both of them as he was always depressed with Ben's presence and angered by Charley's. As a result, the tragedy of Willy's upbringing cause him to end it all to save what he believed was his personal dignity.
After rereading Miller’s article entitled “Tragedy and the Common Man,” I have a newfound understanding of the play, Death of a Salesman. In the article, Miller explains, “The quality in such plays that does shake us, however, derives from the underlying fear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world”(Miller). The word “displacement” stands out to me more after having read Death of a Salesman. Willy, the main character is displaced from the beginning of the play. He feels like he has not met his high expectations and fears not being the successful businessman he always dreamed of being. When he comes to the realization that he will not make all the money he wished to or earn a promoting that he had hopeful, Willy began to reflect his desires of success on his sons. Before reading “Tragedy and the Common Man,” I had not realized the truth in how much this fear of displacement had affected Willy. I had viewed him as a depressed man who had just gotten tired of his job. It was not until I read Miller’s article that I realized what was saddening him was the terror not being the salesman he wished to be brought him.
ReplyDeleteAn important aspect of the article which stood out to me was Miller’s connection to the fear of being displaced and the common man. He wrote, “Among us today this fear is as strong, and perhaps stronger, than it ever was. In fact, it is the common man who knows this fear best,”(Miller). Willy was a common man and the reader is able to see how drastically this horror can affect a man without any nobility. Reading the article after finishing the play allowed me to view Willy as the common man Miller made him out to be. Without the article, I might have lost sight of Miller’s point of the common man knowing the fear of displacement best. It would have been easy for me to only focus on the terror itself and not its effects. I believe “Tragedy and the Common Man” by Arthur Miller complemented Death of a Salesman wonderfully and allowed the reader to grasp a deeper understanding of the play.
Charlee Alberta
ReplyDeleteIn the article "Tragedy and the Common Man," Miller explains that tragedy can affect the common man just as often as it effects the higher class man. Miller also explains in his article that tragedy is often mistaken as a characteristic for the higher class. One of the characteristics he gives for tragedy is the feeling of displacement or disappointment in society. He goes on to say that, “The quality in such plays that does shake us, however, derives from the underlying fear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world”(Miller). In other words, not meeting up to the standards life places in front of us can be one of our greatest fears. And more than anyone in society the common man faces the most hardships. The common man has more setbacks than the man of higher class, these can include education and more crucially wealth.
This characteristic of displacement made me better understand both "The Death of a Salesman" and just how the common man relates to the ides of tragedy. The feeling of displacement is what ultimately led Willy Loman to his death. He had the expectations of being a great and successful salesman, a supportive and faithful husband, and a great father figure for his two sons. However, he watched all of these expectations fade away before his eyes. Willy felt "displaced" in society, and because of this fear he decided not to live anymore. He lost his reputation as a salesman, cheated on his wife, and let his sons down. As Miller says the feeling of displacement is one of the common man's greatest fears, and Willy's greatest fear came true. This is why Miller's article, "Tragedy and the Common Man" helped me better understand Death of a Salesman.
Rebecca Zaki
DeleteThe article titled "Tragedy and the Common Man" gives the reader a full and clear perception of what tragedy is and how one is deemed a tragic hero. Before reading this article, I had no way of deeming Willy Loman a tragic hero. Willy was the type of guy who worked hard in life, trying to support his family, but struggled. Due to his clearly mediocre position in life, I did not think of him as a tragic hero, since he was no high in status in life. When I think of a tragic hero, Macbeth is the first character which comes to mind, not a man who is a failing business man. However, after reading this article, I feel that it has truly changed my perception and makes me think different of Willy. Miller talks about how, "the tragic mode is archaic, fit only for the very highly placed," but goes on to give his input that in his mind he believes, "the common man is apt as a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were" (Miller). Due to Miller's input, it is now clear to me that besides the typical model of a tragic hero being one who is very successful at some point in their life and possibly having a lot of wealth and or power, one can simply be a tragic hero from rising in status or power in life. A character does not have to the top of the social pyramid to be considered a tragic hero, they just have to reach a higher point, whatever that may be, then have a downfall. In Willy's case, he started life not too high in class. Over time, however, he gained determination and started to succeed, at one point becoming a top business man in the area. However, Willy later declines and exhibits his tragic flaw, which was his deteriorating mental state and lack of support by his sons.
ReplyDeleteThe article benefited me by not only allowing me to be able to see Willy as a tragic hero, but being able to better identify any tragic hero. I can now say with confidence that I no longer think purely archaic and there is now thought outside of the box. This article will help me in the future while reading different books and analyzing characters. Also, this article helped me since I read the play before the article. With all of the knowledge fresh in my mind, it was easier for me to identify the information they were leading to and allow me to connect more readily.
Gianfranco Martone
Alexa DeFuria
ReplyDeleteThe article, "Tragedy and the Common Man" by Arthur Miller thoroughly explains what a tragedy is and how someone becomes a tragic hero. This article reminded me a lot of the plot events that occurred in Death of a Salesman. One quotation that stuck out to me was, "I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life".
In this particular tragedy, the character who was ready to lay down his life was Willy Loman. Willy had once been a successful salesman, and he had a wife and two sons. He would have been expected to b very content with his life. However, Willy seemed to be falling into a state of depression. He suffers from a mental disability, and it was implied that he had been attempting to kill himself for a while. Willy was disappointed in himself and his sons because neither of them had reached the high stakes set by Willy's successful father and brother.
When Willy died in the end of the tragedy by crashing the car, I felt an almost sympathetic and saddened feeling toward his death. It was like we knew that Willy had been upset for a while and he ultimately wanted death, but I felt bad that his life had not turned out differently considering his future had once been so bright.
I feel as though this quotation did an excellent job of explaining the manner in which Willy died. He wanted his life to end, and he got what he wanted. This theme is what made the storyline so tragic. It does not always have to be a wealthy or noble man that experiences such a tragedy, but rather it can be a poor salesman that only wanted what was best for himself and his family. I think the article did a great job of capturing this idea.
After reading The Death of a Salesmen by Arthur Miller I came to understand a different and new interpretation of tragedy then what was experienced previously with the likes of Shakespeare's pieces such as Macbeth. In traditional tragedy the tragic hero begins at the top of the wheel of fortune, then slowly begins to descend. On Miller's take of tragedy in the article he wrote titled Tragedy and the Common man he flips the script and tells us that tragedy can occur from a normal person just as it does to a king. This helped me understand The Death of a Salesmen even more. In his play Miller tried to demonstrate Willy as a tragic hero by showing that his hard work never got him to achieve the American dream. Willy being a tragic hero plays into Millers perspective of a commoner becoming a central figure for a tragic story.
ReplyDeleteIn his article Miller discusses how "we are often held to be below tragedy or tragedy above us. The inevitable conclusion is, of course, that the tragic mode is archaic, fit only for the very highly placed, the kings or the kingly, and where this admission is not made in so many words it is often implied"(Miller). Arthur Miller's commentary here opened my eyes to the reality that traditional tragedies do not fit the modern narrative of today. Back then tragedy revolved around a king, a man of power whom nobody of regular status could relate to and make connections. In order for modern tragedies to be written the tragic hero had to be molded into whoever may fit the story like Willy who is not a king but an average man. Miller's perspective allows me to see Willy in a different way. Instead of seeing him as any old joe, I see how Miller critiques society by showing that likely any normal man could have a tragic story. For Willy his hard work never paid off and ended up hurting his family instead of supporting it. I'd like to think Miller shows how tragic a normal life can be and also shows how society in a way forced unrealistic expectations on people causing others like Willy to buckle under the pressure. Reading Miller's article after completing The Death of a Salesmen allowed to further investigate the possibility of a common man being a tragic hero as well as a bit of his evaluation on society.
-Amy Carbajal
From a standard point of view on tragedy, literary tragedies include a hero of noble stature, falling from grace as a result of their own actions. In tragedies such as "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare, the hero starts out at an extreme high (for example, a highly respected Thane of Scotland). It was not uncommon for the general public to agree that the role of the tragic hero was only meant for these successful or 'noble' characters. The article by Miller, however, titled "Tragedy and the Common Man", explores the ways that nobility does not define a tragic hero. In it, Miller states that tragedies rely on a character's relationship with morality. Typically, within the tragedy, the reader will discover something about the hero's character by way of the climax or a pressing point of the story. This discovery comes not as a philosophical or abstract concept, but as a way for the character to show their true nature. Typically among tragic heroes, this true nature will be a trait easily acquainted with nobility, such as courage. In this way, Miller combats the idea that common men were not applicable to the role of 'tragic hero'.
ReplyDeleteMiller argues that the common man could hold as many redeeming traits as a noble man could. He previously explains that a tragic hero's purpose is to reclaim their dignity or to raise themselves to their rightful place. He states that, in the midst of making an important decision, any character "gains 'size', the tragic stature which is spuriously attached to the royal or the high born" (Miller). In the heat of the moment, a character is given a certain amount of power, typically regarding their own fate. An example of this would be John Proctor in "The Crucible", when he decides to keep his dignity and good name. The main point of Miller's article, regardless, is that royals are not the only people who can display heroic qualities.
-Nicole Caracappa
“For, if it is true to say that in essence the tragic hero is intent upon claiming his whole due as a personality, and if this struggle must be total and without reservation, then it automatically demonstrates the indestructible will of man to achieve his humanity.” (Miller)
ReplyDeleteTo me, this quote gives more insight to The Death of a Salesman because of the insight it gives of the author. He is making a claim that tragedy is linked, strangely enough, with optimism. In a tragedy, a character tries their hardest to claim their “rightful place” or to succeed in some way, and although they may fall, it only serves to show how resilient humans are and how, despite evidence of eternal tragic heroes, people will always persist. Willy struggles in such a way, never giving up on being a successful salesman, and even succumbing to damaging mental issues in an attempt to achieve his dream and boost his own image to appear greater than he is. Flawed though he may be, Willy is human, and flaws are inherently human. What Miller is saying is that so it perseverance, a much more positive trait not usually associated with a tragedy (nor is the word ‘positive,’ for that matter), and that Willy is a tragic hero because he will pursue his goal until his demise.
In the article, "Tragedy and the Common Man," written by Arthur Miller, it explains how the tragic hero of a novel does not always have to be someone of high noble status, such as king or queen. In "Death of a Salesman," Miller wanted the reader to perceive Willy Loman as a tragic hero, showing that a common man can be a tragic hero, not just royalty. In his article, Miller says, "Insistence upon the rank of the tragic hero, or the so-called nobility of his character, is really but a clinging to the outward forms of tragedy" (Miller). Miller believes that Willy Loman is not a tragic hero because of nobility, but because of the type of person he represents in society. Willy "clings to the outward forms of tragedy," because he doesn't show every sign of a tragic hero, but when viewing Willy as a general type of person, he could be a tragic hero. Willy represents the hard working Americans who chase after the American dream. These people are tragic heroes because they dream of being successful and having a great life when they are young, but end up being failures and struggling to survive. This is like Willy and many other who can never achieve the American dream. This quote from the article, and the article in general, add to my opinion of Willy Loman as a tragic hero. I do not see Willy as a tragic hero, but when viewing him in this perspective, I can see why Arthur Miller wants the reader to think he is one. I can see how Willy is meant to symbolize a large group of people, who are all tragic heroes, even though they are not noble or royal, just common men. Overall, the article, "Tragedy and the Common Man," helped me to view Willy Loman as more of a tragic hero than I had originally thought. I think that it is interesting that Miller changed the traditional view of what the tragic hero is supposed to be.
ReplyDeleteAfter rereading the article "Tragedy and the Common Man" by Arthur Miller, I am able to better understand his play the Death of a Salesman. In the play, the main character, Willy Loman is meant to be portrayed as a tragic hero. Usually, tragic heroes are portrayed as kings, or people of a high status. Willy Loman is just a common man. However, that same feeling of pity is felt in us with Willy Loman as is felt with a well established tragic hero such as Macbeth. As Miller put it in his article, "the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing--his sense of personal dignity" (Miller). Willy's fight to secure his dignity is definitely shown throughout the play, and was something that I did not notice until after rereading Miller's article.
ReplyDeleteOnce instance of Willy trying to keep his dignity intact was when he borrowed money from Charley to make it seem like he was still getting a salary. He refused to make himself look weak to his wife, and decided to make it look like he was still making money. Another example is when Willy refused to take Charley's job offer. Willy had just lost his job, and Charley took pity on him and offered him one. However, Willy refused to take it. Despite being offered exactly what he needed, his dignity kept him from taking the offer. In the end, Willy's lost his dignity along with his job, his dreams, and his mental stability. He took his own life due to his dignity.
-Sophia D'Agostino
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ReplyDeleteIn the article, "Tragedy and the Common Man," the different variations of tragedy are shed light upon. For instance, in Shakespeare's "Macbeth," tragedy is based on the premise of royalty and a noble man's tragic fall from power. However, in Arthur Miller's play "Death of a Salesman," Arthur Miller focuses his attention on the common man and his role in tragedy. He analyzes what aspects in society can make a common man a tragic hero whether it be his ambitions or bold dreams which are too grand and elusive such as in Willy Loman's case.
ReplyDeleteWilly Loman is introduced in the play as a troubled man who suffers from flashbacks in his past. He recalls his "glory days" as a good salesman with children who adore him and idol him. Willy puts on a facade that he knows his role in life and that he knows who he is and where his path is taking him- which is completely wrong in Willy's case. Willy is in reality uncertain of himself and never is actually content which is proven by his desperation for his family's admiration to justify his position in life. The article "Tragedy and the Common Man" perfectly articulates Willy's predicament by expressing that "if it is true that tragedy is the consequence of a man's total compulsion to evaluate himself justly, his destruction in the attempt posits a wrong or an evil in his environment. And this is precisely the morality of tragedy and its lesson" (Miller).This quote made me realize that in fact Willy's life is indeed a tragedy. This is because during the course of the play he explicitly made it clear that he himself did not know who he was. He was always flippant and constantly contradicted himself signifying his wavering position and never completely being sure of his actions. He also lived with the constant reminder of his brother's success and felt the weight of never truly achieving "the American Dream." Willy, therefore, ended up having an affair with a woman to try to hide and escape from his struggles which he internally faced and externally with the bills which mounted with his debts. Willy's search for himself and seeking escape from his issues caused him to lose his morality and have an affair. Biff soon found out about the affair and it became detrimental to Biff and soon after Willy who realized that Biff's lack of schooling plucked him from his ideal picture of achieving the Dream for himself. Willy's tragedy came from the fact that he was a wavering figure in common society and strived toward a dream that in his sense of state was very unlikely and achievable which was quite unfortunate. The fact that Willy's brother Ben made the American Dream also made matters worse for Willy because it made him search harder for something so elusive and unattainable.
Willy's story is therefore tragic because he himself could not achieve "the American Dream" and neither could his son Biff who he practically set up himself. The most unfortunate part of the whole scenario is that each of the mainly tragic figures (Willy and Biff) both have foils which highlight their downfalls. For example, Willy's foil is Ben who succeeded and attained the Dream whereas Willy never attained the dream for himself. Additionally, Bernard foils Biff who did not achieve the Dream and symbolizes all the success Biff could have had had he not fallen so tragically due to the affair incident.
~ Julia Tuck
After rereading “Tragedy and the Common Man”, I have a newfound understanding of Death of a Salesman. According to the article, Willy is the ultimate example of the common man in tragedy. The epitome of a tragedy “derives from the underlying fear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world” (Miller). This concept is what defines Willy’s struggle throughout Death of a Salesman. Throughout his life, Willy maintained a dream of success that he planned on achieving. He built his life around the career of a salesman, and always dreamt of success. However, Willy’s pursuit of this dream did not end in success as he was constantly pushed back and failed to achieve his goals. Namely, Willy was plagued by debts, he lost his job, and his dreams for his sons were not attained either. This prevented Willy from reaching his chosen image as a successful salesman, making him the ultimate example of the tragedy of the common man. Miller points out in his article that tragedy is the story of “the underlying struggles that of the individual attempting to gain his ‘rightful’ position in his society” (Miller). Willy’s numerous unsuccessful attempts to achieve a position of wealth display this struggle. The article makes it clear that Death of a Salesman is, in fact, a tragedy and Willy’s life itself is tragic. This article gave me a better understanding of Death of a Salesman as a whole. It portrayed what truly qualifies as a tragedy and showed how Willy Loman’s struggle was not just normal or average but was crushing and tragic. Willy’s fear of displacement was prevalent throughout the play and when this fear became a reality, Willy was driven to suicide.
ReplyDelete-Jude Lammers
After reading "Tragedy and the Common Man" by Arthur Miller, I am struck by a new understanding of what it truly means to be a tragic hero. From the very beginning of the play, it is clear to the reader that how people perceive him is everything to him. This idea is instituted into the mind of the reader after Willy is speaking with Linda on the sales he did on his trip to Providence and Boston. Willy claims that he made five hundred in Providence and seven hundred in Boston, but Linda goes back and corrects him stating that he only did two hundred gross. Willy attempts to put the blame on the fact that, "three of the stores were half closed for inventory in Boston. Otherwise [he] woulda broke records"(35). The claim by Willy that his lack of sales is attributed to something that he cannot control shows the reader just how far Willy is willing to go to preserve his appearance. This relates directly to the assertion made by Arthur Miller that adds a deeper meaning to my reading. Miller states, "The quality in such plays that does shake us, however, derives from the underlying dear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world"(2). This quotation adds to my reading because I am now more aware of how Willy must have been feeling. In addition, I am also struck with feelings of sympathy for Willy, and now I have a better understanding of why Willy did the things he did to preserve his appearance.
ReplyDelete-Jason Frank
In plain sight, Willy Loman does not appear to be a tragic hero. This is mostly because he is unique compared to the other tragic heroes we studied this year, such as Macbeth or John Proctor. This singularity is due to Willy's lack of a high or prestigious status. Although he experiences downfall, he does not go from a high point to a lower one, as most tragic heroes do. Instead of a royal or noble status, Willy is just an average man chasing the American Dream, which at first confused me when I began to read the book. However, Miller turned out to do an excellent job in proving that a character does not need to be royalty or have a fancy appeal to be a tragic hero. Reading the article Miller wrote, his explanation that "a tragic hero can be anyone" really made his intentions as an author more clear, and deepened my understanding as to what made Willy Loman not only a tragic hero, but a very important, revolutionizing one. Miller makes it crucial in his article that a tragedy occurs everywhere, not just within those who have a noble status. He states that "Insistence upon the rank of the tragic hero, or the so-called nobility of his character, is really but a clinging to the outward forms of tragedy" (Miller). Here he states that in his opinion, the most important form of tragedy lies within the average, low-status person, and backs up this opinion by claiming that this type of tragic hero most relatable to the reader, since the reader is more likely to be a salesman rather than a King. In fact, the relation of normality between the main character and the reader may even enhance the reader's view on Willy Loman, since they might feel a stronger sense of sympathy and compassion towards him than they would to the traditional tragic hero. Therefore, Miller succeeds in directing the reader's attention to Willy's work ethic and tragic flaw, and away from Willy's social status. Overall, the article changed my perspective on what a tragic hero is, and even provided a deeper meaning and new outlook on what makes a character a tragic hero.
ReplyDelete-Maddie Chelak
In the play, 'Death of a Salesman', written by Arthur Miller, the main character, Willy Loman, is provided as the tragic hero in the play. Although this can be seen just by reading the novel, reading the article "Tragedy and the Common Man", by Arthur Miller, helped add to my understanding and awareness of Willy as a tragic hero. Willy Loman was previously a successful businessman, he was well respected, earning a good amount of money, and was quite happy with how his life was going. But this success would only be temporary. As the ways of business changed, Willy would lose almost everything, despite his refusal to accept this.
ReplyDeleteAs we read further into Willy's life "the tragic feeling is evoked in us [because] we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life...to secure...his sense of personal dignity" (Miller). Willy wanted nothing more than to return to his previous state of success, and refuses to accept his failure in business. For instance, Linda informs her sons that Willy asks Charley for money in order to pretend that he is still making money as a business man on his trips. For a good amount of the play, Willy is stuck in the past and reliving memories, because it was back then that Willy was most liked and successful, despite that being the complete opposite in current time. As Willy tries to build himself back up "the underlying struggles [of Willy Loman] attempting to gain his "rightful" position in his society" is shown (Miller). Willy starts by hiding his failure from others, hoping that by doing this, it'll keep the truth from being so real. Instead of facing the issues at hand, Willy is still trying to make business, which ties into the idea that "sometimes [the tragic hero] is one who has been displaced from [his place]" (Miller). Willy believes that the only place for him is in business, hence his strong attempt to keep his job. Because Willy has previously tasted success, it gives him hope that maybe he could do it again, and must therefore keep trying.
This idea that Willy must keep his dignity and return to his previous state of success, is what drives Willy to do what he does. He wants to stay in business because he wants to be able to provide for his family, he wants to be respected, and he wants to be a success again. It is not until the very end of the play that Willy realizes the truth cannot be hidden, it's time to see things as they really are. But Willy is not okay with that. Instead of trying to fix his life and giving up on his business dream, Willy decides to handle things differently. Willy hoped that by dying the death of a salesman, maybe everyone would remember how successful he used to be. Because to Willy, if his dignity was gone, so was he.
ReplyDeleteThe article "Tragedy and the Common Man" by Arthur Miller definitely was able to provoke me to think further into my interpretation of "The Death of a Salesman". One quote that specifically added to my reading was, "I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing--his sense of personal dignity,"(Miller). This quote was vital to my understanding of "The Death of a Salesman" because it explored the theme of personal dignity which was an important idea in the reading. Willy unfortunately spent his entire life chasing a sense of personal dignity and almost identically to what the quote explains he would have done anything to secure it. Throughout his life Willy relentlessly attempted to attain the American dream to feel as though he was successful like his brother and father were. Instead of obtaining success Willy ended up being unsatisfied with his life. He tried to make up for this by becoming a successful salesman and aspiring to be like the loved salesman whose funeral he attended. Later in life, Willy realized how many other opportunities he missed while striving to be a salesman. In order to secure his sense of personal dignity as he got older, loss most of his sales, and was eventually fired, Willy resorted to borrowing money from his friend Charlie. He did not want his family to think less of him and he did not want to make it appear that he could no longer support them. Frankly, this was an extremely low point for Willy because Charlie had offered him a job where Willy had the opportunity to earn substantial money, but instead insisted on borrowing, most likely, in order to just preserve any dignity he had left in him.
Overall, this article made me realize that tragedy is many times felt in the perspective of the reader when they become conscious of the main character's desperate actions to preserve their dignity. This helped me better understand why Willy was so insistent that his son’s seeked success and he pushed them so hard when he realized that he had failed as a father and his son’s were just as lost as he was. The idea of personal dignity is not only an idea seen with royalty, but also with the common man. This made the possibility of Willy being a tragic hero so believable after reading this article.
-Nicole Tanelli
The article "Tragedy and the Common Man" written by Miller himself has created a new understanding and views on a tragic hero. This article is a relevant example of the tragedy in the play and clearly describes how it applies to Willie Loman. This article helped me understand how Miller wanted him to be a tragic hero and his perception of tragedy itself. Tragedy can be seen as ,"the underlying struggles that of the individual attempting to gain his "rightful" position in his society" (Miller). This is quote really help me understand the reason many people consider Willy a tragic hero. It provided me with a deeper analysis of the book itself.
ReplyDeleteThe reader can most definitely see that Willy is going through a lot of struggles and hardships. Whether he got himself into his troubles, is not really relevant, but the fact that he attempts to overcome and keep dreaming of this perfect place in society is what matters. A real tragic hero recognizes his downfall. When willy is planting his garden and states, "Nothing's planted I don't have a thing in the ground" (Miller), he is abstractly referring to the fact he lost everything he has dreamed of. Throughout the book, Willy knows he is not really doing well, but continues working in hopes to live up to the american dream. His idea of the "rightful" position in society is a man who is experiencing this dream, successful job, educated, working sons, etc. There is other characters like Willy's dad and brother, along with charles and bernard, who Willy always has to compare himself to. Therefore, he is continuously working in order to gain that position and live that american dream through his struggling.
Overall, I'm glad this article and quote made me recognize the aspects of tragedy and the tragic hero in the play. That quote was something I have never really realized about a tragic hero because in the past we dealt with more different of characters like Macbeth. This exemplified the qualities of a tragic hero in a common man.
The article "Tragedy and the Common Man" by Arthur Miller left a significant impact on my understanding of the play "Death of a Salesman". While during my initial reading of the play I did not consider this article to be of much importance, Miller's portrayal of Willy Loman makes much more sense after a deeper analysis and reading of the article. Because the article was written by Miller himself, it leaves little to no room to interpret whether or not Willy Loman was a tragic hero. While some may not agree with the assessment, it becomes indisputable that portraying Willy as a tragic hero was Miller's intent. Miller's purpose in writing "Death of a Salesman" was not only to bring tragedy back into common literature, but also to create a modern tragic hero out of a common man that could be more relatable to his audience. When Miller wrote, "if the exaltation of tragic action were truly a property of the high-bred character alone, it is inconceivable that the mass of mankind should cherish tragedy above all other forms, let alone be capable of understanding it", it helped to enlighten me with a deeper understanding of the tragedy of the common man. If only high-ranking officials could truly be considered tragic heroes, no common man would be able to relate, nor enjoy the story. While the majority of tragic heroes such as Macbeth from Shakespeare's "Macbeth" or Okonkwo from Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" follow the typical model of tragic heroes, starting at a high place in society and gradually declining until their eventual death, this articles makes it clear that that is not the only way a tragic hero could be perceived. Anyone who experiences a loss of comfort, security, dignity, or similar emotional situations can be considered a tragic hero, making Willy Loman a tragic hero in his own respect, a title that I had not previously attributed to him.
ReplyDelete-Chandler
The article written about Arthur Miller's tragedy "Death of a Salesmen talked about many important details that came up often in the play. We saw many parts and sides of Willy that helped him to embody the qualities of a tragic hero in the play. Some very important parts are brought up in article about tragic heroes and what qualities they exhibit. Many different ideas about tragic heroes appear including how "The quality in such plays does not shake us, however, derives from the underlying fear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world. Among us today this fear is as strong, and perhaps stronger, than it ever was. In fact. it is the common man who knows this fear best. In fact it is the common man who knows this fear best". This quote shows how Willy lives out the life of a tragic hero in the play. He constantly finds tragedy and defeat in his life and it barely ever able to have something good happen to him. As a common person, you can still experience tragedy which is what happens in Willy's case.
ReplyDeleteIt helped me to understand that when tragic heroes are introduced into stories they may not always be the royalty or individuals with high status that many people are used to. Even a common person may experience tragedy in their life which is what we see in Willy's life. It shows that tragedy is present in nearly everyone's life no matter what age, gender, background or social class. No one is truly safe from tragedy in their life. Rereading the article also helped me to understand what makes Willy more of a tragic hero. At first glance, some parts of him had me struggling to belief that Willy was truly a tragic hero. After reading the article, however, it cemented the fact that he is one.
All in all, rereading the article helped to improve my understand of a tragic hero and what it means for someone to be one. It also helped me to firm up the idea of Willy truly being a tragic hero.
After reading "Tragedy and the Common Man" by Arthur Miller, I am struck by a new understanding of what it truly means to be a tragic hero. From the very beginning of the play, it is clear to the reader that how people perceive him is everything to him. This idea is instituted into the mind of the reader after Willy is speaking with Linda on the sales he did on his trip to Providence and Boston. Willy claims that he made five hundred in Providence and seven hundred in Boston, but Linda goes back and corrects him stating that he only did two hundred gross. Willy attempts to put the blame on the fact that, "three of the stores were half closed for inventory in Boston. Otherwise [he] woulda broke records"(35). The claim by Willy that his lack of sales is attributed to something that he cannot control shows the reader just how far Willy is willing to go to preserve his appearance. This relates directly to the assertion made by Arthur Miller that adds a deeper meaning to my reading. Miller states, "The quality in such plays that does shake us, however, derives from the underlying dear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world"(2). This quotation adds to my reading because I am now more aware of how Willy must have been feeling. In addition, I am also struck with feelings of sympathy for Willy, and now I have a better understanding of why Willy did the things he did to preserve his appearance.
ReplyDelete-Jason Frank
thanks for sharing...
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