The Power of Irony in "The Death of a Salesman"
Renata Lemos
English 102
Professor: Jeff Ousborne
04/05/2013
The Power of Irony on “The Death of a Salesman”
Authors use irony in literature in order to give double meanings and make it more interesting to the reader. In the play “ The Death of a Salesman” Arthur Miller uses irony as a strong writing technique in order to express the character's behavior. In “The Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller moments of situational and dramatic irony helps to illustrate the story's theme in which Willy is a man trying yo achieve the American dream, however he have created a world of illusion. Dramatic irony occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play. Willy thinks that being well liked will get you places and his whole life is based on that, yet he is not well liked. This is an example of dramatic irony. Willy is lying to himself as if being well liked is the most important aspect in order to be successful. However, he even admits that he is not well liked to Linda at one point. When Willy says to Linda, “ I'm fat. I'm very – foolish to look at, Linda. I didn't tell you, but Chist,as time I happened to be calling on F.H. Stewarts, and a salesman I know, as I was going in to see the buyer I heard him say something about – walrus. And I – I cracked him right across the face. I won't take that. I simply will not take that. But they do laugh at me. I know that”(1415). This specific quote shows that although Willy cares about his aparence he is still insulted by others. He is basing his life in a fact that is a illusion to him. The fact that Willy goes out into his back garden and plants a packet of seeds on the night he is to commit suicide, demonstrating one more example of dramatic irony. When we think about seeds we think about planting new life. However Willy would take his on life later in the play. when Willy, on the night he is to commit suicide,—are never so subtle that the reader is in
English 102
Professor: Jeff Ousborne
04/05/2013
The Power of Irony on “The Death of a Salesman”
Authors use irony in literature in order to give double meanings and make it more interesting to the reader. In the play “ The Death of a Salesman” Arthur Miller uses irony as a strong writing technique in order to express the character's behavior. In “The Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller moments of situational and dramatic irony helps to illustrate the story's theme in which Willy is a man trying yo achieve the American dream, however he have created a world of illusion. Dramatic irony occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play. Willy thinks that being well liked will get you places and his whole life is based on that, yet he is not well liked. This is an example of dramatic irony. Willy is lying to himself as if being well liked is the most important aspect in order to be successful. However, he even admits that he is not well liked to Linda at one point. When Willy says to Linda, “ I'm fat. I'm very – foolish to look at, Linda. I didn't tell you, but Chist,as time I happened to be calling on F.H. Stewarts, and a salesman I know, as I was going in to see the buyer I heard him say something about – walrus. And I – I cracked him right across the face. I won't take that. I simply will not take that. But they do laugh at me. I know that”(1415). This specific quote shows that although Willy cares about his aparence he is still insulted by others. He is basing his life in a fact that is a illusion to him. The fact that Willy goes out into his back garden and plants a packet of seeds on the night he is to commit suicide, demonstrating one more example of dramatic irony. When we think about seeds we think about planting new life. However Willy would take his on life later in the play. when Willy, on the night he is to commit suicide,—are never so subtle that the reader is in