Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller | Summary & Analysis

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Professor Kristen Over of Northeastern Illinois University provides an in-depth analysis of the plot, characters, symbols, and themes in Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman.
Download the free study guide and infographic for Death of a Salesman here: www.coursehero.com/lit/Death-...
Arthur Miller’s play "Death of a Salesman" illustrates the literal and metaphorical death of salesman Willy Loman.
This Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play is set in Brooklyn in the post-World War II era.
Protagonist Loman, a traveling salesman, is disappointed by his life and appears to be slipping into senility. Fired from his job, he begins dwelling on his failures and reliving his sons' youthful successes.
As his family frets about him, he slips further into despair; ultimately making a climactic decision that has been interpreted as a searing indictment of the American Dream.
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesmen was first staged on Broadway in 1949, only a few years after World War II ended in 1945 and within a decade of the end of the Great Depression (1929-1939). Both eras had a significant impact on the work of Miller and on Death of a Salesman in particular, which is set in the late 1940s in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Boston.
The play contains many powerful themes, such as the American Dream, the anatomy of truth, and betrayal. Miller also uses symbolism throughout the play to support central themes. Symbols, such as distant lands, stockings, seeds and a flute support the visual nature of the work, which is intended to be viewed and experienced rather than read.
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[@BrainFuzz111]

This is a great summary! I would also add that Willy is disappointed that Biff never 'made it' and attributes this to Biff failing math in high school, but the reason that Biff never retook his math class is because he went to Willy to have him talk to the schoolboard about Biff's math class, and that is when Biff saw that his father was having an affair. This crushes Biff and he doesn't bother to aspire to be successful after this encounter.

[@ghostkiller4865]

so that explains the scene in the movie near the end when Willy was remembering what happened to him then Biff came to tell him about failing math class then suddenly saw the woman...i was confused for a second then realized that's the reason why Biff's life went upside down and Willy was the reason behind that all along!

[@strawverymilktae1280]

thats just so so sad

[@polaruzz1]

The amount that you just saved me in my AP Lit class

[@saharsamiee9851]

I have an exam tomorrow and one of the plays that we have to know about it this one. Thank you for your help.

[@sourouawadjihe904]

Do you have the outline of this play?

[@codydonoghue5082]

same

[@saharsamiee9851]

@@codydonoghue5082 good luck ^^

[@starwikaofficial1681]

Same

[@saharsamiee9851]

@@3d17fungkinlong_4 good luck

[@mst8857]

I'm at an online exam right now because of covid-19 and watching this :D thanks

[@deadheadwsp705]

I remember reading this senior year of high school. I just remember feeling sad. I don’t know why, but this story stuck with me. The fact that someone decided that his family was bette off with $20,000 than to be with him broke my heart. I was glad that I then watched Its A Wonderful Life, which obviously is different but finds both main characters facing the same decision that committing suicide would make their family better off due to their life insurance. Just wish that Willie had a guardian Angel too

[@alexbrigl2089]

I really hated that book at the beginning because it was so hard to read for non native speakers even at my class' level but thanks to this video I've now realized how well-written it truly is. Thank you!

[@TomorrowisYesterday]

If you need someone else to explain to you why something is poorly written when you came away from it with that kind of attitude towards it, it’s not well written. A well written play speaks for its damn self.

[@cup0cakeyz]

Same this is how I felt about the crucible

[@songs-vo8gd]

Really good analysis🤗

[@tonybelonog2941]

agreed!

[@ashlyrijhengarcia1026]

Characters: Happy: 6:13 Linda: 4:36 Biff: 5:14 Ben: 7:00

[@bat3760]

😋

[@judithl.4552]

You just saved my life with all these explanations ! Thank you so much !

[@larabianchini6720]

Excellent explanation. Totally clear and straightforward. Thanks!

[@user-qt9sq1lb3g]

Excellent analysis. I would also add though that Biff was also a tragic figure since the idealisation of his father was dissmissed when he saw him with the other woman. That was the moment when his beliefs and expectations were ruined. The moment of realisation between real and unreal.

[@praveendongly5974]

Thank you for good explanation... It's really very helpful... We waiting for your more videos🎥 🙏🙏🏼

[@denny-michael]

Thank God for this video! I have an essay to do 😨

[@keanuea6521]

Thank you so much this was really helpful!

[@SakibHasan-rw9tv]

best content on death of a salesman. you saved the day. thanks.

[@MBAinternetmktg]

Excellent analysis, thank you

[@lance3708]

Thank you!!! After this video, I got a better understanding of the play.

[@mylesprospero8105]

2:45 wow is that ben with willy in the car? the details

[@thomasholt3697]

can't believe that you noticed that!

[@jsudlow12]

You saved me hours of reading, much appreciated

[@charmcrafter6527]

Thanks, This could really help me with my essay that I'll be doing since I wasn't able to read the story before 😂

[@stellarose111]

thank you queen you're a lifesaver

[@morganderose2254]

I have an exam in 10 mins, now I have a better understanding of the play, thanks!

[@amycostanza6395]

This just saved me thank you

[@sudeshnamondal4984]

Thank you so much for this great explanation..it helped me a lot

[@StephenfromChch]

Very insightful, thanks.

[@mpiano3622]

thank you very much for the nice analysis! Greetings from switzerland

[@michaelvicario4610]

Thank you, this was great!

[@sophiesiegel7180]

Very Nice this video helped me a lot

[@madisons8898]

my end of my year IB English 1 exam is tomorrow on all the books we read this year, this just so happens to be one of the only 2 books I didn't finish, I hope I do well :)

[@ronsensenn6959]

Very good, thanks!

[@funwithsabaoon891]

Wonderful explanation ♥️

[@jella7915]

Thank you so mucchhh for this😭❤️

[@emmzeee5106]

Got an Ace exam on this play tomorrow and your video really helped! Let’s just hope I do well ;-;

[@JimboPro]

a what?

[@BlessingUsenidiok-nn9kp]

AMAZING THANK YOU SO MUCH

[@daniellaslittletwink9526]

Thank you had a school assignment on this lol

[@andrewmanford]

My favourite play of all time with A Midsummer Night's Dream. Two of the best life encompassing plays.

[@okibelieveyou6375]

i’m doing hw for a friend and this is gonna be a life saver lol

[@clary98]

i have a literature exam in less than a month and here I am. I really need a miracle to be able to pass

[@TomTom-vu1hv]

Just finished reading it, it’s so sad !

[@mrbrody100]

This was great. Helped a lot.

[@Strellizia]

Omg you really are heroes😭😥 thanks

[@manannarula9624]

Thank you for saving my time as tomorrow is my exam.

[@maxgirndt4520]

Thank you I appreciate it

[@yourfavourite226]

Thank you

[@Nabiruuu]

exam tomorrow tyyy

[@abeljosekurian]

Thanks a lot ma'am

[@smartvetri7082]

Your explanation is very clear mam.... Thank you mam...

[@ris4680]

Im here because im tired to read the summary of this in my module.. i prefer to watch,

[@byeolingz]

Who's grade 9 student here?

[@kingzairu]

Hehe me

[@abdelouahabbenahemdabdelou1644]

Thank you for your help,I have exam tomorrow 😧😤.

[@phoebemanalo6454]

💀reading makes me lazy but I also need to pass in school that's why I'm here

[@AmyRose91]

Good luck for literature paper 1 tomorrow fellow tragedy a level students.

[@catherine138]

please I need your help, where/how can I create an animation like that?

[@sahilkothari4804]

came after watching the salesman movie by asghar farhadi, absolute masterpiece

[@Literary-books]

Thank you❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@YurumeinHerballyLiving]

Saw a pic of Marilyn Monroe having this book in her hands! Brought me here!

[@jeanpierrereynoso-fournel4378]

Good.

[@moneyhearts]

i’m not here for school or anything, i’m just here because i’m curious and want to learn so what i learned from this is basically they are better off without willy because they only got money when he died and that i myself need to stop being delusional just like the whole family is, holding onto the belief of the american dream, i know i need to seek reality i always tell myself that it’s a self quote but sometimes i just don’t want to

[@poppyknight4258]

I wouldn’t necessarily say they were better off, happy is left to fulfill willys position of having the broken ideal of an American dream, Biff will just have to forever manage with how Willy caused his lack of motivation- without any closure really and Linda is just a woman with no form of economic agency so in reality no matter what everyone suffers- that’s why its a tragedy unfortunately, but I see where you’re coming from

[@rafaelgabrieles740]

6:03

[@caught.in.throes]

Biff Loman and Bernard = Biff Tannen and George McFly?

[@kkonsharma123]

Love from himachal pradesh (india)

[@rafiqulislam.muksudpur]

I enjoy your class. May Allah reward you.

[@rafaelgabrieles740]

yup it is confusing

[@eurekal1903]

Speaking of a play, its characters and their figures are all kind of metaphors~ Come to think of why such a sad movie had been made my idea is that the author would like certain issues to be shown and therefore situations can be changed. Biff lost his confidence when he found out he was not as impressive as he thought he was and he jumped to the conclusion that he was not at business which showed his characters. In comparison to his father who tried so hard I can say how easily he gave himself up.

[@akashkataria3928]

Sound of flute gives signal of whose presence?

[@nawainmoni1210]

Willy lomans father

[@harryfiedler3971]

very helpful. thank you off-brand Barbara Streisand :)

[@shallteargf5974]

Life saver a period before class

[@pratitigrahan7592]

I am from India 👍 explained

[@dreamworks8661]

Words such as disillusionement, illusion and deception are majorly used in Course Hero series😅

[@ezgiyilmaz6662]

uncle ben went to Alaska not to Africa? Am i wrong?

[@ikhalid1997]

Yeah

[@jiminiechiminie184]

No both Alaska and Africa

[@alishakhan8926]

@@jiminiechiminie184 Ben had a faulty sense of geography. Instead of reaching Alaska, Ben lands in Africa and owns a diamond mine there and becomes successful. Ben wanted to go to Alaska but reaches Africa himself.

[@JimboPro]

so willy commited suicde so his family could have the insurance money?

[@KingAlexGaming_Official]

Got an exam in 15 minutes 😳

[@zzeta3544]

Disillusionment - willy mistakenly measures his value

[@moments44]

lol i have an assignment due in like 2 hours

[@Foxygrandpa2131]

Why does Uncle Ben always die?

[@JimboPro]

He can't get a break ong

[@adkrsh3995]

Anyone from Calicut university

[@hadeerkamel8263]

❤

[@lijisenglishguru1915]

👌👌

[@mcdoniano]

WE HAVE RECITATION HEELLLPPP

[@jerrycohen5002]

Ben is Willy's brother or uncle....you say one thing and display another...

[@sophielouise2284]

Willy's brother, Biff and Happy's uncle

[@sami5689]

AP lit exam tomorrow anyone?

[@michaelorozco8809]

😂

[@bethany1900]

wait so does he kill himself to give his family money?

[@nawainmoni1210]

Yes but unfortunately didn't achieve it

[@bethany1900]

@@nawainmoni1210 I thought he did cos they have payed off the mortgage at the end?

[@clara-df5km]

@@bethany1900 linda had already payed off the debts on her own, it might have helped them anyways - but they would have been financially stable even if billy hadn't killed himself. that's partly what makes the play so tragic. but i haven't finished the play yet so don't take my word for it.

[@bethany1900]

@@clara-df5km I’m pretty sure she pays it off with the 100,000 insurance money at least that’s how I have taken it, I’ve finished it now and there’s no indication that Linda earns any money though the play so not sure how she would pay it off but I could have misread it

[@iskeipizm]

lindas more delusional than willy smh

[@sahilkothari4804]

i think the main problem of not being able to follow his desires of living in the countryside lies in getting married. If willy never had any children then he wouldn't have had any responsibilities and would have lived the life he desires........

[@NusratJahan-gs5nn]

So willy commited suicide so that his family could have the insurance money?

[@alannah1941]

Yes

[@JimboPro]

how does that work ?

[@JimboPro]

I thought he did it because he was depresso espresso

[@tomatoversace3427]

warning: a bit of these plot summaries aren’t 100% accurate

[@mikikoinayama6492]

What parts

[@severusgray00]

Who is Linda? Without giving any former details about who she is, you, as if you talked about her, jump straight into her comment about the protagonist. It creates a confusion. It's a great summary but please be careful about that the next time.

[@nospamgaming6682]

4:31 explains who Lynda is

[@mataly5231]

The wife

[@warwickaldermanchannel2340]

This is pretty low level analysis. Really basic, poor stuff. It's: 6:27 mins in, and you still haven't mentioned the central themes of death, or the American dream. Dreadful stuff.

[@stevetantilo9421]

I have to say that was the worse review of this play. Willy represents a America typical human nature feeling, jealousy and bullshit. That jealousy of Charlie and Bernard along with being a complete bullshiter were the two take aways from this play. And the one totally unrealistic part was a successful Charlie living in the same rundown neighborhood, this would never happen. A successful person always moves up, if you made it in the Bronx, you moved to the Pelhams or Bronxville for the betterment of your family, but more so to get away from the unsuccessful people in a persons former neighborhood. Hence watching their jealousy each day. As living among other successful people allows more stability.

[@michelezeszutko9933]

Hello Mr. Z here. The entire thing is dry.

[@hecoppiii]

I like this woman better than him. He talks too fast and is too expressive, it's annoying.

[@Al6de]

Thank you

[@NusratJahan-gs5nn]

So willy commited suicide so that his family could have the insurance money?

[@gorretmwamba7290]

Yes

[@Storylife20249]

Thank you