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{{Other uses}}
{{About|the play}}
{{Infobox play

| name = Death of a Salesman
{{Infobox prepared food
| name = Mayonnaise
| image = DeathOfASalesman.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| image = Mayonnaise (1).jpg
| caption = A jar of pale-yellow mayonnaise
| caption = First edition cover ([[Viking Press]])
| writer = [[Arthur Miller]]
| alternate_name = Mayo
| characters = [[Willy Loman]]<br>Linda Loman<br>Biff Loman<br>Happy Loman<br>Ben Loman<br>Bernard<br>Charley<br>The Woman<br>Howard
| course = [[Condiment]]
| served =
| genre = [[Tragedy]]
| setting = Late 1940s; Willy Loman's house; New York City and Barnaby River; Boston
| country = [[Menorca]], [[Spain]]
| region =
| subject = The waning days of a failing salesman
| premiere = February 10, 1949
| main_ingredient = [[oil]], [[egg]] [[yolk]], and [[vinegar]] or [[lemon juice]]
|| place = [[Morosco Theatre]]<br>New York City
| variations =
| calories =
| orig_lang = English
| other =
}}
}}
'''''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>
'''Mayonnaise''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|eɪ|ə|n|eɪ|z}}, {{IPAc-en|ˌ|m|eɪ|ə|ˈ|n|eɪ|z}}, also {{IPAc-en|US|ˈ|m|æ|n|eɪ|z}}), often abbreviated as '''mayo''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|eɪ|oʊ}}), is a thick, creamy [[Dressing of Salad|dressing]] often used as a [[condiment]].<ref name=Merriam-Webster>{{cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mayo |title=Mayo - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary |publisher=Merriam-webster.com |date= |accessdate=14 February 2015}}</ref> It is a stable [[emulsion]] of [[Edible oil|oil]], [[egg yolk]], and acid, either [[vinegar]] or [[lemon juice]],<ref name=def>"Mayonnaise is an emulsion of oil droplets suspended in a base composed of egg yolk, lemon juice or vinegar, which provides both flavor and stabilizing particles and carbohydrates." ''On Food and Cooking,'' [[Harold McGee]], [[Charles Scribner's Sons|Scribner]], New York, 2004, p.&nbsp;633.</ref> with many options for embellishment with other [[herbs]] and [[spices]]. The [[protein]]s and [[lecithin]] in the egg yolk serve as [[emulsifier]]s in mayonnaise (and [[hollandaise sauce]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/eggs/eggscience.html |title=Science of Eggs: Egg Science |publisher=Exploratorium.edu |date= |accessdate=17 November 2011}}</ref> The color of mayonnaise varies, but it is often white, cream color, or pale yellow. It may range in texture from a light [[Lotion|cream]] to a thick [[gel]].


==Characters==
Commercial [[#Mayonnaise alternatives|egg-free alternatives]] are available for [[Veganism|vegans]] and those who want to avoid [[Chicken egg|chicken]] or [[animal products]] and [[cholesterol]], or who are [[Egg allergy|allergic to eggs]].<ref name="eggfreemayo">{{cite book|last1=Moran|first1=Victoria|last2=Moran|first2=Adair|title=Main Street Vegan: Everything You Need to Know to Eat Healthfully and Live Compassionately in the Real World|date=2012|publisher=Penguin|isbn=9781101580622|page=168|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RSyom6UrjlUC&pg=PT168&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false|accessdate=28 November 2015}}</ref>
* '''[[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.


==History==
== 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.
[[File:Ingredients maonesa.jpg|thumb|upright|Standard ingredients and tools to make mayonnaise]]
The word mayonnaise was not used for a dressing before the start of the 19th century. The earliest reference appears to be by [[Alexandre Viard]] (1806), who however never quite gives a recipe for the dressing itself.<ref>{{cite web|title=Le cuisinier impérial, n.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sI4EAAAAYAAJ&dq=inauthor%3Aviard%20mayonnaise&pg=PA342#v=onepage&q&f=false|work=Le cuisinier impérial|publisher=Barba (1806)|accessdate=24 November 2014}}</ref> At that point, the sauce was made with [[aspic]] or jelly, rather than an egg emulsion. In 1808, [[Alexandre Balthazar Laurent Grimod de La Reynière|Grimod de La Reynière]] referred to a "bayonnaise" sauce: "But if one wants to make from this cold chicken, a dish of distinction, one composes a bayonnaise, whose green jelly, of a good consistency, forms the most worthy ornament of poultry and fish salads."<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z4AEAAAAYAAJ&dq=bayonnaise+sauce&pg=PA99&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=true|title=Manuel des amphitryons|last1=de La Reynière|first1=Grimod|date=1808|publisher=Capelle et Renand|accessdate=26 November 2014}}</ref>


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 ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' records the use of the word "mayonnaise" in English in 1815.<ref>{{OED|mayonnaise|id=115319}}</ref> The ''[[Larousse Gastronomique]]'' suggests: "Mayonnaise, in our view, is a popular corruption of ''moyeunaise'', derived from the very old French word ''moyeu'', which means yolk of egg."<ref>''Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, neuvième édition'', "3. Anciennt. Le jaune de l'œuf."</ref> The sauce may have been named ''mayennaise'' after Charles de Lorraine, duke of Mayenne, because he took the time to finish his meal of chicken with cold sauce before being defeated in the [[Battle of Arques]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Origin of Everyday Things|last1=Acton|first1=Johnny|last2=Adams|first2=Tania|last3=Packer|first3=Matt|date=2006|publisher=Sterling|isbn=978-1-4027-4302-3|location=New York|page=151}}</ref> According to Trutter ''et al.'': "It is highly probable that wherever olive oil existed, a simple preparation of oil and egg came about&nbsp;— particularly in the Mediterranean region, where ''[[aioli]]'' (oil and [[garlic]]) is made."<ref name="trutt">{{cite book|title=Culinaria Spain|last1=Trutter|first1=Marion|last2=Beer|first2=Günter|date=2008|publisher=H.F. Ullmann|isbn=9783833147296|edition=Special|location=Germany|page=68}}</ref>


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."
One of the most common places named as the origin of mayonnaise is the town of [[Mahón]] in [[Menorca]], Spain, where it was then taken to France after [[Armand de Vignerot du Plessis]]'s [[Battle of Menorca (1756)|victory over the British]] at the city's port in 1756. According to this version, the sauce was originally known as ''salsa mahonesa'' in Spanish, still an accepted form together with "mayonesa",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lema.rae.es/dpd/?key=mayonesa|title=mayonesa|author=|date=October 2005|website=Diccionario panhispánico de dudas|publisher=[[Real Academia Española]]|language=Spanish|accessdate=28 August 2017}}</ref> and ''maonesa'' (later ''maionesa'') in [[Catalan language|Catalan]] (as it is still known in Menorca), with French ''mayonnaise'' being incorporated into English following popularization in [[French cuisine]].<ref name="trutt" />


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.
==Preparation==


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.
Recipes for mayonnaise date back to the early nineteenth century. In 1815, [[Louis Eustache Ude]] wrote:


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.
<blockquote>No 58.—Mayonnaise. Take three spoonfuls of [[Allemande sauce|Allemande]], six ditto of aspic, and two of oil. Add a little [[tarragon]] vinegar, that has not boiled, some pepper and salt, and minced [[Sauce ravigote|ravigotte]], or merely some parsley. Then put in the members of fowl, or fillets of soles, &c. Your mayonnaise must be put to ice; neither are you to put the members into your sauce till it begins to freeze. Next dish your meat or fish, mask with the sauce before it be quite frozen, and garnish your dish with whatever you think proper, as beet root, jelly, nasturtiums, &c.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xYwEAAAAYAAJ&dq=aspic%20mayonnaise&pg=PA34#v=onepage&q&f=false|title=The French Cook, Or, The Art of Cookery: Developed in All Its Branches - Louis Eustache Ude - Google Books|date=|publisher=Books.google.com|accessdate=May 30, 2015}}</ref></blockquote>


== Themes ==
In an 1820 work, Viard describes something like the more familiar emulsified version:
<blockquote>This sauce is made to "take" in many ways: with raw egg yolks, with gelatine, with veal or veal brain glaze. The most common method is to take a raw egg yolk in a small [[Terrine (cookware)|terrine]], with a little salt and lemon juice: take a wooden spoon, turn it while letting a trickle of oil fall and stirring constantly; as your sauce thickens, add a little vinegar; put in too a pound of good oil: serve your sauce with good salt: serve it white or green, adding green of ravigote or green of spinach. This sauce is used for cold fish entrees, or salad of vegetables cooked in salt water.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nfQ_AQAAMAAJ&dq=inauthor%3Aviard%20mayonnaise&pg=PA62#v=onepage&q&f=false|title=Le cuisinier royal, n.|work=Le cuisinier royal|publisher=Barba (1820)|accessdate=24 November 2014}}</ref></blockquote>


===Reality and Illusion===
Modern mayonnaise can be made by hand with a [[whisk]], or [[fork]], or with the aid of an electric [[Mixer (cooking)|mixer]] or [[blender]]. It is made by slowly adding oil to an egg yolk, while whisking vigorously to disperse the oil. The oil and the water in the yolk form a base of the emulsion, while [[lecithin]] and protein from the yolk is the [[emulsifier]] that stabilizes it.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Segil|first1=Wallace|last2=Zou|first2=Hong|title=Eggs: Nutrition, Consumption, and Health|date=2012|publisher=Nova Science Publishers|location=New York|isbn=9781621001256}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=May 2015}} A combination of van der Waals interactions and electrostatic repulsion determine the bond strength among oil droplets. The high viscosity of mayonnaise is attributed to the total strength created by these two intermolecular forces.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Depree|first=J. A|last2=Savage|first2=G. P|date=2001-05-01|title=Physical and flavor stability of mayonnaise|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248485299_Physical_and_flavor_stability_of_mayonnaise|volume=12|issue=5|doi=10.1016/S0924-2244(01)00079-6|issn=0924-2244}}</ref> Addition of mustard contributes to the taste and further stabilizes the emulsion, as mustard contains small amounts of lecithin.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/Season4/EA1D10.htm |title=Good Eats Season 4 Episode 10 - EA1D10:The Mayo Clinic |publisher=Good Eats Fan Page |accessdate=8 January 2012}}</ref> If vinegar is added directly to the yolk, it can emulsify more oil, thus making more mayonnaise.<ref>{{cite book|last1=This|first1=Hervé|last2=Gladding|first2=Jody|title=Kitchen Mysteries: Revealing the Science of Cooking|date=2010|publisher=Columbia University Press|location=New York|isbn=0-231-14171-8|page=39|edition=Pbk.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QB14rlPgSFUC&pg=PT51&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false|accessdate=31 May 2012}}</ref>


''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>
For large-scale preparation of mayonnaise where mixing equipment is being employed, the process typically begins with the dispersal of eggs, either powdered or liquid, into water. Once emulsified, the remaining ingredients are then added and vigorously mixed until completely hydrated and evenly dispersed. Oil is then added as rapidly as it can be absorbed. Though only a small part of the total, ingredients other than the oil are critical to proper formulation. These must be totally hydrated and dispersed within a small liquid volume, which can cause difficulties including emulsion breakdown during the oil-adding phase. Often, a long agitation process is required to achieve proper dispersal/emulsification, presenting one of the trickiest phases of the production process.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.silverson.com/us/sauces-and-dressings-application-reports.html|title=Food Industry Application Reports - Sauces & Dressings|publisher=Silverson Mixers |accessdate=3 October 2013}}</ref> Though, as technology in the food industry advances, processing has been shortened drastically, allowing roughly 1000 liters to be produced in 10 minutes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ikaprocess.com/owa/ika/content.news_detail?iNews=147&iDiv=3 |title=IKA - 1000 liters Mayonnaise in only 10 minutes! |publisher=Ikaprocess.com |date= |accessdate=14 February 2015}}</ref>{{anchor|Mayonnaise alternatives}}
[[File:Vegan sandwich (3863098026).jpg|thumb|A vegan sandwich with egg-free mayonnaise]]
Egg-free versions of mayonnaise are available for [[Veganism|vegans]] and others who want to avoid eggs, animal fat, and [[cholesterol]], or who have [[Egg allergy|egg allergies]]. In the U.S., these alternatives cannot be labelled as "mayonnaise" because of the FDA's definition of mayonnaise making egg a requirement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=169.140|title=CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21|date=|publisher=Accessdata.fda.gov|accessdate=2016-02-12}}</ref><ref name="fda-warning-letter">{{cite web|url=http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/2015/ucm458824.htm|title=Hampton Creek Foods 8/12/15|date=20 August 2015|publisher=Fda.gov|accessdate=9 September 2015}}</ref> Egg-free mayonnaise is expected to contain soya or pea protein instead of lecithin in egg yolk as emulsifying agent to stabilize oil droplets in water.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O-t9BAAAQBAJ&pg=RA2-PA670&dq=egg-free+mayonnaise&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiSzZfx24jRAhXK7IMKHfOsAhUQ6AEITDAG#v=onepage&q=egg-free%20mayonnaise&f=false|title=Encyclopedia of Food and Health|date=2015-08-26|publisher=Academic Press|isbn=9780123849533|language=en}}</ref> Well-known brands include [[Nasoya Foods|Nasoya]]'s Nayonaise, [[Follow Your Heart (company)|Vegenaise]] and [[Just Mayo]] in North America, and Plamil Egg Free in the UK.<ref name="eggfreemayo2">{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RSyom6UrjlUC&pg=PT168|title=Main Street Vegan: Everything You Need to Know to Eat Healthfully and Live ... - Victoria Moran, Adair Moran - Google Books|date=26 April 2012|publisher=Books.google.com|accessdate=27 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/12/27/vegenaise_vs_mayonnaise_why_vegan_substitute_mayo_is_better_than_regular.html|title=Vegenaise vs. Mayonnaise: Why Vegan-substitute mayo is better than regular mayonanaise|last=Goldstein|first=Katherine|date=27 December 2013|publisher=Slate.com|accessdate=27 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.plamilfoods.co.uk/egg-free-mayo/|title=Plamil: Egg Free Mayonnaise|date=|publisher=Plamilfoods.co.uk|accessdate=27 August 2015}}</ref>


===The American Dream===
==Uses==
The American Dream is the theme of the play, but everyone in the play has their own way to describe their American Dreams.
[[File:Zaanse mayonaise.jpg|thumb|Mayonnaise from the [[Zaan|Zaan district]], [[North-Holland]], Netherlands and [[French fries]]]]Mayonnaise is used commonly around the world, and is also a base for many other chilled sauces and [[salad dressing]]s. For example, ''[[Remoulade|sauce rémoulade]]'', in classic French cuisine, is mayonnaise to which has been added mustard, [[gherkin]]s, [[caper]]s, [[parsley]], [[chervil]], [[tarragon]], and possibly [[anchovy essence]].<ref>{{cite book|title=[[Larousse Gastronomique]]|last1=Robuchon|first1=Joël|date=2009|publisher=Hamlyn|isbn=9780600620426|edition=Updated|location=London|page=1054}}</ref>


===Chile===
====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.<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>
Chile is the world's third major per capita consumer of mayonnaise and first in [[Latin America]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.latinamerican-markets.com/chile---consumo-de-mayonesa |title=Chile - Consumo de mayonesa &#124; Latin American Markets |publisher=Web.archive.org |date=2005-11-26 |accessdate=2016-02-12 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051126165454/http://www.latinamerican-markets.com/chile---consumo-de-mayonesa |archivedate=26 November 2005 }}</ref> Commercial mayonnaise became widely accessible in the 1980s.<ref name=":0" />


===Europe===
====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.” <ref name="plays.about.com"/>
Guidelines issued in September 1991 by Europe's Federation of the Condiment Sauce Industries recommend that oil and liquid egg yolk levels in mayonnaise should be at least 70% and 5%, respectively. The Netherlands incorporated this guideline in 1998 into the law ''Warenwetbesluit Gereserveerde aanduidingen'' in article 4.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0009499/Artikel4/geldigheidsdatum_31-01-2014 |title=wetten.nl - Wet- en regelgeving - Warenwetbesluit Gereserveerde aanduidingen - BWBR0009499 |publisher=wetten.nl|date=24 March 1998 |accessdate=30 January 2014}}</ref> Most available brands easily exceed this target.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foodanddrinkeurope.com/news/ng.asp?id=51737-mayonnaise-sales-hit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914002040/http://www.foodanddrinkeurope.com/news/ng.asp?id=51737-mayonnaise-sales-hit |dead-url=yes |archive-date=14 September 2007 |title=Mayonnaise sales in Europe |publisher=Foodanddrinkeurope.com |date=29 April 2004 |accessdate=23 June 2009 }}</ref> In countries influenced by [[French culture]], [[mustard (condiment)|mustard]] is also a common ingredient, but the addition of mustard turns the sauce into a [[remoulade]] with a different flavor and the mustard acts as an additional [[emulsion|emulsifier]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scienceprojectideas.co.uk/making-emulsion.html|title=Making an Emulsion|date=1 October 2010|publisher=Science Project Ideas|accessdate=17 November 2011}}</ref>


===Japan===
====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.”<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"/>
[[File:2016 0529 Kewpie mayonnaise NL.jpg|thumb|Kewpie mayonnaise]]
Japanese mayonnaise is typically made with [[apple cider vinegar]] or [[rice vinegar]] and a small amount of [[monosodium glutamate|MSG]], which gives it a different flavor from mayonnaise made from [[vinegar|distilled vinegar]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hachisu|first1=Nancy Singleton|title=Japanese Farm Food|date=2012|publisher=Andrews McMeel Pub.|location=Kansas City, Mo.|isbn=1449418295}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=November 2015}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foodrepublic.com/2012/04/25/kewpie-mayo-wins-condiment-game|accessdate=30 June 2014|publisher=Food Republic|title=Kewpie mayo wins the condiment game}}</ref> Apart from salads, it is popular with dishes such as ''[[okonomiyaki]], [[takoyaki]]'' and ''[[yakisoba]]'' and may also accompany ''[[Tonkatsu|katsu]]'' and ''[[karaage]]''. <ref>{{cite web|author=Okonomiyaki World |url=http://okonomiyakiworld.com/Okonomiyaki-Ingredients.html |title=Ingredients - Okonomiyaki World - Recipes, Information, History & Ingredients for this unique Japanese Food |publisher=Okonomiyaki World |date=2015-11-04 |accessdate=2015-11-28}}</ref>It is most often sold in soft plastic squeeze bottles. Its texture is thicker than most Western commercial mayonnaise in part because only egg yolks and not the entire egg is used when making it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pogogi.com/what-is-japanese-mayonnaise-and-how-is-it-different-from-american-mayo |title=What Is Japanese Mayonnaise and How Is It Different from American Mayo? &#124; POGOGI Japanese Food |publisher=Pogogi.com |date=31 July 2012 |accessdate=14 February 2015}}</ref> Kewpie (Q.P.) is the most popular brand of Japanese mayonnaise,<ref>{{cite web|last=Itoh |first=Makiko |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/03/22/food/why-not-just-add-a-dollop-of-mayonnaise/#.V0x5E5F96VM |title=Why not just add a dollop of mayonnaise? |publisher=The Japan Times |date=2013-03-22 |accessdate=2016-07-01}}</ref> advertised with a [[Kewpie|Kewpie doll]] logo. The vinegar is a proprietary blend containing apple and malt vinegars.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kewpie.co.jp/know/mayo/history/longrun.html#01|title=おいしさロングラン製法|キユーピー|publisher=Kewpie.co.jp|date=|accessdate=17 November 2011|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727213436/http://www.kewpie.co.jp/know/mayo/history/longrun.html#01|archivedate=27 July 2011|df=dmy-all}}{{self-published source|date=December 2012}}{{psc|date=December 2012}}</ref> The Kewpie company was started in 1925 by Tochiro Nakashima, his goal was to create a condiment that made eating vegetables more enjoyable.<ref>{{cite web|last= |first= |url=https://www.japanesemayo.com/what-is-japanese-mayo/ |title=What is Japanese Mayo? |publisher=japanesemayo.com|date= | accessdate=2017-08-03}}</ref>


===Russia===
====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.<ref name="The American Dream"/>
Mayonnaise is very popular in Russia, where it is made with [[sunflower oil]] and [[soybean oil]]. A 2004 study showed that Russia is the only market in Europe where mayonnaise is sold more than [[ketchup]] by volume. It is used as a sauce in the most popular salads in Russia, such as [[Olivier salad]] (also known as Russian salad), [[dressed herring]], and many others. Leading brands are Calvé (marketed by [[Unilever]]) and Sloboda (marketed by Efko).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foodnavigator.com/Financial-Industry/Moscow-s-particular-taste-in-sauces |title=Moscow's particular taste in sauces |publisher=FoodNavigator.com |date= |accessdate=27 March 2013}}</ref>


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"/>
===United States===
Commercial mayonnaise sold in jars originated in [[Philadelphia]] in 1907 when Amelia Schlorer decided to start selling her own mayonnaise recipe originally used in salads sold in the family grocery store. [[Mrs. Schlorer's]] mayonnaise was an instant success with local customers and eventually grew into the Schlorer Delicatessen Company.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19570829&id=aDEaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-CUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7076,5069512 |title=The Milwaukee Journal - Google News Archive Search |publisher=Google News |date= |accessdate=27 August 2015}}</ref> Around the same time in New York City, a family from [[Vetschau]], Germany, at [[Hellmann's and Best Foods|Richard Hellmann's]] delicatessen on Columbus Avenue, featured his wife's homemade recipe in salads sold in their delicatessen. The condiment quickly became so popular that Hellmann began selling it in "wooden boats" that were used for weighing butter. In 1912, Mrs. Hellmann's mayonnaise was mass-marketed and later was trademarked in 1926 as Hellmann's Blue Ribbon Mayonnaise.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Smith|first1=Andrew F.|title=The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink|date=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|isbn=9780195307962|page=397|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AoWlCmNDA3QC&pg=PT397&dq=&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false|accessdate=14 February 2015}}</ref> In the United States, mayonnaise sales are about $1.3 billion per year.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nypost.com/2011/09/17/hellmanns-mayonnaise-americas-best-selling-condiment|title=Hellmann’s mayonnaise America’s best-selling condiment|date=2011-09-17|work=New York Post|access-date=2017-12-13|language=en-US}}</ref>


== Reception ==
==Nutritional information==
{{One source|section|date=June 2015}}
A typical formulation for commercially made mayonnaise (not low fat) can contain as much as 80% vegetable oil, usually soybean but sometimes olive oil. Water makes up about 7% to 8% and egg yolks about 6%. Some formulas use whole eggs instead of just yolks. The remaining ingredients include vinegar (4%), salt (1%), and sugar (1%). Low-fat formulas will typically decrease oil content to just 50% and increase water content to about 35%. Egg content is reduced to 4% and vinegar to 3%. Sugar is increased to 1.5% and salt lowered to 0.7%. Gums or thickeners (4%) are added to increase viscosity, improve texture, and ensure a stable emulsion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edge.silverson.com/assets/PDFs/AppReports/Food/FMayonnaise.pdf|title=Mayonnaise Manufacture Case Study|publisher=Silverson |accessdate=3 October 2013}}</ref> Mayonnaise is prepared using several methods, but on average it contains around {{convert|700|kcal}} per 100 grams, or 94 kilocalories (Cal) per tablespoon. This makes mayonnaise a calorically dense food.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/26/mayo-substitutes-mayonnaise_n_4847998.html |title=10 Healthy Substitutes For Mayonnaise |publisher=Huffingtonpost.com |date=26 February 2014 |accessdate=27 August 2015}}</ref>


===In the United States===
The nutrient content of mayonnaise (>&nbsp;50% edible oil, 9–11% salt, 7–10% sugar in the aqueous phase) makes it suitable as a food source for many spoilage organisms. A set of conditions such as pH between 3.6 and 4.0, and low [[water activity]] ''a''<sub>''w''</sub> of 0.925, restricts the growth of yeasts, a few bacteria and molds.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qv_jBwAAQBAJ&pg=PR18&dq=Modern+Food+Microbiology&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi8z6zD2ojRAhWly4MKHXRHCikQ6AEIHDAA#v=onepage&q=Modern%20Food%20Microbiology&f=false|title=Modern Food Microbiology|last=Jay|first=James M.|date=2012-12-06|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=9781461574767|language=en}}</ref> Yeasts of the genus Saccharomyces, ''Lactobacillus fructivorans,'' and ''Zygosaccharomyces bailii'' are the species responsible for the spoilage of mayonnaise. The characteristics of spoilage caused by ''Z. bailli'' are product separation and a "yeasty" odor. A study suggests that adding encapsulated cells of [[Bifidobacterium bifidum]] and [[B. infantis]] prolongs the life of mayonnaise up to 12 weeks without microorganism spoilage.
''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===
== Salmonella ==
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"/>
Mayonnaise, both commercially processed and home-made, has been associated with illnesses from [[salmonella]] globally. The source of the salmonella has been confirmed to be raw eggs.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q2Rfq1ZIWTMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Microbiologically+Safe+Foods&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjv3cz52YjRAhXG7YMKHasXDZcQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepage&q=Microbiologically%20Safe%20Foods&f=false|title=Microbiologically Safe Foods|last=Garcia|first=Jose Santos|date=2009-04-01|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=9780470439067|language=en}}</ref> Several outbreaks with fatal cases have been recorded, with a few major incidents. In 1955 there was an outbreak in Denmark in which 10,000 people were affected by salmonella from contaminated mayonnaise made by a large kitchen. The pH of the mayonnaise was found to be 5.1, with salmonella count of 180,000 per gram. The second outbreak, also in Denmark, caused 41 infections with two fatalities. The pH of the contaminated mayonnaise was 6.0, with 6 million counts per gram. In 1976 there were serious salmonellosis outbreaks on four flights to and from Spain which caused 500 cases and 6 fatalities. In the US, 404 people became ill and nine died in a New York City hospital due to hospital-prepared mayonnaise.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BoR8vgAACAAJ&dq=The+Microbiological+Safety+and+Quality+of+Food&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiQrc2S2ojRAhUpyoMKHdvJAYoQ6AEIKjAA|title=Microbiological Safety and Quality of Food|last=Lund|first=Barbara|last2=Baird-Parker|first2=Anthony C.|last3=Gould|first3=Grahame W.|date=1999-12-31|publisher=Springer US|isbn=9780834213234|language=en}}</ref> In all Salmonellosis cases, the major reason was improper acidification of the mayonnaise, with a pH level higher than the recommended upper limit of 4.1, with acetic acid as the main acidifying agent.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sslUPhiE5C8C&pg=PA618&dq=Food+Safety+1995&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjD1-Ov2ojRAhXp7oMKHbDxCQ4Q6AEIJTAA#v=onepage&q=Food%20Safety%201995&f=false|title=Food Safety 1995|last=Steinhart|first=Carol E.|last2=Doyle|first2=M. Ellin|last3=Institute|first3=Food Research|last4=Cochrane|first4=Barbara A.|date=1995-06-06|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9780824796242|language=en}}</ref>

===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|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"/>

===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===
''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 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:
* 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.

[[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>

[[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>

==Adaptations in other media==
* [[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==
;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==
==See also==
*[[Happy (Sons of Anarchy)|Happy Lowman]]
{{portal|Food}}
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Baconnaise]]
* [[Fritessaus]]
* [[Hellmann's and Best Foods]]
* [[Joppiesaus]]
* [[Just Mayo]]
* [[Dip (food)#List of common dips|List of common dips]]
* [[List of condiments]]
* [[List of sauces]]
* [[Miracle Whip]]
* [[Salad cream]]
{{div col end}}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{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==
==External links==
{{Commons category|Death of a Salesman}}
{{cookbook}}
{{wikiquote}}
{{Commons category}}
* {{IBDB show|2999}}
*[http://tablascreek.typepad.com/tablas/2009/11/easy-homemade-mayonnaise-recipe.html Blender Mayonnaise Recipe]
* [http://plays.about.com/od/plays/a/willyloman.htm Character Analysis of Willy Loman]
*[http://sc-smn.jst.go.jp/playprg/index/2048 Science Channel's ''The Making'' Series: #2 Making of Mayonnaise] (video in [[Japanese language|Japanese]])
* [http://plays.about.com/od/plays/a/lindaloman.htm Character Analysis of Linda Loman]
*[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5639903 NPR's Report on the 250th Birthday of Mayonnaise and its history]
* {{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===
* [http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/3296/Death-of-a-Salesman ''First Revival −1975'']
* [http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/13048/Death-of-a-Salesman '' Second Revival – 1984'']
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120606104658/http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/4696/Death-of-a-Salesman '' Third Revival – 1999'']
* [http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/13861/Death-of-a-Salesman ''Fourth Revival – 2012'']


{{The Works of Arthur Miller}}
{{Mayonnaise-based sauces}}
{{Death of a Salesman}}
{{Condiments}}
{{Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{DramaDesk PlayRevival 2001–2025}}
{{Pulitzer Prize for Drama 1926-1950}}
{{TonyAwardBestPlay 1947-1975}}
{{TonyAward Revival}}
{{TonyAward PlayRevival 1994–2000}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Death Of A Salesman}}
[[Category:Condiments]]
[[Category:Sauces of the mayonnaise family]]
[[Category:1949 plays]]
[[Category:Sauces]]
[[Category:Plays by Arthur Miller]]
[[Category:French cuisine]]
[[Category:Broadway plays]]
[[Category:Spanish cuisine]]
[[Category:Drama Desk Award-winning plays]]
[[Category:Mahón]]
[[Category:New York Drama Critics' Circle Award winners]]
[[Category:Mayonnaise]]
[[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 00:11, 6 April 2018

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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