Research Paper On Death Of A Salesman

Trenton Romleski
Professor Landau
English 2
22 March 2016
Lose Your Dreams and You Will Lose Your Mind 1950’s America was a time where Women didn’t have the right to vote and society was male dominated. In the play The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Willy Loman an older salesman, insists on being physically attractive, having a great personality and being “well liked”. His emphasis on being respected and personable is associated with the masculine idea of always being in charge or being on top, as that was the normal position for men at that time. Willy projects his own issues and thoughts onto his sons’, Biff and Happy, resulting in them having problems in their own lives.
Willy has many problems primarily due to his issues with
Throughout the play Willy is constantly praising Biff about his physicality, the amount of women he gets and how well liked he is. Growing up in an environment where he was constantly praised for only his masculine traits results in him not being able to perform in other areas. An example of his inability to perform would be his failing math despite cheating off of Bernard. Furthermore, when Biff steals a football, Willy doesn’t scold him, but actually condones his behavior, saying “Coach’ll probably congratulate you on your initiative”(Miller 1.224)!. Willy’s response to Biff’s theft, shows that Willy is more concerned with his sons masculine abilities than as a person. This reinforcement is what caused Biff to have issues with his masculinity when it wasn’t enough to get by on. These issues are represented at the end of the play when Biff says “Pop! I’m a dime a dozen, and so are you”(Miller 2.884)! Willy reacting by saying “I am Willy Loman, and you are Biff Loman”(Miller 2.885)! shows that even though he nor Biff have done nothing notable shows a false sense of self. Willy has numerous issues in his life, but still pretends to be successful shows the pressure he feels from
Happy’s biggest issue which is regularly addressed in the play, is philandering. Happy constantly sleeps with different women for a variety of reasons. One reason Happy sleeps with women is because he needs attention. At multiple times in the play Happy attempts to get the attention of Willy while Biff is being praised, “I’m losing weight, you notice, Pop”(Miller 1.214)?. His failed attempts at getting attention from Willy leads to him seeking attention through women. His issue is well noticed and mentioned throughout the play “and find his sons, who he loved better than his life, one a philandering bum--”(Miller 1.633). Coping with his issues by using women shows that his masculinity is the trait that he most associates himself with. Happy also struggles with his masculinity in the workplace believing that due to his physical superiority he should be in charge. He shows this early in the play saying, “I mean I can outbox, outrun, and outlift anybody in the store, and I have to take orders from those common, petty sons-of-bitches till I can’t stand it any more”(Miller 1.149).. Having this attitude towards his superiors demonstrates his lack of non masculine thinking. Willy attempting to live through Biff and not paying attention to Happy resulted in Happy’s philandering, and Willy’s emphasis at masculinity resulted in Happy’s attitude towards his