Context Flashcards
Where and when does the play take place?
Brooklyn, 1949 (4 years after WWII)
Why is this relevant?
Soldiers returning back to the workplace, social and economic changes leave Willy feeling confused and displaced
Define the ‘Bootstrap Myth’
The idea of a little man of humble origins becoming a great success by grit and determination
Define the myth of the American West
The idea of the west being a place of opportunity, self-discovery, and financial triumph
Why are these myths relevant to Willy?
Both Ben and Willy’s father achieve them, but Willy does not - there’s a sense of failure.
Willy then also attempts to live vicariously through Biff
-Willy refuses to go to Alaska
What is Biff’s relationship with these myths?
He reveals how they become bankrupt in the present day (1949) - he has not found himself or opportunity in low paying jobs even when he’s out west
What is Happy’s relationship with these myths?
He finds that ‘pulling himself up’ does not keep him from being miserable and lonely, therefore the Bootstrap myth is meaningless.
How has Willy misunderstood the Bootstrap Myth?
He somehow believes that success comes from being ‘well-liked’ rather than working hard (seen particularly in the memory of him mocking Bernard and dismissing Biff’s need to study) - this is arguably his fatal error, and leads to the destruction of Biff’s life.
