Death Of A Salesman CONTEXT

Question 1

Time period

Answer 1

• Arthur Miller wrote Death of a Salesman, which was first performed in 1949, in 1948, only a few years after World War II ended in 1945 and within a decade of the end of the Great Depression (1929-1939).
• Both eras had a significant impact on the work of Miller and on Death of a Salesman in particular, which is set in the late 1940s in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Boston.

Question 2

The Great Depression

Answer 2

• Crash of the stock market in 1929, America plummeted into the worst economic downturn it had ever faced, leaving a bruised national psyche that lacked confidence about the future.
• Ilustrated personal effects of the Great Depression. The shattered dreams of Miller’s family, and of the American people, are reflected in the shattered dreams of Willy Loman.
• As the protagonist of Death of a Salesman, Willy is unable to attain financial or emotional stability despite a lifelong career as a salesman and a long marriage to a faithful and devoted wife.

Question 3

World War 2

Answer 3

• U.S. economy improved as parts of the globe plunged into World War II in 1939
• The economy shifted into high gear as manufacturers began to develop mechanized weaponry, communication technology, advancements in medicine, and improved transportation to support the war effort.
• War ended in 1945 + new technologies focused on domestic improvements.
• Many Americans availed themselves of new technology, creating and embracing a new American consumerism.
• Advertising and the new mood of optimism, many people believed they could “have it all”—a nice home, a happy family, and all the products that could keep life running smoothly = American Dream / Cereal Packet family

Question 4

The American Dream

Answer 4

• The American Dream of the 1940s is reflected in Willy Loman’s desires to achieve social recognition and material success, but his sense of optimism has long been frustrated, and the technology that promises to make life better and more fulfilling perpetually frustrates Loman.
• In the end, the promises of the future ring hollow as Loman’s sense of identity is unfulfilled, his relationship with his older son is fractured, and he is unable to adapt to the changing world around him.