An Overview of Death of a Salesman

Published and first produced in 1949, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman won the Pulitzer Prize and other major awards, and in 1985 demonstrated its continuing dramatic power in Dustin Hoffman's extraordinary made-for-television production. Critics have differed widely over whether the play is a tragedy or not, whether it is chiefly social criticism, and if so about what, whether Linda or Willy should be considered the chief character, and whether Willy has or lacks the stature to be a tragic hero. Some see it in the classical Marxist, or existential tradition, while others see it as Biff's story, or an Oedipal ritual. Then is the "Requiem" tearful or not, is it intended as such by Miller, and what does its ironic nature say about the rest of the play? Is Willy Everyman, or merely shallow?

Phyllis Hartnoll states the play depicts the destructive power of illusion (related to Ibsen's conception of the "saving lie" in reverse?) shown in Willy Loman's refusal to face the failure...