РефератыИностранный языкDeDeath Of A Salesman An Overview Essay

Death Of A Salesman An Overview Essay

Death Of A Salesman: An Overview Essay, Research Paper


Death Of A Salesman: An Overview


The play “Death Of A Salesman” , the brainchild of Arthur Miller was


transformed and fitted to the movie screen in the year 1986. The play itself is


set in the house of Willy Loman, and tells the melancholy story of a salesman


whom is in deep financial trouble, and the only remedy for the situation is to


commit suicide. In the stage production of this tale, the specific lighting,


set, and musical designs really give the story a strong undertow of depression.


And logically the screen and stage productions both differ greatly in regards to


the mood they set. Moreover the movie production can do many things that just


cannot be done on stage, with reference to the setting of course. To generalize,


the play gives us a good hard look at the great American Dream failing miserably.


However the combination of both the stage and screen productions accurately


depict the shortcomings of the capitalist society.


Death of a Salesman specifically focuses on four characters, the first


being the main character Willy Loman, his wife Linda, and their two sons Hap and


Biff Loman. As mentioned, the focal point of this play is Willy Loman, a


salesman in his early sixties. Throughout the story we are told the hard life,


emotions and triumphs of Willy the salesman. Early in the play we learn that


he has recently been demoted to working for commission, which later in the


play,(on par with his luck) translates into Willy getting fired. As the plot


unfolds we discover that Willy had a rich brother who recently died named Ben,


whom Willy looked upon with great admiration for becoming extremely wealthy and


the ripe old age of 21. However Willy also becomes very depressed when Ben


leaves, the fact being that he re-realizes the meagerness of his own life, and


that he is still making payments on all of his possessions. Willy then


comprehends that bye the time his worldly possessions are paid for?they shall no


longer be of any use. For example, the Loman house has become virtually


unnecessary now that the two sons have moved out. It isn’t until after Willy’s


death that the final mortgage payment is made?.for a house with no one inside it.


The one example of this statement is given by Linda during the final paragraph


of the play,


“I made the last payment on the house today. Today, dear. And there


will be nobody home. We’re free and clear???.we’re free??.we’re free????


we’re free”


As the plot thickens, Willy the salesman plummets deeper and deeper into


depression until his most likely route of action, which of course is suicide.


However the reasoning behind this course of action, we find, is his genuine love


for his family, along with Willy’s deep longing to supply his family with as


much money as he can possibly get his hands on. As we learn more about Willy’s


trials and tribulations, the age old expression “like father like son” appears


out of nowhere like a beacon. Like his father, Willy’s son Biff also has some


problems of his own, the main one being that Biff cannot seem to find his niche


in life. Furthermore, we are told that Biff at one point did in fact have his


future all planned out. It turns out that Biff was a shoe-in for a position on


the University Of Virginia State football team. However, that chance was all


but lost when Biff did not qualify to pass his final mathematics course. Now as


you can imagine the fact that Biff had to explain this to his father was quite a


large problem in itself. But to add insult to injury, when Biff made the trip


to Boston to explain his mathematical dilemma, he is horrified to find that his


father has been with another women. And this one incident would leave Biff


being an entirely different person altogether. He didn’t even make an attempt


to finish his math in summer school. After Boston, Biff couldn’t have cared


less what happened to his own life. However, as is in life, out of something


horrible comes something worthy. And Biff finally comes to the realization that


he in fact wants to make his future. And that future entails working in the


outdoors on a farm. The other reasoning behind this life decision is of course,


is to go against the wishes and values that his father has tried to instill in


Biff his entire life. Biff pours his heart to his brother Hap one quarter


through act I.


?..”To devote your whole life to keeping stock, or making phone calls,


or selling or buying. To suffer fifty weeks a year for the sake of a two week


vacation, when all you really desire is to be outdoors, with your shirt off …”


Fortunately for Biff, he determines his future by the play’s conclusion.


He comes to the understanding that he and Willy were never meat to be business


men. Including that they were intended to be working on a farm with their hands.


And after vexing to procure Hap to come with him (which is to no avail), he


escapes from his home to continue on with the rest of his life. Which for Biff


seems to be the soundest choice, the decision that Willy just couldn’t make.


Hap on the other hand stays with his father, and at play’s end decides to


follow in Willy’s footsteps. That of course is to succeed at business at all


costs.


Both the stage and screen rendition utilize a melange of distinct


effects to set the tone and to enact the specific place where the action


transpires. For example the stage interpretation utilizes a unique convention


that involves walking through the set to delineate circumstances in the past, or


episodes going on inside the mind of Willy. This illusion can be easily created


with specific crossfades and musical underlay, and of course willing suspension


of disbelief. Divergently, in the screen production the set is obviously


util

ized in a completely different manner. On that account the movie uses a


distinct fading and brightening lighting technique, that still stays true to the


conventions set forth by the playwright. The one device that the screen


production contains that the stage does not, is the ability to display the past


events of Willy’s life in a completely accurately set manner. Meaning when


there is a flashback to a previous happening, the setting travels back in time


as well. Which, from a certain perspective, better illustrates the past


recollections of Willy and his family. As mentioned the stage production


successfully employs music to delineate certain characters or the tone of that


particular instant. There is in fact music used in the movie, however it is


only a small aspect of the screen medium whereas it is an integral component of


the stage version. Although you cannot fully comprehend the importance of the


music by simply reading the play, it must be performed right in front of you..


While the movie gives you a generally decent feel for the musical intonation.


In its entirety the music does an excellent job of setting the mood that Willy


is in.


The play is set inside the house of Willy Loman. Surrounding his house


are some tall building that are quite visible on the edges of the set. The


house itself contains two bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen. This is also


where the majority of the action of the play takes place. All other action


happens outside the house lines. Which for a stage audience requires them to


suspend their disbelief even further. Whereas in a movie the viewer isn’t


required to stretch any of his or her imaginations. Although this particular


screen production utilized a uncommon convention that allowed the viewer to


actually see through the set. One other interesting convention used by the


designer was that there was no roof on the house at certain times during the


performance. And in place of the roof were huge buildings and skyscrapers.


These buildings were used to divulge a over-powering feeling of gloom. This


tool is much more effectual in the movie, due to its original and abstract


nature. This was also was very helpful during Willy’s dreams, on account of the


house would exude an aura of peace an tranquillity. Together with the prevalent


set in the movie, (where there is a roof and normal fencing), the idea is very


well perceived.


In spite of the fact that this play has been described as a modern


tragedy, there has been some controversy to that description. The reason being


that it does not accompany the standard protocol of tragedy. Traditionally


speaking, a tragedy usually begins with the main character in the midst of a


prominent position of piety. And over the course of the play becomes


transformed and that character flips to a lower level of status. A tragedy is


also reputed to acquaint its audience with regard to life. The audience should


leave a tragedy feeling virtuous about themselves, even though the tragedy


concludes on a note of melancholy. This is why scholars say they cannot include


this play in the definition of tragedy.


This famous tale of a salesman contains a singular main character; Willy


(The Salesman)Loman, his two strapping young lads Happy and Biff, and of course


his adoring wife Linda. Willy struggles to climb his way up the American


capitalist hierarchy, but its seems his ship will not come in. In spite of the


fact that Willy would much rather be laboring with his hands, he is set in


the mindset that his real love could never make enough money. Disappointment


after disappointment Willy decides that his only way to provide for his family


would be to commit suicide. The number one son of the salesman, Biff, is paving


his way for a discouraging life. Symbolically speaking, the character of Biff


represents Willy at a younger age, for they both carry the same characteristics.


However Biff is given the same chance to do something with his life, and


surprisingly enough he takes it. As for Willy’s other son, Happy decides that


he will take the same long, hard road as his father, only he thinks that he’ll


make it.


The Character of Willy Loman seem to be the consummate model to


illustrate the dissension of the American capitalist ideals. For example he is


a salesman who dons an aged suit that is ceaselessly creased during the course


of the screen production, moreover in the script is directed to appear


dilapidated. He drive an archaic, run down vehicle on the brink of extinction.


While on the contrary, a proper salesman must appear presentable and attractive


to market his goods. And Willy definitely does not harmonize with the ideals of


being a salesman, divergently he pains to match it. Moreover that is the reason


why he doesn’t belong inside the world of business. As exemplified in the


passage made by Biff in the requiem.


“When he’d come from a trip; or on Sundays, making the stoop????.?You


know something Charley, there’s more of him in that front stoop than in all the


sales he ever made.”


This story seems to epitomize the frivolity of agonizing to achieve


something as insignificant as money and power. It definitely makes one question


the social values of the American capitalist system, and why certain individual


continue to pursue the ideals of that system on a daily basis. For the downside


to the capitalist dream is hopelessness. And that downside is more that


apparent in the Loman family.


References


Quote on page one: Death of A Salesman, Arthur Miller, Viking Penguin Inc. 1949,


Pg.139


Quote on page two: Death of A Salesman, Arthur Miller, Viking Penguin Inc. 1949,


Pg.22


Quote on page four: Death of A Salesman, Arthur Miller, Viking Penguin Inc. 1949,


Pg.138

Сохранить в соц. сетях:
Обсуждение:
comments powered by Disqus

Название реферата: Death Of A Salesman An Overview Essay

Слов:2157
Символов:13718
Размер:26.79 Кб.