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{{About|the play}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Infobox play
{{More footnotes|date=May 2012}}
| name = Death of a Salesman
{{Lead too short|date=October 2017}}
| image = DeathOfASalesman.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| caption = First edition cover ([[Viking Press]])
| writer = [[Arthur Miller]]
| characters = [[Willy Loman]]<br>Linda Loman<br>Biff Loman<br>Happy Loman<br>Ben Loman<br>Bernard<br>Charley<br>The Woman<br>Howard
| genre = [[Tragedy]]
| setting = Late 1940s; Willy Loman's house; New York City and Barnaby River; Boston
| subject = The waning days of a failing salesman
| premiere = February 10, 1949
|| place = [[Morosco Theatre]]<br>New York City
| orig_lang = English
}}
}}
'''''Death of a Salesman''''' is a 1949 [[Play (theatre)|play]] written by American [[playwright]] [[Arthur Miller]]. It was the recipient of the 1949 [[Pulitzer Prize for Drama]] and [[Tony Award for Best Play]]. The play premiered on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] in February 1949, running for 742 performances, and has been revived on Broadway four times,<ref>{{cite web|title=Death of a Salesman|url=http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=2111|accessdate=6 March 2011}}</ref> winning three [[Tony Award for Best Revival|Tony Awards for Best Revival]]. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest plays of the 20th century.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.therep.org/attend/productions/default.aspx?prodid=39 |title=Death of a Salesman |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205120021/http://www.therep.org/attend/productions/default.aspx?prodid=39 |archivedate=2017-02-05 |website=www.therep.org |deadurl=yes}}</ref>
'''Democracy''' was a major concept introduced to [[China]] in the late nineteenth century. The debate over its form and definition as well as application was one of the major ideological battlegrounds in Chinese politics for well over a century.


== Qing dynasty ==
==Characters==
* '''[[Willy Loman|William "Willy" Loman]]''': The salesman. He is 63 years old and unstable, insecure, and self-deluded. Willy tends to re-imagine events from the past as if they were real. He vacillates between different eras of his life. Willy seems childlike and relies on others for support, coupled with his recurring flashbacks to various moments throughout his career. His first name, Willy, reflects this childlike aspect as well as sounding like the question "Will he?" His last name gives the feel of Willy's being a "low man", someone who won't succeed; however, this popular interpretation of his last name was dismissed by Miller, who stated his name is this due to his relation to the English queen.<ref name="Gottfried2004">{{cite book|author=Martin Gottfried|title=Arthur Miller: His Life and Work|url=|year=2004|publisher=Perseus Books Group|isbn=978-0-306-81377-1|page=118}}</ref>
* '''Linda Loman''': Willy's loyal and loving wife. Linda is passively supportive and docile when Willy talks unrealistically about hopes for the future, although she seems to have a good knowledge of what is really going on. She chides her sons, particularly Biff, for not helping Willy more, and supports Willy lovingly even though Willy sometimes treats her poorly, ignoring her opinions over those of others. She is the first to realize that Willy is contemplating suicide at the beginning of the play, and urges Biff to make something of himself, while expecting Willy to help Biff do so.
* '''Biff Loman''': Willy's elder son. Biff was a football star with a lot of potential in high school, but failed math his senior year and dropped out of summer school when he saw Willy with another woman while visiting him in Boston. He wavers between going home to try to fulfill Willy's dream for him as a businessman or ignoring his father by going out West to be a farmhand where he feels happy. He likes being outdoors and working with his hands, yet wants to do something worthwhile so Willy will be proud of him. Biff steals because he wants evidence of success, even if it is false evidence, but overall Biff remains a realist and informs Willy that he is just a normal guy and will not be a great man.
* '''Harold "Happy" Loman''': Willy's younger son. He's lived in the shadow of his older brother Biff most of his life and seems to be almost ignored, but he still tries to be supportive towards his family. He has a restless lifestyle as a womanizer and dreams of moving beyond his current job as an assistant to the assistant buyer at the local store, but he is willing to cheat a little in order to do so, by taking bribes. He is always looking for approval from his parents, but he rarely gets any, and he even goes as far as to make things up just for attention, such as telling his parents he is going to get married. He tries often to keep his family's perceptions of each other positive or "happy" by defending each of them during their many arguments, but still has the most turbulent relationship with Linda, who looks down on him for his lifestyle and apparent cheapness, despite his giving them money.
* '''Charley''': Willy's somewhat wise-cracking yet kind and understanding neighbor. He pities Willy and frequently lends him money and comes over to play cards with him, although Willy often treats him poorly. Willy is jealous of him because his son is more successful than Willy's. Charley offers Willy a job many times during visits to his office, yet Willy declines every time, even after he loses his job as a salesman.
* '''Bernard''': Charley's son. In Willy's flashbacks, he is a nerd, and Willy forces him to give Biff test answers. He worships Biff and does anything for him. Later, he is a very successful lawyer, married, and expecting a second son – the same successes that Willy wants for his sons, in particular Biff. Bernard makes Willy contemplate where he has gone wrong as a father.
* '''Uncle Ben''': Willy's older brother who became a diamond tycoon after a detour to Africa. He is dead, but Willy frequently speaks to him in his hallucinations of the past. He is Willy's role model, although he is much older and has no real relationship with Willy, preferring to assert his superiority over his younger brother. He represents Willy's idea of the [[American Dream]] success story, and is shown coming by the Lomans' house while on business trips to share stories.
* '''The Woman''': A woman, whom Willy calls "Miss Harvey", with whom Willy cheated on Linda.
* '''Howard Wagner''': Willy's boss. Willy worked originally for Howard's father and claims to have suggested the name Howard for the newborn son. He however sees Willy as a liability for the company and fires him, ignoring all the years that Willy has given to the company. Howard is extremely proud of his wealth, which is manifested in his new wire recorder, and of his family.
* '''Jenny''': Charley's secretary.
* '''Stanley''': A waiter at the restaurant who seems to be friends or acquainted with Happy.
* '''Miss Forsythe''': A girl whom Happy picks up at the restaurant. She is very pretty and claims she was on several magazine covers. Happy lies to her, making himself and Biff look like they are important and successful. (Happy claims that he attended West Point and that Biff is a star football player.)
* '''Letta''': Miss Forsythe's friend.


== Summary ==
The first introduction of the concept of modern democracy into China is credited to exiled Chinese writer [[Liang Qichao]]. In 1895, he participated in protests in Beijing for increased popular participation during the late [[Qing Dynasty]], the last ruling dynasty of China. It was the first of its kind in modern Chinese history. After escaping to Japan following the government's clampdown on anti-Qing protesters, Liang Qichao translated and commented on the works of [[Hobbes]], [[Rousseau]], [[John Locke|Locke]], [[David Hume|Hume]], [[Jeremy Bentham|Bentham]] and many other western political philosophers. He published his essays in a series of journals that easily found an audience among Chinese intelligentsia hungering for an explanation of why China, once a formidable empire of its own, was now on the verge of being dismembered by foreign powers. In interpreting Western democracy through the prism of his strongly [[Confucian]] background, Liang shaped the ideas of democracy that would be used throughout the next century. Liang favored gradual reform to turn China into a [[constitutional monarchy]] with democracy. The goal of the [[Hundred Days' Reform]] was to reform China into such as system, but it was rapidly reversed in the [[Wuxu Coup]].
[[Willy Loman]] returns home exhausted after a business trip he has cancelled. Worried over Willy's state of mind and recent car accident, his wife Linda suggests that he ask his boss Howard Wagner to allow him to work in his home city so he will not have to travel. Willy complains to Linda that their son, Biff, has yet to make good on his life. Despite Biff's promising showing as an athlete in high school, he failed in mathematics and was unable to enter a university.


Biff and his brother Happy, who is temporarily staying with Willy and Linda after Biff's unexpected return from the West, reminisce about their childhood together. They discuss their father's mental degeneration, which they have witnessed in the form of his constant indecisiveness and daydreaming about the boys' high school years. Willy walks in, angry that the two boys have never amounted to anything. In an effort to pacify their father, Biff and Happy tell their father that Biff plans to make a business proposition the next day.
Liang's great rival among progressive intellectuals was Dr. [[Sun Yat-sen]], a republican revolutionary. Sun felt that democracy would be impossible as long as the Qing monarchy still existed. Democracy was part of his platform, the [[Three Principles of the People]] (三民主義) - the principle of the people under 1 nation (nationalism), the principle of the people's rights (democracy), and the principle of the people's livelihood and well-being (civility, decency and respect). Like Liang, Sun agreed that democracy, or at least [[universal suffrage]], could not happen overnight in a country with high illiteracy rates and lack of political consciousness. Sun's [[Three Stages of Revolution]] called for a period of "political tutelage" where people would be educated before elections can occur.


The next day, Willy goes to ask his boss, Howard, for a job in town while Biff goes to make a business proposition, but both fail. Willy gets angry and ends up getting fired when the boss tells him he needs a rest and can no longer represent the company. Biff waits hours to see a former employer who does not remember him and turns him down. Biff impulsively steals a [[fountain pen]]. Willy then goes to the office of his neighbor Charley, where he runs into Charley's son Bernard (now a successful lawyer); Bernard tells him that Biff originally wanted to do well in [[summer school]], but something happened in Boston when Biff went to visit his father that changed his mind. Charley gives the now-unemployed Willy money to pay his life-insurance premium; Willy shocks Charley by remarking that ultimately, a man is "worth more dead than alive."
Responding to civil failures and discontent, the Qing Imperial Court responded by organizing elections. China's first modern elections were organized by [[Yuan Shikai]] for [[Tianjin]]'s county council in 1907. In 1909, 21 of 22 provinces, with the exception being [[Xinjiang]], [[Qing provincial elections, 1909|held elections]] for provincial assemblies and municipal councils. Requirements were strict; only those that passed the [[imperial exams]], worked in government or military, or owned 5000 yuan of property may vote or run for office. This essentially limited the electorate to the [[Gentry (China)|gentry]] class. Hundreds of thousands voted and the winners were overwhelmingly [[constitutional monarchists]], followers of Liang Qichao. The provincial assemblies elected half of the 200 member national assembly, the other half was selected by regent [[Zaifeng, Prince Chun|Prince Chun]]. All of these assemblies became hotbeds of dissent against the Qing as they were protected by freedom of speech.


Happy, Biff, and Willy meet for dinner at a restaurant, but Willy refuses to hear bad news from Biff. Happy tries to get Biff to lie to their father. Biff tries to tell him what happened as Willy gets angry and slips into a [[Flashback (narrative)|flashback]] of what happened in Boston the day Biff came to see him. Willy had been having an affair with a receptionist on one of his sales trips when Biff unexpectedly arrived at Willy's hotel room. A shocked Biff angrily confronted his father, calling him a liar and a fraud. From that moment, Biff's views of his father changed and set Biff adrift.
== Republic of China, 1912–present==
{{Main|Politics of the Republic of China|Elections in the Republic of China}}


Biff leaves the restaurant in frustration, followed by Happy and two girls that Happy has picked up. They leave a confused and upset Willy behind in the restaurant. When they later return home, their mother angrily confronts them for abandoning their father while Willy remains outside, talking to himself. Biff tries unsuccessfully to reconcile with Willy, but the discussion quickly escalates into another argument. Biff conveys plainly to his father that he is not meant for anything great, insisting that both of them are simply ordinary men meant to lead ordinary lives. The feud reaches an apparent climax with Biff hugging Willy and crying as he tries to get Willy to let go of the unrealistic expectations. Rather than listen to what Biff actually says, Willy appears to believe his son has forgiven him and will follow in his footsteps, and after Linda goes upstairs to bed (despite her urging him to follow her), lapses one final time into a hallucination, thinking he sees his long-dead brother Ben, whom Willy idolized. In Willy's mind, Ben approves of the scheme Willy has dreamed up to kill himself in order to give Biff his insurance policy money. Willy exits the house. Biff and Linda cry out in despair as the sound of Willy's car blares up and fades out.
When the [[Xinhai Revolution|1911 Revolution]] began, it was the provincial assemblies that provided legitimacy to the rebels by declaring their independence from the Qing Empire. The national assembly also issued an ultimatum to the Qing court. Delegates from the provincial assemblies were sent to [[Nanjing]] to publicly legitimize the authority of the provisional government of the [[Republic of China]] founded on 1 January 1912. They later also formed the provisional senate. The limited acts passed by this government included the formal abdication of the Qing dynasty and some economic initiatives.


The final scene takes place at Willy's funeral, which is attended only by his family, Bernard, and Charley. The ambiguities of mixed and unaddressed emotions persist, particularly over whether Willy's choices or circumstances were obsolete. At the funeral Biff retains his belief that he does not want to become a businessman like his father. Happy, on the other hand, chooses to follow in his father's footsteps, while Linda laments her husband's decision just before her final payment on the house.
In late 1912, [[Republic of China National Assembly elections, 1912|national elections]] were held with an enlarged electorate, albeit still small proportionally to the national population. Sun's [[Kuomintang|Nationalist Party]] dominated both houses of the [[National Assembly of the Republic of China|National Assembly]]. [[Song Jiaoren]], the incoming Nationalist prime minister, was assassinated in March 1913 before the assembly's first session. A police investigation implicated sitting prime minister [[Zhao Bingjun]] while popular belief was that provisional president [[Yuan Shikai]] was behind it. This led to the failed [[Second Revolution (China)|Second Revolution]] against Yuan. Victorious, Yuan forced the National Assembly to elect him president for a five-year term then purged it of Nationalists. Without a [[quorum]], the assembly was dissolved.


== Themes ==
After Yuan's death in 1916, the National Assembly reconvened until it was dissolved again the following year by [[Zhang Xun (Qing loyalist)|Zhang Xun]]'s coup attempt to restore the Qing. Prime Minister [[Duan Qirui]] refused to reconvene the National Assembly, opting instead to hold elections for a new assembly more favorable to him. As a result, a rump of the old assembly moved to [[Guangzhou]] to start a [[Constitutional Protection Movement|rival government in southern China]]. In [[Beiyang government|northern China]], 17 provinces [[Republic of China National Assembly elections, 1918|elected a new assembly]] dominated by Duan's [[Anfu Club]] in 1918. This new assembly was dissolved following Duan's defeat in the [[Zhili-Anhui War]] of 1920.


===Reality and Illusion===
President [[Xu Shichang]] organized elections for a third assembly in 1921, but with only 11 provinces voting it never had a quorum and thus never convened. That was the last attempt to hold national elections until 1947. All assemblies were dissolved after the Nationalists' [[Northern Expedition]].


''Death of a Salesman'' uses flashbacks to present Willy’s memory during the reality. The illusion not only “suggests the past, but also presents the lost [[pastoral elegy|pastoral]] life.” Willy has dreamed of success his whole life and makes up lies about his and Biff’s success. The more he indulges in the illusion, the harder it is for him to face reality. Biff is the only one who realizes that the whole family lived in the lies and tries to face the truth.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Koon|first1=Helene|title=Twentieth Century Interpretations of Death of Salesman|publisher=Prentice-Hall|location=Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey}}</ref>
The formation of the Nationalist [[one-party state]] in 1927 implemented the late Sun's "political tutelage" program, which forbade elections until the people were considered properly educated. All other parties were kept out of government until 1937, when the impending [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] led to the [[Second United Front|United Front]] and the formation of the People's Political Council which included the smaller parties. In 1940, partly in response to tensions in the United Front, [[Mao Zedong]] offered the new [[Communist Party of China|Communist Party]] doctrine, [[New Democracy]]. New Democracy was an intermediary stage unlike western parliamentary, electoral democracy but not yet communism. After the war, the Nationalist's "political tutelage" ended with the promulgation of the [[Constitution of the Republic of China]]. The [[Republic of China National Assembly election, 1947|1947 National Assembly]] and [[Republic of China legislative election, 1948|1948 legislative elections]] were boycotted by the Communists which held most of northern China. As a result, the Nationalists and their junior coalition partners, the [[Chinese Youth Party]] and [[China Democratic Socialist Party]], won.


===Taiwan, 1945–present===
===The American Dream===
The American Dream is the theme of the play, but everyone in the play has their own way to describe their American Dreams.
In 1945, after the [[Surrender of Japan]], governance of Taiwan was transferred to the Republic of China. The ceding of Taiwan was formalized under the [[Treaty of Taipei]] in 1952.


====Willy Loman====
After its retreat from China to the island of [[Taiwan]] in 1949, martial law was imposed following the Kuomintang-led [[228 Massacre]]. Since the [[Martial law in Taiwan|lifting of martial law in 1987]], the ROC has had two major political parties, the [[Kuomintang]] and the [[Democratic Progressive Party]]. Since then, smaller parties have split from the two main parties, as others formed as new groups. The two parties have since formed their respective coalition groups: The ''[[pan-Blue coalition]]'' consists of the Kuomintang, the [[People First Party (Republic of China)|People First Party]] (PFP), [[New Party (Republic of China)|New Party]] (CNP), and [[Minkuotang]] (MKT). The pan-Blue parties traditionally favor [[Chinese unification]], with some moving towards a position supporting the present [[status quo]] with eventual unification with China. Some pan-Blue politicians argue that unification is possible only after the [[Chinese Communist Party|communist regime]] in China collapses and/or transitions to a [[democracy]] either as a new democratic government or with the re-establishment of [[Sun Yat-sen]]'s Kuomintang government which fled to [[Taiwan]] after the [[Chinese Civil War]]. The New Party supports "[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2017/08/21/2003676908 voluntary peaceful unification]" and is dominated by [https://thediplomat.com/2014/02/the-return-of-gangster-politics-in-taiwan/ Taiwanese gangster] "White Wolf" ([[Chang An-lo]]). It has been implicated in several [http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2017/01/15/2003663125 protests and disturbances] that have l[https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3261594 ed to violence] in Taipei. The other side is dominated by the ''[[pan-Green coalition]]'', which combines the Democratic Progressive Party, [[Taiwan Solidarity Union]] (TSU), [[Taiwan Independence Party]] (TAIP), and [[Taiwan Constitution Association]] (TCA). The Democratic Progressive Party was formed in opposition to the Kuomintang from the members of the pro-democracy [[Tangwai movement|Tangwai]] movement under martial law and traditionally favors Taiwanese independence. Some parties advocate for immediate independence, with some support for the creation of a [https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/04/11/taiwan-independence-china-republic-huadu-taidu/ Republic of Taiwan], and others supporting the [[Political status of Taiwan|status quo]] of de facto Republic of China statehood - which is [http://nationalinterest.org/feature/china-ready-taiwans-new-government-15865 the official position of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party] - but moving towards eventual de jure statehood. The recently-formed [[New Power Party]], conceived independently of the Democratic Progressive Party by participants in and supporters of the 2014 [[Sunflower Student Movement|Sunflower Movement]], also cooperates with the pan-Green coalition. The New Power Party favors [[Taiwanization]] and the [[Taiwan independence movement]] over [[Chinese reunification|unification]]. The New Power Party also has close ties to smaller left-of-center parties compromising the [https://thediplomat.com/2016/01/the-rise-of-taiwans-third-force/ Third Force] including the [[Green Party Taiwan|Green Party]], the [[Trees Party|Tree Party]] and the [[Social Democratic Party]]. Some members in both coalitions have moderated their policies to reach voters in the center.
Willy Loman dreams of being a successful salesman like Dave Singleman, somebody who has both wealth and freedom. Willy believes that the key to success is being well-liked, and his frequent flashbacks show that he measures happiness in terms of wealth and popularity.<ref name="plays.about.com">{{cite web|url = http://plays.about.com/od/plays/a/themesales.htm|title = The American Dream in "Death of a Salesman"|first = Wade|last = Bradford|website = [[About.com]]}}</ref> One analyst of the play writes: “Society tries to teach that, if people are rich and well-liked, they will be happy. Because of this, Willy thought that money would make him happy. He never bothered to try to be happy with what he had …”.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Sarkar|first1=Saurav|title=The American Dream in Context of Death of A Salesman|publisher=Academia}}</ref> Willy also believes that to attain success, one must have a suitable personality. According to another analyst, “He believes that salesmanship is based on ‘sterling traits of character’ and ‘a pleasing personality.’ But Willy does not have the requisite sterling traits of character; people simply do not like him as much as he thinks is necessary for success.”<ref name="The American Dream">{{cite book|last1=Bloom|first1=Harold|title=The American Dream|date=2009|publisher=Infobase Publishing}}</ref>


====Uncle Ben====
== People's Republic of China, 1949–present ==
Ben symbolizes another kind of successful American Dream for Willy: to catch opportunity, to conquer nature, and to gain a fortune. His mantra goes: “Why, boys, when I was seventeen I walked into the jungle, and when I was twenty-one I walked out. (He laughs.) And by God I was rich.” <ref name="plays.about.com"/>
{{Main|Politics of the People's Republic of China|Elections in the People's Republic of China|Chinese democracy movement}}
The People's Republic of China was initially based on Mao's concept of "New Democracy", not the immediate "[[dictatorship of the proletariat]]". Soon, however, Mao called for establishing the [[people's democratic dictatorship]]. Starting in the 1980s, in the period of [[Chinese economic reform|Opening and Reform]], the government organized village elections in which several candidates would run. However, each candidate was chosen or approved by the Party. Higher levels of government are indirectly elected, with candidates vetted by the government. As a result, the highest levels of government contain either Communist Party members, their [[United Front (China)|United Front]] allies, or sympathetic independents. Opposition parties are outlawed.


====Biff====
Chinese who supported the Communist Party or held anti-democratic perspectives had long expressed [[Chinese Skepticism of Democracy|skepticism towards Western style democracy]] as incompatible with traditionalist [[Chinese culture]]. They hold that government is legitimate not when people influence it but when it represents their higher interests. Leaders of the post-Mao reforms in the 1980s argued that the Party's record under Mao was bad, but that the Party reformed without being forced. The American political scientist [[Andrew J. Nathan|Andrew Nathan]] concluded that "the reforms aimed to change China from a terror-based, [[Totalitarianism|totalitarian dictatorship]] to a 'mature,' administered dictatorship of the Post-Stalinist Soviet or Eastern European type." "Democracy" would not involve elections or participation in decision making but "the [[rule of law]]", which was based in procedural regularity in the exercise of power.<ref>Andrew J. Nathan. ''Chinese Democracy.'' (New York: Knopf : Distributed by Random House, 1985). {{ISBN|039451386X}}. pp. 227-228.</ref>
After seeing his father’s real identity, Biff does not follow his father’s “dream” because he knows that, as two analysts put it, “Willy does ''see'' his future but in a blind way. Meaning that he ''can'' and ''cannot'' see at the same time, since his way of seeing or visualizing the future is completely wrong.”<ref name="ijalel">Ziaul Haque, Md. & Kabir Chowdhury, Fahmida. [http://www.ijalel.org/view.aspx?articleid=269 "The Concept of Blindness in Sophocles' ''King Oedipus'' and Arthur Miller's ''Death of a Salesman''"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140525214338/http://www.ijalel.org/view.aspx?articleid=269 |date=2014-05-25 }}, ''International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature'', vol. 2, no. 3; 2013, p. 118, Retrieved on April 02, 2015.</ref><ref name="plays.about.com"/>


====Bernard and Charley====
In the spring of 1989, student leaders of the [[Chinese Democracy Movement]] expressed demands for democracy in terms which deliberately recalled the demands of the [[May Fourth Movement]], which led to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. Intellectual leaders such as [[Liu Xiaobo]] and [[Fang Lizhi]] supported their calls for participation in government and procedures to fight corruption.
One thing that is apparent from the ''Death of a Salesman'' is the hard work and dedication of Charley and Bernard. Willy criticizes Charley and Bernard throughout the play, but it is not because he hates them. Rather, it's argued that he is jealous of the successes they have enjoyed, which is outside his standards.<ref name="The American Dream"/>


The models of business success provided in the play all argue against Willy’s "personality theory." One is Charley, Willy’s neighbor and apparently only friend. Charley has no time for Willy’s theories of business, but he provides for his family and is in a position to offer Willy a do-nothing job to keep him bringing home a salary. (Bloom 51)<ref name="The American Dream"/>
In December 2008, more than 350 intellectual and cultural leaders, including Liu Xiaobo, issued [[Charter 08]]. The Charter said China remains the only large world power to still retain an [[Authoritarianism|authoritarian]] system that so infringes on [[human rights]], and "This situation must change! Political democratic reforms cannot be delayed any longer!"<ref name=Macartney2008>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5313746.ece|title=Leading Chinese dissident, Liu Xiaobo, arrested over freedom charter |last= Macartney|first=Jane |date=10 December 2008|publisher=Times Online|accessdate=10 December 2008 | location=London}}</ref>


== Reception ==
=== Special Administrative Regions, 1997–present ===
{{One source|section|date=June 2015}}
{{Main|Politics of Hong Kong|Elections in Hong Kong|Politics of Macau|Elections in Macau}}


===In the United States===
Although mainland China is currently far away from a full-fledged civil democracy, [[Hong Kong]] and [[Macau]] as [[Special Administrative Regions]] do have some essences of [[liberal democracy]].
''Death of a Salesman'' first opened on February 10, 1949, to great success. Drama critic John Gassner wrote that “the ecstatic reception accorded ''Death of Salesman'' has been reverberating for some time wherever there is an ear for theatre, and it is undoubtedly the best American play since ''[[A Streetcar Named Desire]]''.” <ref name="Studies in Death of Salesman">{{cite book|last1=Meserve|first1=Walter|title=Studies in Death of Salesman|publisher=Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company|location=Columbus, Ohio|isbn=0-675-09259-0}}</ref>


===In the United Kingdom===
As European [[Colonialism|colonies]], both were denied democratic governments until very late in the colonial period. Official memos from Chinese Communist Party leaders, threatening the British government if they were to hold elections in Hong Kong, were repeatedly sent from the 1950s onwards.<ref>https://qz.com/279013/the-secret-history-of-hong-kongs-stillborn-democracy/</ref><ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/28/world/asia/china-began-push-against-hong-kong-elections-in-50s.html?action=click&contentCollection=Asia%20Pacific&module=RelatedCoverage&region=Marginalia&pgtype=article&_r=0</ref> Hong Kong got its first elections in the 1980s, and Macau in the 1990s.
The play reached London on July 28, 1949. London responses were mixed, but mostly favorable. ''[[The Times]]'' criticized it, saying that “the strongest play of New York theatrical season should be transferred to London in the deadest week of the year.” However, the public understanding of the ideology of the play was different from that in America. Some people, such as Eric Keown, think of ''Death of a Salesman'' as "a potential tragedy deflected from its true course by Marxist sympathies."<ref name="Studies in Death of Salesman"/>


===In Germany===
Both Hong Kong and Macau have legislatures; 35 of Hong Kong's 70 legislators are directly elected, as are 14 of Macao's 33. Also, like grassroots elections in China, Hong Kong does hold elections for the district counsel, which act as consultants to the government.
The play was hailed as “the most important and successful night” in Hebbel-Theater in Berlin. It was said that “it was impossible to get the audience to leave the theatre”{{By whom|date=June 2015}} at the end of the performance. The Berlin production was more successful than New York, possibly due to better interpretation.<ref name="Studies in Death of Salesman"/>


====Hong Kong====
===In India===
Compared to Tennessee Williams and Beckett, Arthur Miller and his ''Death of Salesman ''were less influential. Rajinder Paul said that “''Death of a Salesman'' has only an indirect influence on Indian theatre practitions.”<ref name="Studies in Death of Salesman"/> However, it was translated and produced in Bengali as '''Pheriwalar Mrityu''<nowiki/>' by the theater group Nandikar. Director Feroz Khan adapted the play in Hindi and English by the name "Salesman Ramlal" played brilliantly by [[Satish Kaushik]] and with the role of his son portrayed by Kishore Kadam.


===In China===
{{Main|Democratic development in Hong Kong}}
''Death of a Salesman'' was welcomed in China. There, Arthur Miller directed the play himself. As Miller stated, “It depends on the father and the mother and the children. That’s what it’s about. The salesman part is what he does to stay alive. But he could be a peasant, he could be, whatever.” Here, the play focuses on the family relationship. It is easier for the Chinese public to understand the relationship between father and son because “One thing about the play that is very Chinese is the way Willy tries to make his sons successful." The Chinese father always wants his sons to be ‘dragons.’<ref>{{cite book|last1=Arthur|first1=Miller|title=Salesman in Beijing|publisher=Viking Press|location=New York}}</ref>


==Productions==
The first Chief Executive election saw the Chief Executive elected by a 400-member [[Selection Committee]] in 1996, then by 800-member [[Election Committee]] in 2002, 2005, 2007 and then 1200-member Election Committee in 2012 and 2017.
The original Broadway production was produced by [[Kermit Bloomgarden]] and Walter Fried. The play opened at the [[Morosco Theatre]] on February 10, 1949, closing on November 18, 1950, after 742 performances. The play starred [[Lee J. Cobb]] as Willy Loman, [[Mildred Dunnock]] as Linda, [[Arthur Kennedy (actor)|Arthur Kennedy]] as Biff, [[Howard Smith (actor)|Howard Smith]] as Charley and [[Cameron Mitchell (actor)|Cameron Mitchell]] as Happy. [[Albert Dekker]] and [[Gene Lockhart]] later played Willy Loman during the original Broadway run. It won the [[Tony Award]] for Best Play, Best Supporting or Featured Actor ([[Arthur Kennedy (actor)|Arthur Kennedy]]), Best Scenic Design ([[Jo Mielziner]]), Producer (Dramatic), Author ([[Arthur Miller]]), and Director ([[Elia Kazan]]), as well as the 1949 [[Pulitzer Prize]] for Drama and the [[New York Drama Critics' Circle Award]] for Best Play. [[Jayne Mansfield]] performed in a production of the play in [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], in October 1953. Her performance in the play attracted [[Paramount Pictures]] to hire her for the studio's film productions.<ref>Sullivan, Steve. ''Va Va Voom'', General Publishing Group, Los Angeles, California, p.50.</ref>


The play has been revived on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] four times:
The Legislative Council of Hong Kong from 1997-2004 had 60 seats with 24 were directly elected, six elected from an 800-member electoral college known as the Election Committee of Hong Kong, and 30 elected from FCs. Elections in 2004 and 2008, had 30 members were directly elected by universal suffrage from geographical constituencies (GCs) and 30 were elected from functional constituencies (FCs). From 2012 onwards, The Legislative Council consists of 70 elected members, 35 members were directly elected by universal suffrage from geographical constituencies and 35 were elected from functional constituencies.
* June 26, 1975, at the [[Circle in the Square Theatre]], running for 71 performances. [[George C. Scott]] starred as Willy.
* March 29, 1984, at the [[Broadhurst Theatre]], running for 97 performances. [[Dustin Hoffman]] played Willy. In a return engagement, this production re-opened on September 14, 1984, and ran for 88 performances. The production won the [[Tony Award for Best Revival]] and the [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival]].
* February 10, 1999, at the [[Eugene O'Neill Theatre]], running for 274 performances, with [[Brian Dennehy]] as Willy. The production won the [[Tony Award]] for: Best Revival of a Play; Best Actor in Play; Best Featured Actress in a Play ([[Elizabeth Franz]]); Best Direction of a Play ([[Robert Falls]]). This production was filmed.
* February 13, 2012, at the [[Ethel Barrymore Theatre]], in a limited run of 16 weeks. Directed by [[Mike Nichols]], [[Philip Seymour Hoffman]] played Willy, [[Andrew Garfield]] played Biff, [[Linda Emond]] played Linda, and [[Finn Wittrock]] played Happy.<ref>Gans, Andrew.[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/160706-Starry-Revival-of-Arthur-Millers-Death-of-a-Salesman-Opens-on-Broadway "Starry Revival of Arthur Miller's 'Death of a Salesman' Opens on Broadway"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317215235/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/160706-Starry-Revival-of-Arthur-Millers-Death-of-a-Salesman-Opens-on-Broadway |date=2012-03-17 }} playbill.com, March 15, 2012</ref>


It was also part of the [[Guthrie Theater production history#1963|inaugural season]] of the [[Guthrie Theater]] in [[Minneapolis]], [[Minnesota]] in 1963.
There have been many attempts with many different ideas to introduce universal suffrage since the handover.


[[Christopher Lloyd]] portrayed Willy Loman in a 2010 production by the Weston Playhouse in [[Weston, Vermont|Weston]], [[Vermont]], which toured several [[New England]] venues.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/26/theater/26lloyd.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1|title=Christopher Lloyd stars in 'Death of a Salesman'| work=The New York Times |last=Itzkoff| first=Dave| date=25 August 2010 | accessdate=2010-09-08}}</ref>
In 2014, Hong Kong experienced [[2014 Hong Kong protests|massive protests]] against the Chinese government's decision to not allow full universal suffrage, as the candidates have to be approved by a committee with the majority of its members having political/economical links to the Communist Party of China.<ref>{{cite web |title = At least 34 injured as police and protesters clash in Hong Kong |url = http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/28/world/asia/china-hong-kong-students/index.html?hpt=hp_c2 |website = CNN}}</ref>


[[Antony Sher]] played Willy Loman in the first [[Royal Shakespeare Company]] production of the play directed by [[Gregory Doran]] in [[Stratford-upon-Avon]] in the spring of 2015, with [[Harriet Walter]] as Linda Loman. This production transferred to [[London]]'s [[West End of London|West End]], at the [[Noel Coward Theatre]] for ten weeks in the summer of 2015. This production was part of the centenary celebrations for playwright Arthur Miller.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.londontheatredirect.com/news/1629/Arthur-Miller-Classic-Death-Of-A-Salesman-To-Make-West-End-Transfer.aspx|title=Arthur Miller Classic Death Of A Salesman To Make West End Transfer]| work=LondonTheatreDirect.com |last=Itzkoff|date=8 April 2015 | accessdate=2015-04-22}}</ref>
====Macau====


==Adaptations in other media==
The first Macao Legislative Council in 1996 had 23 members: eight of whom were directly elected (GC), eight indirectly (FC), and seven nominated by the Chief Executive. Its second Legislative Council (2001) had four more members: two more directly elected and two more indirectly. Its third and fourth (2005&2009) legislative councils had 29 members, and the fifth (2013) and sixth (2017) have 33. <ref>http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2017-09/18/content_32140556.htm</ref>
* [[Death of a Salesman (1951 film)|1951]]: Adapted by Stanley Roberts and directed by [[László Benedek]] who won the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture|Golden Globe Award for Best Director]]. The film was nominated for [[Academy Awards]] for [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor in a Leading Role]] ([[Fredric March]]), [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Actor in a Supporting Role]] ([[Kevin McCarthy (actor)|Kevin McCarthy]]), [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Actress in a Supporting Role]] ([[Mildred Dunnock]]), [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography, Black-and-White]] and [[Academy Award for Original Music Score|Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture]].
* 1960: In USSR (1960) directed by Theodore Wolfovitch as "You can't cross the bridge".
* 1961: ''En Handelsresandes död'' starring Kolbjörn Knudsen and directed by Hans Abramson (in [[Swedish language|Swedish]])
* 1968: ''Der Tod eines Handlungsreisenden'' starring [[Heinz Rühmann]] and directed by Gerhard Klingenberg
* [[Death of a Salesman (1966 TV movie)|1966 (CBS)]]: Starring [[Lee J. Cobb]], [[Gene Wilder]], [[Mildred Dunnock]], [[James Farentino]], [[Karen Steele]] and [[George Segal]] and directed by [[Alex Segal]].
* [[Death of a Salesman (1966 BBC drama)|1966 (BBC)]]: Starring [[Rod Steiger]], [[Betsy Blair]], [[Tony Bill]], Brian Davies and [[Joss Ackland]] and directed by [[Alan Cooke]].
* [[Death of a Salesman (1985 film)|1985]]: Starring [[Dustin Hoffman]], [[Kate Reid]], [[John Malkovich]], [[Stephen Lang]] and [[Charles Durning]] and directed by [[Volker Schlöndorff]].
* [[Death of a Salesman (1996 film)|1996]]: Starring [[Warren Mitchell]], [[Rosemary Harris]], [[Iain Glen]] and [[Owen Teale]] and directed by [[David Thacker]].
* [[Death of a Salesman (2000 film)|2000]]: Starring [[Brian Dennehy]], [[Elizabeth Franz]], [[Ron Eldard]], [[Ted Koch]], [[Howard Witt]] and Richard Thompson and directed by [[Kirk Browning]].
* 2008: Play within the film in [[Synecdoche, New York]], starring [[Philip Seymour Hoffman]].
* 2015: Radio drama, starring [[David Suchet]] and [[Zoë Wanamaker]], directed by [[Howard Davies (director)|Howard Davies]], and broadcast on [[BBC Radio 3]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06gpwk4|title=BBC Radio 3 — Drama on 3, Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller|last=|first=|date=|website=BBC|access-date=2017-11-27}}</ref>
* [[The Salesman (2016 film)|2016]]: Play within the film, [[The_Salesman_(2016_film)|The Salesman]] (Forushande), acts as counterpoint to the main plot. Starring [[Shahab Hosseini]], [[Taraneh Alidoosti]], [[Babak Karimi]], and directed by [[Asghar Farhadi]].


==Awards and nominations==
The first Chief Executive of Macau was elected by the 200-member Chief Executive Selection Committee in 1999, 2004 and 2009 saw the Chief Executive elected by 300-member Election Committee, and 400-member Election Committee in 2014.
;1949 Broadway
* New York Drama Critics' Circle Best Play (win)
* Pulitzer Prize for Drama (win)
* Tony Award for Best Play (win)
* Tony Award, Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Dramatic)- Arthur Kennedy (win)
* Tony Award, Best Scenic Design&nbsp;— Jo Mielziner (win)
* Tony Award Author&nbsp;— Arthur Miller (win)
* Tony Award Best Director&nbsp;— Elia Kazan (win)

;1975 Broadway revival
* Tony Award Best Actor in Play&nbsp;— George C. Scott (nominee)

;1979 West End revival
* Olivier Award Director of the Year&nbsp;— Michael Rudman (nominee)
* Olivier Award Actor of the Year in a Revival&nbsp;— Warren Mitchell (win)
* Olivier Award Actor of the Year in a Supporting Role&nbsp;— Stephen Greif (nominee)
* Olivier Award Actress of the Year in a Supporting Role&nbsp;— Doreen Mantle (win)
* Evening Standard Theatre Awards Best Actor&nbsp;— Warren Mitchell (win)

;1984 Broadway revival
* Drama Desk Award Outstanding Revival (win)
* Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play&nbsp;— Dustin Hoffman (win)
* Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play&nbsp;— John Malkovich (win); David Huddleston (nominee)
* Tony Award for Best Reproduction (win)

;1999 Broadway revival
* Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play (win)
* Tony Award Best Actor in Play&nbsp;— Brian Dennehy (win)
* Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play&nbsp;— Kevin Anderson (nominee); Howard Witt (nominee)
* Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Play&nbsp;— Elizabeth Franz (win)
* Tony Award Best Direction of a Play&nbsp;— Robert Falls (win)
* Drama Desk Award Outstanding Revival of a Play (win)
* Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play&nbsp;— Brian Dennehy (win)
* Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Play&nbsp;— Elizabeth Franz (nominee)
* Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play&nbsp;— Kevin Anderson (win); Howard Witt (nominee)
* Drama Desk Award Outstanding Director of a Play&nbsp;— Robert Falls (nominee)
* Drama Desk Award Outstanding Music in a Play&nbsp;— Incidental music by Richard Woodbury (nominee)

'''2012 Broadway revival'''
* Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play (win)
* Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play&nbsp;— Mike Nichols (win)
* Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play&nbsp;— Philip Seymour Hoffman (nominee)
* Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play&nbsp;— Andrew Garfield (nominee)
* Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play&nbsp;— Linda Emond (nominee)
* Tony Award for Best Lighting Design of a Play&nbsp;— Brian MacDevitt (nominee)
* Tony Award for Best Sound Design of a Play&nbsp;— Scott Lehrer (nominee)
* Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play&nbsp;— Philip Seymour Hoffman (nominee)
* Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play (nominee)
* Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play&nbsp;— Mike Nichols (win)
* Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design&nbsp;— Brian MacDevitt (win)

==See also==
*[[Happy (Sons of Anarchy)|Happy Lowman]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist|2}}

==Further reading==

===Editions===
*Miller, Arthur ''Death of a Salesman'' (Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1996) {{ISBN|9780140247732}}. Edited with an introduction by [[Gerald Weales]]. Contains the full text and various critical essays.

===Criticism===
* {{cite book | last=Hurell | first=John D. | title=Two Modern American Tragedies: Reviews and Criticism of Death of a Salesman and A Streetcar Named Desire | pages=82–8 | location=New York | publisher=Scribner | year=1961 | oclc=249094}}
* {{cite book | last=Sandage | first=Scott A. | title=Born Losers: A History of Failure in America | location=Cambridge | publisher=Harvard University Press | year=2005 | isbn=0-674-01510-X}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Death of a Salesman}}
{{wikiquote}}
* {{IBDB show|2999}}
* [http://plays.about.com/od/plays/a/willyloman.htm Character Analysis of Willy Loman]
* [http://plays.about.com/od/plays/a/lindaloman.htm Character Analysis of Linda Loman]
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060904184837/http://jco.usfca.edu/arthurmiller.html |date=September 4, 2006 |title=''Death of a Salesman'': A Celebration }}, by [[Joyce Carol Oates]]
* [http://www.shvoong.com/tags/death-of-a-salesman/ ''Death of a Salesman'' Reviews]


===At Playbill Vault===
== Further reading ==
* [http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/3296/Death-of-a-Salesman ''First Revival −1975'']
{{Portal|China|Taiwan|Politics}}
* [http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/13048/Death-of-a-Salesman '' Second Revival – 1984'']
*{{Cite book|author=[[Andrew J. Nathan|Nathan, Andrew]]|year=1985|title=Chinese Democracy|publisher=Knopf|location=New York, USA|isbn=0-394-51386-X}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120606104658/http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/4696/Death-of-a-Salesman '' Third Revival – 1999'']
*Daniel Bell, ''East Meets West: Human Rights and Democracy in East Asia'' (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2000).
* [http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/13861/Death-of-a-Salesman ''Fourth Revival – 2012'']
*Daniel Bell, ''Beyond Liberal Democracy: Political Thinking for an East Asian Context'' (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2006).
*Edmund S. K. Fung, ''In Search of Chinese Democracy: Civil Opposition in Nationalist China, 1929-1949'' (Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Cambridge Modern China Series). xviii, 407p. {{ISBN|0-521-77124-2}}
*Hu, Shaohua. ''Explaining Chinese Democratization'' (Westport, CT: Praeger, 2000).
*Liu Jianfei (刘建飞), ''Democracy and China'' (Beijing: New World Press, 2011). 178 p. ISBN：9787510412240
*Holbig, Heike, und Günter Schucher (2016), [https://www.giga-hamburg.de/en/publication/chinas-attempt-to-become-the-worlds-largest-democracy "He who says C must say D" — China’s Attempt to Become the "World’s Largest Democracy"], GIGA Focus Asia, 02, June, 2016


{{The Works of Arthur Miller}}
{{Asia topic|Democracy in}}
{{Death of a Salesman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2011}}
{{Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival}}
{{DramaDesk PlayRevival 2001–2025}}
{{Pulitzer Prize for Drama 1926-1950}}
{{TonyAwardBestPlay 1947-1975}}
{{TonyAward Revival}}
{{TonyAward PlayRevival 1994–2000}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Democracy In China}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Death Of A Salesman}}
[[Category:Chinese democracy movements| ]]
[[Category:1949 plays]]
[[Category:Politics of China]]
[[Category:Plays by Arthur Miller]]
[[Category:Democracy by location|China]]
[[Category:Broadway plays]]
[[Category:Drama Desk Award-winning plays]]
[[Category:New York Drama Critics' Circle Award winners]]
[[Category:Pulitzer Prize for Drama-winning works]]
[[Category:Tony Award-winning plays]]
[[Category:American plays adapted into films]]
[[Category:Termination of employment in popular culture]]
[[Category:Viking Press books]]
[[Category:Suicide in fiction]]
[[Category:Works about dysfunctional families]]

Revision as of 23:42, 5 April 2018

This article is about the play. For other uses, see Death of a Salesman (disambiguation).
Death of a Salesman
First edition cover (Viking Press)
Written byArthur Miller
CharactersWilly Loman
Linda Loman
Biff Loman
Happy Loman
Ben Loman
Bernard
Charley
The Woman
Howard
Date premieredFebruary 10, 1949
Place premieredMorosco Theatre
New York City
Original languageEnglish
SubjectThe waning days of a failing salesman
GenreTragedy
SettingLate 1940s; Willy Loman's house; New York City and Barnaby River; Boston

Death of a Salesman is a 1949 play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was the recipient of the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances, and has been revived on Broadway four times,[1] winning three Tony Awards for Best Revival. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest plays of the 20th century.[2]

Characters

  • William "Willy" Loman: The salesman. He is 63 years old and unstable, insecure, and self-deluded. Willy tends to re-imagine events from the past as if they were real. He vacillates between different eras of his life. Willy seems childlike and relies on others for support, coupled with his recurring flashbacks to various moments throughout his career. His first name, Willy, reflects this childlike aspect as well as sounding like the question "Will he?" His last name gives the feel of Willy's being a "low man", someone who won't succeed; however, this popular interpretation of his last name was dismissed by Miller, who stated his name is this due to his relation to the English queen.[3]
  • Linda Loman: Willy's loyal and loving wife. Linda is passively supportive and docile when Willy talks unrealistically about hopes for the future, although she seems to have a good knowledge of what is really going on. She chides her sons, particularly Biff, for not helping Willy more, and supports Willy lovingly even though Willy sometimes treats her poorly, ignoring her opinions over those of others. She is the first to realize that Willy is contemplating suicide at the beginning of the play, and urges Biff to make something of himself, while expecting Willy to help Biff do so.
  • Biff Loman: Willy's elder son. Biff was a football star with a lot of potential in high school, but failed math his senior year and dropped out of summer school when he saw Willy with another woman while visiting him in Boston. He wavers between going home to try to fulfill Willy's dream for him as a businessman or ignoring his father by going out West to be a farmhand where he feels happy. He likes being outdoors and working with his hands, yet wants to do something worthwhile so Willy will be proud of him. Biff steals because he wants evidence of success, even if it is false evidence, but overall Biff remains a realist and informs Willy that he is just a normal guy and will not be a great man.
  • Harold "Happy" Loman: Willy's younger son. He's lived in the shadow of his older brother Biff most of his life and seems to be almost ignored, but he still tries to be supportive towards his family. He has a restless lifestyle as a womanizer and dreams of moving beyond his current job as an assistant to the assistant buyer at the local store, but he is willing to cheat a little in order to do so, by taking bribes. He is always looking for approval from his parents, but he rarely gets any, and he even goes as far as to make things up just for attention, such as telling his parents he is going to get married. He tries often to keep his family's perceptions of each other positive or "happy" by defending each of them during their many arguments, but still has the most turbulent relationship with Linda, who looks down on him for his lifestyle and apparent cheapness, despite his giving them money.
  • Charley: Willy's somewhat wise-cracking yet kind and understanding neighbor. He pities Willy and frequently lends him money and comes over to play cards with him, although Willy often treats him poorly. Willy is jealous of him because his son is more successful than Willy's. Charley offers Willy a job many times during visits to his office, yet Willy declines every time, even after he loses his job as a salesman.
  • Bernard: Charley's son. In Willy's flashbacks, he is a nerd, and Willy forces him to give Biff test answers. He worships Biff and does anything for him. Later, he is a very successful lawyer, married, and expecting a second son – the same successes that Willy wants for his sons, in particular Biff. Bernard makes Willy contemplate where he has gone wrong as a father.
  • Uncle Ben: Willy's older brother who became a diamond tycoon after a detour to Africa. He is dead, but Willy frequently speaks to him in his hallucinations of the past. He is Willy's role model, although he is much older and has no real relationship with Willy, preferring to assert his superiority over his younger brother. He represents Willy's idea of the American Dream success story, and is shown coming by the Lomans' house while on business trips to share stories.
  • The Woman: A woman, whom Willy calls "Miss Harvey", with whom Willy cheated on Linda.
  • Howard Wagner: Willy's boss. Willy worked originally for Howard's father and claims to have suggested the name Howard for the newborn son. He however sees Willy as a liability for the company and fires him, ignoring all the years that Willy has given to the company. Howard is extremely proud of his wealth, which is manifested in his new wire recorder, and of his family.
  • Jenny: Charley's secretary.
  • Stanley: A waiter at the restaurant who seems to be friends or acquainted with Happy.
  • Miss Forsythe: A girl whom Happy picks up at the restaurant. She is very pretty and claims she was on several magazine covers. Happy lies to her, making himself and Biff look like they are important and successful. (Happy claims that he attended West Point and that Biff is a star football player.)
  • Letta: Miss Forsythe's friend.

Summary

Willy Loman returns home exhausted after a business trip he has cancelled. Worried over Willy's state of mind and recent car accident, his wife Linda suggests that he ask his boss Howard Wagner to allow him to work in his home city so he will not have to travel. Willy complains to Linda that their son, Biff, has yet to make good on his life. Despite Biff's promising showing as an athlete in high school, he failed in mathematics and was unable to enter a university.

Biff and his brother Happy, who is temporarily staying with Willy and Linda after Biff's unexpected return from the West, reminisce about their childhood together. They discuss their father's mental degeneration, which they have witnessed in the form of his constant indecisiveness and daydreaming about the boys' high school years. Willy walks in, angry that the two boys have never amounted to anything. In an effort to pacify their father, Biff and Happy tell their father that Biff plans to make a business proposition the next day.

The next day, Willy goes to ask his boss, Howard, for a job in town while Biff goes to make a business proposition, but both fail. Willy gets angry and ends up getting fired when the boss tells him he needs a rest and can no longer represent the company. Biff waits hours to see a former employer who does not remember him and turns him down. Biff impulsively steals a fountain pen. Willy then goes to the office of his neighbor Charley, where he runs into Charley's son Bernard (now a successful lawyer); Bernard tells him that Biff originally wanted to do well in summer school, but something happened in Boston when Biff went to visit his father that changed his mind. Charley gives the now-unemployed Willy money to pay his life-insurance premium; Willy shocks Charley by remarking that ultimately, a man is "worth more dead than alive."

Happy, Biff, and Willy meet for dinner at a restaurant, but Willy refuses to hear bad news from Biff. Happy tries to get Biff to lie to their father. Biff tries to tell him what happened as Willy gets angry and slips into a flashback of what happened in Boston the day Biff came to see him. Willy had been having an affair with a receptionist on one of his sales trips when Biff unexpectedly arrived at Willy's hotel room. A shocked Biff angrily confronted his father, calling him a liar and a fraud. From that moment, Biff's views of his father changed and set Biff adrift.

Biff leaves the restaurant in frustration, followed by Happy and two girls that Happy has picked up. They leave a confused and upset Willy behind in the restaurant. When they later return home, their mother angrily confronts them for abandoning their father while Willy remains outside, talking to himself. Biff tries unsuccessfully to reconcile with Willy, but the discussion quickly escalates into another argument. Biff conveys plainly to his father that he is not meant for anything great, insisting that both of them are simply ordinary men meant to lead ordinary lives. The feud reaches an apparent climax with Biff hugging Willy and crying as he tries to get Willy to let go of the unrealistic expectations. Rather than listen to what Biff actually says, Willy appears to believe his son has forgiven him and will follow in his footsteps, and after Linda goes upstairs to bed (despite her urging him to follow her), lapses one final time into a hallucination, thinking he sees his long-dead brother Ben, whom Willy idolized. In Willy's mind, Ben approves of the scheme Willy has dreamed up to kill himself in order to give Biff his insurance policy money. Willy exits the house. Biff and Linda cry out in despair as the sound of Willy's car blares up and fades out.

The final scene takes place at Willy's funeral, which is attended only by his family, Bernard, and Charley. The ambiguities of mixed and unaddressed emotions persist, particularly over whether Willy's choices or circumstances were obsolete. At the funeral Biff retains his belief that he does not want to become a businessman like his father. Happy, on the other hand, chooses to follow in his father's footsteps, while Linda laments her husband's decision just before her final payment on the house.

Themes

Reality and Illusion

Death of a Salesman uses flashbacks to present Willy’s memory during the reality. The illusion not only “suggests the past, but also presents the lost pastoral life.” Willy has dreamed of success his whole life and makes up lies about his and Biff’s success. The more he indulges in the illusion, the harder it is for him to face reality. Biff is the only one who realizes that the whole family lived in the lies and tries to face the truth.[4]

The American Dream

The American Dream is the theme of the play, but everyone in the play has their own way to describe their American Dreams.

Willy Loman

Willy Loman dreams of being a successful salesman like Dave Singleman, somebody who has both wealth and freedom. Willy believes that the key to success is being well-liked, and his frequent flashbacks show that he measures happiness in terms of wealth and popularity.[5] One analyst of the play writes: “Society tries to teach that, if people are rich and well-liked, they will be happy. Because of this, Willy thought that money would make him happy. He never bothered to try to be happy with what he had …”.[6] Willy also believes that to attain success, one must have a suitable personality. According to another analyst, “He believes that salesmanship is based on ‘sterling traits of character’ and ‘a pleasing personality.’ But Willy does not have the requisite sterling traits of character; people simply do not like him as much as he thinks is necessary for success.”[7]

Uncle Ben

Ben symbolizes another kind of successful American Dream for Willy: to catch opportunity, to conquer nature, and to gain a fortune. His mantra goes: “Why, boys, when I was seventeen I walked into the jungle, and when I was twenty-one I walked out. (He laughs.) And by God I was rich.” [5]

Biff

After seeing his father’s real identity, Biff does not follow his father’s “dream” because he knows that, as two analysts put it, “Willy does see his future but in a blind way. Meaning that he can and cannot see at the same time, since his way of seeing or visualizing the future is completely wrong.”[8][5]

Bernard and Charley

One thing that is apparent from the Death of a Salesman is the hard work and dedication of Charley and Bernard. Willy criticizes Charley and Bernard throughout the play, but it is not because he hates them. Rather, it's argued that he is jealous of the successes they have enjoyed, which is outside his standards.[7]

The models of business success provided in the play all argue against Willy’s "personality theory." One is Charley, Willy’s neighbor and apparently only friend. Charley has no time for Willy’s theories of business, but he provides for his family and is in a position to offer Willy a do-nothing job to keep him bringing home a salary. (Bloom 51)[7]

Reception

In the United States

Death of a Salesman first opened on February 10, 1949, to great success. Drama critic John Gassner wrote that “the ecstatic reception accorded Death of Salesman has been reverberating for some time wherever there is an ear for theatre, and it is undoubtedly the best American play since A Streetcar Named Desire.” [9]

In the United Kingdom

The play reached London on July 28, 1949. London responses were mixed, but mostly favorable. The Times criticized it, saying that “the strongest play of New York theatrical season should be transferred to London in the deadest week of the year.” However, the public understanding of the ideology of the play was different from that in America. Some people, such as Eric Keown, think of Death of a Salesman as "a potential tragedy deflected from its true course by Marxist sympathies."[9]

In Germany

The play was hailed as “the most important and successful night” in Hebbel-Theater in Berlin. It was said that “it was impossible to get the audience to leave the theatre”[by whom?] at the end of the performance. The Berlin production was more successful than New York, possibly due to better interpretation.[9]

In India

Compared to Tennessee Williams and Beckett, Arthur Miller and his Death of Salesman were less influential. Rajinder Paul said that “Death of a Salesman has only an indirect influence on Indian theatre practitions.”[9] However, it was translated and produced in Bengali as 'Pheriwalar Mrityu' by the theater group Nandikar. Director Feroz Khan adapted the play in Hindi and English by the name "Salesman Ramlal" played brilliantly by Satish Kaushik and with the role of his son portrayed by Kishore Kadam.

In China

Death of a Salesman was welcomed in China. There, Arthur Miller directed the play himself. As Miller stated, “It depends on the father and the mother and the children. That’s what it’s about. The salesman part is what he does to stay alive. But he could be a peasant, he could be, whatever.” Here, the play focuses on the family relationship. It is easier for the Chinese public to understand the relationship between father and son because “One thing about the play that is very Chinese is the way Willy tries to make his sons successful." The Chinese father always wants his sons to be ‘dragons.’[10]

Productions

The original Broadway production was produced by Kermit Bloomgarden and Walter Fried. The play opened at the Morosco Theatre on February 10, 1949, closing on November 18, 1950, after 742 performances. The play starred Lee J. Cobb as Willy Loman, Mildred Dunnock as Linda, Arthur Kennedy as Biff, Howard Smith as Charley and Cameron Mitchell as Happy. Albert Dekker and Gene Lockhart later played Willy Loman during the original Broadway run. It won the Tony Award for Best Play, Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Arthur Kennedy), Best Scenic Design (Jo Mielziner), Producer (Dramatic), Author (Arthur Miller), and Director (Elia Kazan), as well as the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play. Jayne Mansfield performed in a production of the play in Dallas, Texas, in October 1953. Her performance in the play attracted Paramount Pictures to hire her for the studio's film productions.[11]

The play has been revived on Broadway four times:

It was also part of the inaugural season of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1963.

Christopher Lloyd portrayed Willy Loman in a 2010 production by the Weston Playhouse in Weston, Vermont, which toured several New England venues.[13]

Antony Sher played Willy Loman in the first Royal Shakespeare Company production of the play directed by Gregory Doran in Stratford-upon-Avon in the spring of 2015, with Harriet Walter as Linda Loman. This production transferred to London's West End, at the Noel Coward Theatre for ten weeks in the summer of 2015. This production was part of the centenary celebrations for playwright Arthur Miller.[14]

Adaptations in other media

Awards and nominations

1949 Broadway
  • New York Drama Critics' Circle Best Play (win)
  • Pulitzer Prize for Drama (win)
  • Tony Award for Best Play (win)
  • Tony Award, Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Dramatic)- Arthur Kennedy (win)
  • Tony Award, Best Scenic Design — Jo Mielziner (win)
  • Tony Award Author — Arthur Miller (win)
  • Tony Award Best Director — Elia Kazan (win)
1975 Broadway revival
  • Tony Award Best Actor in Play — George C. Scott (nominee)
1979 West End revival
  • Olivier Award Director of the Year — Michael Rudman (nominee)
  • Olivier Award Actor of the Year in a Revival — Warren Mitchell (win)
  • Olivier Award Actor of the Year in a Supporting Role — Stephen Greif (nominee)
  • Olivier Award Actress of the Year in a Supporting Role — Doreen Mantle (win)
  • Evening Standard Theatre Awards Best Actor — Warren Mitchell (win)
1984 Broadway revival
  • Drama Desk Award Outstanding Revival (win)
  • Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play — Dustin Hoffman (win)
  • Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play — John Malkovich (win); David Huddleston (nominee)
  • Tony Award for Best Reproduction (win)
1999 Broadway revival
  • Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play (win)
  • Tony Award Best Actor in Play — Brian Dennehy (win)
  • Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play — Kevin Anderson (nominee); Howard Witt (nominee)
  • Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Play — Elizabeth Franz (win)
  • Tony Award Best Direction of a Play — Robert Falls (win)
  • Drama Desk Award Outstanding Revival of a Play (win)
  • Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play — Brian Dennehy (win)
  • Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Play — Elizabeth Franz (nominee)
  • Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play — Kevin Anderson (win); Howard Witt (nominee)
  • Drama Desk Award Outstanding Director of a Play — Robert Falls (nominee)
  • Drama Desk Award Outstanding Music in a Play — Incidental music by Richard Woodbury (nominee)

2012 Broadway revival

  • Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play (win)
  • Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play — Mike Nichols (win)
  • Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play — Philip Seymour Hoffman (nominee)
  • Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play — Andrew Garfield (nominee)
  • Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play — Linda Emond (nominee)
  • Tony Award for Best Lighting Design of a Play — Brian MacDevitt (nominee)
  • Tony Award for Best Sound Design of a Play — Scott Lehrer (nominee)
  • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play — Philip Seymour Hoffman (nominee)
  • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play (nominee)
  • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play — Mike Nichols (win)
  • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design — Brian MacDevitt (win)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Death of a Salesman". Retrieved 6 March 2011.
  2. ^ "Death of a Salesman". www.therep.org. Archived from the original on 2017-02-05. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Martin Gottfried (2004). Arthur Miller: His Life and Work. Perseus Books Group. p. 118. ISBN 978-0-306-81377-1.
  4. ^ Koon, Helene. Twentieth Century Interpretations of Death of Salesman. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
  5. ^ a b c Bradford, Wade. "The American Dream in "Death of a Salesman"". About.com.
  6. ^ Sarkar, Saurav. The American Dream in Context of Death of A Salesman. Academia.
  7. ^ a b c Bloom, Harold (2009). The American Dream. Infobase Publishing.
  8. ^ Ziaul Haque, Md. & Kabir Chowdhury, Fahmida. "The Concept of Blindness in Sophocles' King Oedipus and Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman" Archived 2014-05-25 at the Wayback Machine, International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, vol. 2, no. 3; 2013, p. 118, Retrieved on April 02, 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d Meserve, Walter. Studies in Death of Salesman. Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company. ISBN 0-675-09259-0.
  10. ^ Arthur, Miller. Salesman in Beijing. New York: Viking Press.
  11. ^ Sullivan, Steve. Va Va Voom, General Publishing Group, Los Angeles, California, p.50.
  12. ^ Gans, Andrew."Starry Revival of Arthur Miller's 'Death of a Salesman' Opens on Broadway" Archived 2012-03-17 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, March 15, 2012
  13. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (25 August 2010). "Christopher Lloyd stars in 'Death of a Salesman'". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  14. ^ Itzkoff (8 April 2015). "Arthur Miller Classic Death Of A Salesman To Make West End Transfer]". LondonTheatreDirect.com. Retrieved 2015-04-22.
  15. ^ "BBC Radio 3 — Drama on 3, Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller". BBC. Retrieved 2017-11-27.

Further reading

Editions

  • Miller, Arthur Death of a Salesman (Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1996) ISBN 9780140247732. Edited with an introduction by Gerald Weales. Contains the full text and various critical essays.

Criticism

  • Hurell, John D. (1961). Two Modern American Tragedies: Reviews and Criticism of Death of a Salesman and A Streetcar Named Desire. New York: Scribner. pp. 82–8. OCLC 249094.
  • Sandage, Scott A. (2005). Born Losers: A History of Failure in America. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-01510-X.
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