The Tragic Hero Essays - English-language Films, Death Of A Salesman

The Tragic Hero Man is here too little and too passive to play the tragic hero. In Death of a Salesman, Miller presents us with a new version of what we define as tragedy. If we look to the Greek plays such as Oedipus Rex, we are shown very fixed ideas of tragedy that involve a hero falling from high stature to the depths of depravity by the mistakes that he has made. Indeed, Aristotle termed tragedy as downfall that was not the fault of the hero. However, he produced his definitions based largely on The Theban Plays and so perhaps gives us reason to question these archaic prescriptive terms. Moreover, if we are to ascertain whether or not Willy Lowman is able to play the tragic hero, we must surmise how effectively Miller's writing conforms to our preconceptions of the tragedy genre. It would be luxurious to suppose that these preconceptions are changeable, for to give the above quote any credence, we are acknowledging the tragic hero as being one of many such figures that have made literary fame (or indeed infamy) before it. Miller has willingly spoken of his play as being tragic and calls on the reader and his critics to acknowledge it so. I believe that the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were. (1949 cited Weales 1967) This view forces us to question our initial interpretations of the tragic hero. Miller writes in a way that forces us to see each character as symbolic and not as individuals, and we may argue that this gives the story a certain myth. However, what seems more likely is that the characters have no individuality in areas such as what Willy sells or his name (Low-man), so that we perceive them in the same way they feel they are perceived by others. If we examine for one moment, the more confident and separate the character is from the American Dream, the more detail and information we learn of their lives. We know a great deal about the most far removed character, Biff, and know a little less about Happy; the other characters follow suit. Therefore, rather than attribute tragic status based on depth and lack of specificity, we must look to character stature for information. Indeed, we have often associated tragedy with someone who starts on a high level (and falls), however, we may suppose that the same is true of Willy Lowman. In many people's eyes, a hard-working common man, is the archetypal hero and indeed worthy of our respect. We are preconditioned, even outside of the American Dream, to believe that a few shillings for a honest days work is what makes an honourable man. However, how then are we defining honour? From the opening and indeed our initial perceptions of Willy, are that he is conscious of the world around him and enjoys all that is natural, ?it's so beautiful up there, Linda, the trees are so thick, and the sun is so warm. (9) However, this honourable character is then seen to disillusion the reader by his reluctance to conform to the reader's expectations of honourable behaviour. On the other hand, if we are not to blame Willy for his own nemesis, then he is not only honourable but his end is indeed tragic. The American Dream had (some argue still does have), the ability to give you everything; if you only stretched out, the world was within your reach. In the same breath that Willy speaks of being vital in New England (10), he exemplifies everyone's belief that they were someone and could be someone more if they wanted. There is little doubt that Willy buys into this ideology from the beginning of the play. Talking in slogans and adverts, Chevrolet, Linda, is the greatest car ever built, (26) Willy believes in what he is selling, albeit not a product but an ideology. Miller removes responsibility for this dream from Willy's shoulders, by depicting the country as ganging up against him in a conspiracy of apartment houses. Willy feigns his own escape from responsibility by speaking of the population as getting out of control. (12) It is of