Linda Loman Character Analysis

“Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak” (Thomas Carlyle). A good wife is aware, strong, persevering and caring. Linda Loman is an oblivious, weak, enabler and cannot be characterized as a good wife. In many instances throughout Arthur Miller’s play The Death of a Salesman, the audience sees Linda acting poorly as a significant other. Through the duration of the play her pathetic attempts to show her love for Willy are outweighed by the actions used in benefitting herself and her well-being.
How is Mrs. Linda Loman oblivious? Linda is fully aware of her husband’s suicide attempts and even tells her sons! Why can she not confront her husband? She tries to pass the blame onto her sons as seen on page 123 “Linda, Cutting Happy off, violently to Biff: Don’t you care if he lives or dies?” (Miller 123). Clearly she is a poor excuse for a wife and does not truly love her husband and wants to make things easier for herself by overlooking serious matters. Linda frequently is caught blaming her children for Willy’s raging fits. “Linda, her voice subdued: what’d you have to start that for? Biff turns away. You see how sweet he was as soon as you talked hopefully” (Miller
The Greek poet Hesiod wrote this in the seventh century BC. Willy Loman’s wife is nothing more than a pathetic woman with no backbone. Arthur Miller shows Linda to be a pathetic excuse for a wife and should never be looked up to for any of her ‘wifely’ qualities. Linda is a blind wimp who does not care about anyone but herself. These poor qualities prohibit her from being a good wife and mother. We frequently see the temptations she falls for in blaming her children. The Death of a Salesman is full of pitiful examples of Linda acting selfishly as an unloving