Death of a Salesman Argumentative Essay
Death of a Salesman: Not an American Tragedy In broad terms, a “tragedy” is a work in which the main character, who is highly renowned and prosperous, is brought to ruin as a consequence of a predominating weakness or tragic flaw. According to Aristotle, the fall of the protagonist creates pity and fear in the audience, thus evoking catharsis. Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman does not, in full, fit Aristotle’s definition of tragedy; therefore the play should not be classified as a tragedy. Willy Lowman is not a tragic hero because he does not meet the requirements of a successful and noble person; thus making Death of a Salesman not a tragedy. Tragedy, as defined by Aristotle, has five essential components, one being that the tragic hero “is essentially noble in character” (Aristotle’s Poetics). The main character clearly does not meet the requirements of a noble and prosperous person. Willy makes very little money and isn’t well liked. Willy complains to Linda how he makes little money:
LINDA: Well, it makes seventy dollars and some pennies. You owe around a hundred and twenty dollars.
WILLY: A hundred and twenty dollars! My God, if business don’t pick up I don’t know what I’m gonna do! (Miller 23; 1)
Willy also complains that he is not well liked: WILLY: I know it when I walk in. They seem to laugh at me. LINDA: Why? Why would they laugh at you?
WILLY: I don’t know the reason for it, but they just pass me by. I’m not noticed. (Miller 23; 1)
Willy makes very little money and he is also ridiculed and made fun of, which makes him a person who is not noble. Willy is not a prosperous and renowned person that Aristotle demands the tragic hero to be; therefore he is not a tragic hero and Death of a Salesman should not be considered a tragedy. Another aspect that contributes to Willy Lowman not being a tragic hero and Death of a Salesman not being a tragedy is Willy’s failure to achieve peripeteia. An additional aspect of Aristotle’s essential
LINDA: Well, it makes seventy dollars and some pennies. You owe around a hundred and twenty dollars.
WILLY: A hundred and twenty dollars! My God, if business don’t pick up I don’t know what I’m gonna do! (Miller 23; 1)
Willy also complains that he is not well liked: WILLY: I know it when I walk in. They seem to laugh at me. LINDA: Why? Why would they laugh at you?
WILLY: I don’t know the reason for it, but they just pass me by. I’m not noticed. (Miller 23; 1)
Willy makes very little money and he is also ridiculed and made fun of, which makes him a person who is not noble. Willy is not a prosperous and renowned person that Aristotle demands the tragic hero to be; therefore he is not a tragic hero and Death of a Salesman should not be considered a tragedy. Another aspect that contributes to Willy Lowman not being a tragic hero and Death of a Salesman not being a tragedy is Willy’s failure to achieve peripeteia. An additional aspect of Aristotle’s essential