Role of Circumstances inDeath of a Salesman

In the course of the play, it is noted that Willy Loman was never particularly successful in his job as a salesman. Furthermore, when the play opens, Willy has become old and tired and has come to realize that he is not even able to make the few sales that he used to be able to make. The conflict inherent in this circumstance is increased by the fact that Howard Wagner, the son of Willy's former boss who is now Willy's current boss, has taken away Willy's salary and is forcing him to work for a straight commission. Later in the play, Howard refuses to give Willy a job in the home office and then increases the tension even further by firing him. Willy's failure as a salesman has caused him to live a life of deceit because he does not want his wife Linda or his sons to know how unsuccessful he truly is. This deceit is extended into all aspects of Willy's life until he is almost completely possessed by illusions. Thus, as noted in a review of the play in Time magazine, "whenever the truth ha

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often sees and talks with his dead brother Ben, and it can be seen that Willy regrets not having gone off with Ben to Alaska to seek his fortune. Willy's belief that everything would have worked out alright if he had done this is just one more example of the way in which he lives in a world of illusion. Tragically, even Willy's plans to commit suicide seem to be a form of illusion. This is because Willy expects the insurance money from his death to help support his family in the future; however, it is noted that the insurance company has already developed doubts about whether Willy's frequent automobile wrecks are accidents or not. The most crucial illusion in Death of a Salesman, however, hinges around Willy's belief in his sons. Willy's idealization of his sons permits him to justify their frequent acts of stealing, for example. Throughout the play, Willy makes references to his ambitious dreams for the Lomans as contained in his unrealistic view of his sons. As noted by Linda in the play, Willy put his whole life into his sons but they have turned their backs on him. This is a circumstance which creates the predominant tension in Willy's life. His failure at his job simply compounds that problem and helps trigger his
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Approximate Word count = 1637
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)