Death of a salesmen: tragic characters; suffering; shame

Question 1

Willy rude to Linda - Act 1 Scene - Linda’s suffering

Answer 1

• “You didn’t crash the car, did you?” - odd Qs forshadows death
• “[with casual irritation]” - he is used to this - fem and marx critism
  “I don’t want a change” - in reference to swiss cheese - bad temper childish - hurts Linda
• “[with infinite patience]”

Question 2

Willy Act 1 Scene 1 - forshadowing and suffering

Answer 2

“I’m tired to death” “[The flute has faded away He sits on the bed beside her, a little numb] - dream fading away; frustrated - forshadowing
- capatalist society - works to death

Question 3

Willy’s comment about working and the house

Answer 3

“Work a lifetime to pay off a house. You finally own it, and there’s nobody to live in it.” - forshadow’s ending - miller highlights capitalist ideal

Question 4

Stage direction says the boys are

Answer 4

“lost”

Question 5

Biffs monologue - initial - key quotes

Answer 5

“nothing more inspiring or -beautiful than the side of a mare”
“twenty-eight dollars a week!”
“I come back here I know that all I’ve done is to waste my life” - always come back father/ societal pressure
- ecocritical - nature vs urbanisation - sense of freedom

Question 6

Happy’s monologue - initial - key quotes

Answer 6

“plenty of women, And still goddamit, I’m lonely” - disatisfied - capatalist society

Question 7

Willy reveals insecurities to linda

Answer 7

“I’m fat”
“But they do laugh at me. I know that” - keeping things from Linda - insecurities revealed further

Question 8

Introduction of the woman

Answer 8

Linda: “The handsomest”
- “From the darkness is heard the laughter of a woman” - analepses - guilt - laughing - mocking?

Question 9

Willy’s guilt/shame about stockings revealed

Answer 9

“I won’t have you mending stockings in this house! Now throw them out!”

Question 10

Willy’s mental confusion shows - shame

• ref to biff stealing

Answer 10

• all at once hear’s women’s laughter + Linda and Bernard talking of whats wrong with Biff - Perhaps Willy is making the link in his head
  “Shut up!” - x2 - willy - denial; willy’s mistake/ guilt / chaotic mind is emphasised
  “exploding at her” - explodes at Linda
  “Willy is alone in the kitchen, wilting and staring. The leaves are gone” - ecocritical - idylic setting he wants dissapearing
  “What is her stealing?” “Why is he stealing?” - shift in focus; uncertainty - subtle shift suggests confusion - fails to acknowledge his own blame

Question 11

Charley offers Willy a job

Answer 11

“I got a job, I told you that” “What the hell are you offering me a job for” “Don’t insult me” “I got a good job”

Question 12

How does Linda create empathy for willy

Answer 12

“he’s a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him” “attention must be paid” “you call him crazy”
“the man is exhausted”

Question 13

How does Linda reveal willy’s shame?

Answer 13

“When he has to go to Charley and borrow fifty dollars a week and pretend … that it’s his pay” - exposition from linda in this monologue

Question 14

Linda reveals what willy’s been trying to do

Answer 14

He’s been trying to kill himself.

Question 15

Biff says people laugh at willy - willy enter’s scene + hears this significance

Answer 15

And who in the business world thinks I’m crazy?
- again contradictions - earlier in act one - referenced that people laugh at him - shame

Question 16

Act 2: symbol of seed

Answer 16

“But not enough sun gets back there. Nothing’ll grow any more” - symbolic of leaving a legacy - house going to be paid off - realistic - forshadows end - capatalism - doesn;t respond to this

Question 17

Scene where Willy asks for better job

Answer 17

“Can we talk a minute?” - constant interruptions
“[with increasing anger]” - “all I need to set my table is fifty dollars a week” - responds with “kid”
“[desperately]”
“business is business”
“angrily” - willy monologue “[barely interested]”
“there was respect, and comradeship, and gratitude” - long monologue emphasises breakdown - - polysindetic trycolon
“There were promises made across this desk!”
“a man is not a piece of fruit!” - not disposable - socialist
[banging his hand on the desk]

Question 18

Willy - fired - realises

Answer 18

“Pull yourself together”
“grasping HOWARD’s arm” “I’m not a cripple” - ironic - leans on them emotionally - pride is cracking - harmatia
“Willy stares into space, exhausted”

Question 19

willy visits bernard - stage direction

Answer 19

“small and alone”

Question 20

Willy realises biff didn;t enroll into summer school cuz of him yeah he came to boston

Answer 20

“Willy stares in silence” - penny dropping
“with strong edge of resentment in his voice] … What about it?” - refuses to accept responsibility
- looks at him “as an instruder”

Question 21

Willy rejects job from charley even after getting fired

Answer 21

“I don’t want your goddam job”
- need to grow up
“furiously] you big ignoramus … I’ll rap you one” [ready to fight]

Question 22

willy is given money by charley
then fordowing of death

Answer 22

“he puts the money in willy’s hand”
“funny, y’know? … you end up worth more dead than alive”
“Willy stands still, dreaming” - planning suicide

Question 23

Biff finds willy with woman

Answer 23

“Biff remains motionless, tears falling”
“Dad…” x 2
willy “infected by it” - guilt
“you gave her Mama’s stockings!” - betrayal
“you fake! You phony little fake! you fake!”

Question 24

willy’s death is planned - need;s seeds

Answer 24

“nothing’s planted. I don’t have a thing in the ground”

Question 25

willy debating on death

Answer 25

“a man can’t go out the way he came in, ben, a man has got to add up to something”
“twenty thousand dollars” - life insurance
“i am known”

Question 26

Biff realisation

Answer 26

“I saw the things that I love in this world”
“why am i trying to become what i don’t want to be?” - desperate and emotional
- extended monologue
- in common with willy
- hole life been a lie
- marx crit
“I’m nothing!” - x2 “sobbing”
“why is he crying?” - confused

Question 27

Willy’s death

Answer 27

“the music crashes down in a frenzy of sound” - music emphasises climax and death
“the leaves of day are appearing over everything” - tension: climax - ecocritical