Willy's tragedy as self perpetuated Flashcards
(17 cards)
-critical of all the material things he has to pay for in a consumerist way, such as the car and the fridge, and how he is essentially a victim of advertising - IRONIC as as a salesman advertising should be his forte, yet he doesn’t take a cynical view on it, he subscribes to and then ends of being taken advantage of, much how he is in his work
‘I’m not going to pay that man!’
-this statement reflects Willy’s fixation on the past and his belief that his lack of success is due to external circumstances rather than personal shortcomings
-he use of “if” demonstrates his tendency to romanticise and idealise THE PAST, blaming his failures on factors outside his control, such as the death of someone who might have supported him
“If old man Wagner was alive I’d have been in charge of New York now”
-introduced to the idea that Willy is fixated on OUTWARD APPEARANCES, and how he thinks that somebody’s charm and attractiveness will carry you far, despite this never having worked for him, he doesn’t have the qualities of a salesman, and is unable to present a smiling front to the people
‘a young man with such - personal attractiveness’
-In the flashback, Willy is insulted that he is being offered a job by Charley as he believes he already has a good god, he seems to have HUBRIS his sense of individualism is too strong, too proud to accept help
‘what the hell are you offering me a job for?’
-this idea being repeated by Willy and echoed by Biff shows how Willy has instilled it into Biff that throughout his life he will not be awarded based on merit but instead what matters is your social status and reputation
-’well’ is a modifier and an adverb, idea that his life will be measured by popularity
“he’s liked, but not well liked”
-MODIFIER NOUN PHRASE acts as a MOTIF that is repeated reflecting the recurring idea in Willy’s mind to become a successful salesman, like it is attainable and achievable
-he values monetary gain as equitable to success which is the underlying issue leading to his TRAGIC DOWNFALL, he invests all his time into the fruitless pursuit of money and neglects any efforts to foster deep relationships with his family
‘Million dollar idea’
-Willy is longing for the past and clinging onto the naive sense of opportunity for progression, TRAGICALLY failing to realise the opportunity has passed him, possibly an underlying sense of HUBRIS
‘Loman, Loman, Loman! Almighty but he’ll be great yet’
-Willy’s fixation on REPUTATION and APPEARANCE conveys his IDEALISTIC view of the world
-METAPHOR of selling yourself to be successful
-Willy has transferred this MANTRA of people being commodities and the idea of the world running on charisma
‘personality wins the day’
-Willy’s happiness is SHALLOW and requires material items to fulfil him
‘It takes so little to make him happy’
-Argumentative DIALOGUE in Willy’s head exposes his eternal conflict as he questions his decision to find fortune in the city when his natural desire may in fact be a life out west
-Willy’s rejection of Ben’s opportunities characterise him as somebody afraid to take risks and stray from the fated path of the common man to ‘die the death of a salesman’
-HAMARTIA is his stubborn nature, afraid of the unknown as it may bring failure
‘We’ll do it here Ben’
-Willy’s HAMARTIA of his HUBRIS accepting the money over the job from Charley - indicative of his priorities and perhaps why is he is yet to find success - he chooses the easiest route and doesn’t play the long game
‘Fifty dollars’
-TRAGIC IRONY illustrating the power of capitalistic ideologies dictating Willy’s entire life, and with his HUBRISTIC NATURE Willy cannot back down which will lead to his tragic fate
-Willy’s refusal to accept defeat rejecting Charley’s words epitomises his HAMARTIA
‘sometimes, Willy it’s better for a man to just walk away’
‘trains, appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive’
-Willy’s pride is driving him further towards his TRAGIC END
‘Ive got a job’
‘I was just fired’
-illustrates Willy’s SHALLOW approach to the world, not focusing on human connection or fulfilment outside of his work as as a salesman
-he puts appearances and the ability to be likeable on a pedestal despite it never having brought him any success, fortune or fulfilment
-Charley exposes the nature of the CAPITALIST SYSTEM as exploitative and heartless - due to Willy’s stubborn pride and HUBRIS he refuses to accept this as reality and truth
-the root of Willy’s pursuit as a salesman is as he longs to be well liked, like Dave Singleman was, IRONICALLY Willy neglects his family and makes no efforts to foster a relationship with them, and instead has dedicated his life in trying to be emotionally fulfilled in an unforgiving ruthless CORPORATE WORLD
-Willy lacks the means and skills to sell yet tirelessly pursues a thankless career failing to recognise this enhancing the TRAGEDY
‘the only thing you got in this world is what you can sell’
-MOTIF OF LONELINESS evokes PATHOS to an extent reminding us of Willy’s humanity
HOWEVER
-Willy lacks any true excuse, and this moment expresses how the BEHAVIOUR OF THE PROTAGONIST is affecting those around him, this affair is breaking down his family dynamic
[TO THE WOMAN] ‘I was lonely’
[TO BIFF] ‘I was lonely’
-Despite Willy establishing that he did everything for his sons, Miller has Willy attempt to absolve himself of blame, CHARACTERISING Willy as fickle, he will only take responsibility for the achievements of his sons, such as Biff at football but fails to acknowledge the pitfalls of his parenting
-Willy connects the failed deal with Bill Oliver with Biff failing math - all stems from a repression of his GUILT which is expressed through his preoccupation with Biff’s academic failures
‘Don’t blame everything on me! I didn’t flunk math - you did!’
-even just before his death Willy is preoccupied with the past and refusing to accept Biff’s self proclaimed fate, still TRAGICALLY failing to understand his son
‘Now when you kick off boy’
