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Death of a Salesman

Essay by   •  March 11, 2012  •  Essay  •  583 Words (3 Pages)  •  1,602 Views

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The play, Death of a Salesman, is not what you would perceive it to be. 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. Premiered at the Morosco Theatre in February 1949, the original production ran for a total of 742 performances.

It portrays the life of a traveling salesman, Willy Loman, who begins to lose his sanity and has attempted suicide in the process. Willy's grasp on reality is slowly slipping away when he starts to see his deceased brother and scenarios of the past. He is very narrow-minded man, believing that the only dream a man should have is to be successful. His wife, Linda is often referred to using an "iron repression" when it comes to dealing with her husband. She seems to be a mentally battered woman who just goes along with Willy's estranged behaviors because she secretly knows of what Willy has been trying to "accomplish." Willy's two sons, Biff and Happy, aren't successful at all, they are actually two washed up men in their thirties who have gone through life by their charm and wit. They, in fact, are unaware of their father's suicidal tendencies and are only finally begin to witness Willy's delusions.

The acting lacked passion. It seemed as though if the actors were reading off of cue cards instead of inputting some sort of feeling. The only part that wasn't dry was when Biff was crying, in which it was poorly executed. There was a certain je ne sais quoi about the performance but it didn't seem believable.

The set was also lacking. It was not up to par and did not really stick to the actual play. For a family who is supposed to be seen as struggling, their house seemed to be pretty nice. Also, in the beginning of the written play, it is specifically stated that there was a trophy placed in the house. That seems to almost be a big part of the play because it represents the potential and need for success that is the dream of the Loman family. Also, the game in which the trophy was won plays a big part in the play as well.

The costumes used were also slightly disappointing. During the flashbacks, the only person who seemed to age was Linda. Biff, Willy and Happy looked exactly the same. It's as though the fifteen year jump in time had no effect on them whatsoever. The bright side of the costumes was that at least Willy was wearing a suit.

The lighting was one of the best things that were portrayed. It was perfect the way that they made the flashbacks look more light and airy to convince the audience that it was a better time in Willy's life. Besides the lighting, the music wasn't so bad either. The one critic though would be that at the beginning of the play, the flute that was supposed to be playing in the background was omitted. Other than that, the music really set the tone for each

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