Linda Key quotes Flashcards
‘(Most often ______ she has _______ an iron _________)’
‘(Most often jovial she has developed an iron repression)’ page 8
- Stage directions emphasise complexity of her character
- Linda represses her own personality and opinions by admiring and supporting her husband despite his faults
- initially tells us she’s completely loyal to him even at the expense of herself and her sons = she’s a strong emotional source throughout the play
- links contextually to the role of a women in the 1940’s
‘you’re the __________ man in ___ _____…To me ___ ___’
‘you’re the handsomest man in the world…To me you are’ page 29
- Linda’s words of assurance fuel Willy’s delusions = she’s the typical submissive, loving 1940’s house wife
- Handsomest = superlative (exaggerated or hyperbolic expression of praise
‘_ ____ say he’s a _____ man. _____ _____ never made _ ___ of ______…but he’s a _____ _____’
‘I don’t say he’s a great man. Willy Loman never made a lot of money…But he’s a human being’ page 44
- Thesis of Linda’s speech (and whole play) = men deserve respect and attention and no man should die feeling like he didn’t matter
- Victim of Linda/villain of capitalism/victim of Willy
- It’s the plays direct cry to human dignity
- Reveals Linda does actually see through his self deception and doesn’t believe him - she chooses to go along with him = typical submissive role of 1940’s wife
- She is aware of realities and exploitation of AD = she’s advocate for mistreatment of Willy by society
- She’s trying to make Biff sympathise (does she realise Willy set Biff up to fail with all the wrong ideals though?)
‘____ I swear to ___!’ ____ his life __ __ your ______’
‘Biff I swear to God! Biff his life is in your hands
- Despite her being a voice of reason for Willy she disregards Biff’s feelings and puts immense pressure on him = shows desperation of emotions
- But if she knows about the suicide stuff then why doesn’t she confront Willy? = is she a tragic villain/a main cause of Willy’s demise?
- Her words show she’s emotionally manipulative by trying to shift blame for Willy’s problems onto her sons so she can avoid confrontation and responsibility
‘Why must ________ ______ the world? You’re ____ _____ and the boys ____ ___’
‘Why must everybody conquer the world? Your well liked, and the boys love you’ page 67
- Miller appealing directly to audience by questioning capitalist ideology (idea of being the greatest has corrupted Willy his whole life)
- Willy thinks being ‘well liked’ is what’s important in life (ironic as it’s not)
- Linda feeds Willy’s dream of being popular but then grounds him for being too adventurous here when Willy’s talking about a proposition from Ben in Alaska
‘___ ___ of here both of ___ and don’t ____ ____’
‘Get out of here both of you and don’t come back’
- She’s criticising (reproaching) her sons
- Her attempts at peacemaking have gone along with here usual cheerful self (she’s described as ‘most often jovial’ at start)
- She’s breaking and destroying the family unit as she prioritises Willy (she never shows Willy this anger)
‘___ ___ you do it? I _____ and ______ and I can’t _______’
Why did you do it? I search and search and I can’t understand’ page 112
- She’s lost after Willy’s death - she keeps waiting on him to come home from ‘another trip’ (still in denial - myopic?) and how she has the inability to cry
- She can’t fathom why he’d leave her to live the rest of her life alone = Willy thought it was an honorable good and beneficial sacrifice for his family
- She’s trying to make sense of his suicide = she shared her husbands dreams and clung to the assumption that owning a home meant freedom
‘I made the ____ ______ on the ______ today. And there’ll __ ______ home’
‘I mad ethe last payment on the house today. And there’ll be nobody home’ page 112
- Evidence that Willy’s death did provide sense of catharsis by alleviating one of their many pressures
- But despite resolution there’s nobody to live in it = reminder of Willy’s criticism in Act 1 ‘eventually pay off the house and there’s no one left to live in it’
- Her words show she shared Willy’s dreams and the assumption that owning a home meant freedom
