death of a salesman presentation

7/30/2019 Death of a Salesman Presentation

1/18

T H E A M E R I C A N D R E A M :

Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller


2/18

Is there a constantContrast betweenTragedy and socialTragedy?????????


3/18

Imitation of an action that is serious, having magnitude, complete in itself dramatic nor in

narrative form language with pleasurable

accessories, each kind brought in separately in the parts of the work with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to

accomplish its catharsis of such emotions .


4/18

DIVISION OF TRAGEDY ACCORDING

TO PARTICULAR AGE/ERA

Greek Tragedy

Elizabethan TragedyModern Tragedy


5/18

Arthur Millers Concept Tragic feeling is evoked in us when person lay down

his life to secure his personal dignity Miller rejects the Greek tragedy and calls it archaic fit

only for kingsCommon Man is Apt Subject for tragedy

The feeling of terror and fear can be aroused by mansfight against the environment ,too

It takes place when human loses grip over th forces of life.


6/18

Willy Loman actually a Lowman Common Materialistic Concern

More dreaming, Less practicalityWilly Facing Common/small

ProblemsAn Elegy on the unsuccessfulWilly Weak and sensitive


7/18

Critics views

Eric Bentley ,a stimulating critic Feels that the play is not a Tragedy, it arouse pity but not terror/fear He remarked it a social drama a/Tragedy

Its main theme is the little man as victim

Man is here too little two passive to play the tragichero.


8/18

Eleanor Clark Agrees with Eric Bently

Clark Sees Miller as a Marxist who has been

confused By tragedy

He said that it was written against thecapitalism

It is of course the capatilistic system that hasdone Willy


9/18

"A man doesn't become a hero until he can see theroot of his own downfall."~Aristotle

Six Characteristics of the Tragic Hero:

Nobility or wisdom (by birth) A flaw or error of judgment (Hamartia) A reversal of fortune (perepetia)

The discovery or recognition that the reversal was brought about by the hero's own actions(anagnorisis)The audience must feel dramatic irony for the

character.


10/18

A Few key traits of the Tragic Hero

Usually evokes empathy Has a weakness, usually prideSomething has gone awry in his/her life

Usually faced with a very serious decision he mustmakeNoble in natureMust understand his mistakes Likely doomed from the start Begins his journey as no better or worse than therest of us


11/18

Father Son Relationship


12/18

In 20 th century American literaturerelationships were key to the PlotDeath of a Salesman gives us a pen

picture of Willy Loman and hisrelationship within his sons.Willy favours biff which leads to to asocial conflicts with the less favoured sonHappy Biff was Willy Favourite son, Biff had alsoidolizes his father


13/18


14/18

Death of a Salesman is called the first great

American tragedy A tragedy is the story of atragic hero. Tragedy originated with theancient Greeks. The philosopher, Aristotle,defines a tragic hero as a character who:

Is a noble (high ranking) person in societyIs neither completely good nor completely evil.Undergoes a terrible downfallThe downfall is due partly to fate (circumstancesbeyond the character s control.)The downfall is also due in part to some flaw incharacter (tragic flaw or weakness)The hero eventually comes to some enlightenmentabout himself or about life.


15/18

The play deals with a family in conflict, butalso attacks America s national values.Miller charges America with selling a falsemyth centered around widespreadmaterialism. He believes widespreadmaterialism obscures personal truth and moralvision, the original American dream a dreamof freedom and opportunity for all.Miller, like other writer and artists of hisgeneration, was disturbed that so manyAmericans center their lives around the pursuitof material possessions (cars, appliances homesetc.) often in competition with equallymaterialist neighbors.


16/18

The play is about failure and disillusionment.A son s belief in his father and a father sdreams for his sons and himself are sadlycrushed.Although the play deals with dismal failure, italso celebrates the love between a father and ason.The play is a realistic study of the decline of aman, Willy Loman, and the symbolicpresentation of the pursuit of the Americandream. The dream conflicts with reality ofAmerican life. (For example, the consumergoods Willy labors to secure break downbefore they re paid for the car, appliancesetc.)


17/18

The are two personifications of success in the

playBen who succeeds through luck, not hard work.Dave Singleman the successful salesman Willystrives to emulate.

We never know what Willy sells it

s notimportant. What a true salesman peddles isnot the product, but himself. The the success ofa salesman is vastly important on a personallevel. (This is why Biff lies he

s selling hisproduct himself.)


18/18

Willy

s failure is a loss of his manhood. Hestresses manhood in his admiration of Biff swomanizing prowess and athletic ability.

Death of a Salesman reflects on a character who isin conflict with society and himself .

Names in the play are somewhat symbolic.(Willy Low man, Dave single man, Happy etc.)

death of a salesman presentation

Documents