Death of a Salesman Script
LINDA: I don’t think he fell asleep.
HAPPY: No kidding!
LINDA: I know and sure enough, on the bottom of the water heater there’s a new little nipple on the gas pipe.
HAPPY:(angrily) That — jerk.
BIFF: Did you have it taken off?
LINDA: Every day I go down and take away that little rubber pipe. But, when he comes home, I put it back where it was. How can I insult him that way? I don’t know what to do. (She is bent over in the chair, weeping, her face in her hands.) Biff, I swear to God! Biff, his life is in your hands!
HAPPY (to Biff): How do you like that damned fool!
BIFF (kissing her): All right, pal, all right. It’s all settled now. I’ve been remiss. I know that, Mom. But now I’ll stay, and I swear to you. (Kneeling in front of her, in a fever of self-reproach.) It’s just — you see, Mom, I don’t fit in business. But I’ll try, and I’ll make good.
HAPPY: Sure you will. The trouble with you in business was you never tried to please people.
BIFF: I don’t care what they think! They’ve laughed at Dad for years, and you know why? Because we don’t belong in this nuthouse of a city! We should be mixing cement on some open plain or — or carpenters. A carpenter is allowed to whistle! à willy msuk lg smbil ndgerin, nyaut
WILLY: Even your grandfather was better than a carpenter.
(Pause. They watch him.) You never grew up. Bernard does not whistle in the elevator, I assure you.
BIFF (as though to laugh Willy out of it): Yeah, but you do, Pop.
WILLY: I never in my life whistled in an elevator! And who in the business world thinks I’m crazy?
BIFF: I didn’t mean it like that, Pop. Now don’t make a whole thing out of it, will ya?
WILLY: Go back to the West! Be a carpenter, a cowboy, enjoy yourself! LINDA: Willy, he was just saying...
WILLY: I heard what he said!
HAPPY (trying to quiet Willy): Hey, Pop, come on now...
WILLY: Why do you always insult me?
BIFF: I didn’t say a word. (To Linda.) Did I say a word?
LINDA: He didn’t say anything, Willy.
HAPPY: No kidding!
LINDA: I know and sure enough, on the bottom of the water heater there’s a new little nipple on the gas pipe.
HAPPY:(angrily) That — jerk.
BIFF: Did you have it taken off?
LINDA: Every day I go down and take away that little rubber pipe. But, when he comes home, I put it back where it was. How can I insult him that way? I don’t know what to do. (She is bent over in the chair, weeping, her face in her hands.) Biff, I swear to God! Biff, his life is in your hands!
HAPPY (to Biff): How do you like that damned fool!
BIFF (kissing her): All right, pal, all right. It’s all settled now. I’ve been remiss. I know that, Mom. But now I’ll stay, and I swear to you. (Kneeling in front of her, in a fever of self-reproach.) It’s just — you see, Mom, I don’t fit in business. But I’ll try, and I’ll make good.
HAPPY: Sure you will. The trouble with you in business was you never tried to please people.
BIFF: I don’t care what they think! They’ve laughed at Dad for years, and you know why? Because we don’t belong in this nuthouse of a city! We should be mixing cement on some open plain or — or carpenters. A carpenter is allowed to whistle! à willy msuk lg smbil ndgerin, nyaut
WILLY: Even your grandfather was better than a carpenter.
(Pause. They watch him.) You never grew up. Bernard does not whistle in the elevator, I assure you.
BIFF (as though to laugh Willy out of it): Yeah, but you do, Pop.
WILLY: I never in my life whistled in an elevator! And who in the business world thinks I’m crazy?
BIFF: I didn’t mean it like that, Pop. Now don’t make a whole thing out of it, will ya?
WILLY: Go back to the West! Be a carpenter, a cowboy, enjoy yourself! LINDA: Willy, he was just saying...
WILLY: I heard what he said!
HAPPY (trying to quiet Willy): Hey, Pop, come on now...
WILLY: Why do you always insult me?
BIFF: I didn’t say a word. (To Linda.) Did I say a word?
LINDA: He didn’t say anything, Willy.