Betrayal in Death of a Salesman
Betrayal in Death of a Salesman – Paper 2
The word Betrayal is never used throughout the play by Arthur Miller, but it is constantly shown through the actions and thoughts of the characters. And in the end betrayal of Willy is the reason why his family doesn’t have the luck and fortune he was hoping for all the time.
In Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller uses the theme of betrayal in a way to draw parallels. The parallels show how Willy Loman and his family are slowly drowning in their belief of the American dream and how that is actually their own fault. The protagonist of the play is Willy Loman, an insecure salesman who doesn’t yet understand that selling goods is more important than being liked by your customers as a salesman. Willy believes that success and goals of the American dream are easily obtainable and he refuses to accept that his betrayal to his wife, his sons, and himself is the reason of the failure of their success.
Willy’s betrayal to his wife Linda is the easiest one to spot. Willy’s job is selling stocks in Boston. Every day he has to travel several hours to get all the way up there. But when he finally gets there he is not only selling stocks. He also is making love to another woman in trade for stocks. Linda doesn’t know about this at all and isn’t expecting it in any way. She thinks Willy is the best man in the world and wouldn’t want to lose him in any way, but she has her thoughts about his work. She is worried about the amount of money he makes. To show him how she feels she once sat down at the kitchen table mending her socks when Willy gets home:
“WILLY: (noticing her mending) What’s that?
LINDA: Just mending my stockings. They’re so expensive!
WILLY: (angrily, taking them from her): I won’t have you mending stockings in this house! Now throw them out!”
Willy felt betrayed by his wife and reminded him of his own betrayal to his wife. It might even show that Linda had an idea about Willy’s affair with the woman in Boston and
The word Betrayal is never used throughout the play by Arthur Miller, but it is constantly shown through the actions and thoughts of the characters. And in the end betrayal of Willy is the reason why his family doesn’t have the luck and fortune he was hoping for all the time.
In Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller uses the theme of betrayal in a way to draw parallels. The parallels show how Willy Loman and his family are slowly drowning in their belief of the American dream and how that is actually their own fault. The protagonist of the play is Willy Loman, an insecure salesman who doesn’t yet understand that selling goods is more important than being liked by your customers as a salesman. Willy believes that success and goals of the American dream are easily obtainable and he refuses to accept that his betrayal to his wife, his sons, and himself is the reason of the failure of their success.
Willy’s betrayal to his wife Linda is the easiest one to spot. Willy’s job is selling stocks in Boston. Every day he has to travel several hours to get all the way up there. But when he finally gets there he is not only selling stocks. He also is making love to another woman in trade for stocks. Linda doesn’t know about this at all and isn’t expecting it in any way. She thinks Willy is the best man in the world and wouldn’t want to lose him in any way, but she has her thoughts about his work. She is worried about the amount of money he makes. To show him how she feels she once sat down at the kitchen table mending her socks when Willy gets home:
“WILLY: (noticing her mending) What’s that?
LINDA: Just mending my stockings. They’re so expensive!
WILLY: (angrily, taking them from her): I won’t have you mending stockings in this house! Now throw them out!”
Willy felt betrayed by his wife and reminded him of his own betrayal to his wife. It might even show that Linda had an idea about Willy’s affair with the woman in Boston and