Tragedy In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

I suppose that little else is more engrossing to those of the present generation than the concept of change; the more the grand revolution, the more captivating it becomes. Political oppression is found to be more significant than wretched acts of cruelty, even when in large part these acts are committed by the most ordinary of men. What dominates the hearts and minds of millions globally is not life, but rather how that free that life is to lead. Thus, imparted through tragedy, common men may also claw their way upon equal footing as those of power. In Tragedy and the Common Man, written by Arthur Miller, it is this exact argument that explains why tragedy has remained relevant even in this modern era. Initiated by the hero’s own inability to remain complacent, tragedies classically demonstrate a downfall through the ‘fatal flaw’ of the protagonist. “The flaw, or crash in the character is really nothing…but his inherent unwillingness to remain passive…”
(Miller). Herein lies why authors such as Arthur Miller so vehemently believes that tragedies are absolutely vital to society - they allow the common man to believe that change is possible. The most gruesome problem a society in any age can have is a population filled with those too complacent to think for themselves. Examples of this can be seen in Nazi Germany, in which millions of citizens were systematically taught to hate others. In this society, there was no use for tragedies or authors such as Arthur Miller, as complacency replaced critical thinking. Inspiring rather than demonizing the questioning of an entire society, tragedies as described by Miller give legitimacy to the problems of all. Instead of allowing for masses of people to fall under tyranny, tragedies teach that everything can be altered. Yet another reason why authors such as Arthur Miller appreciate tragedy is in the underlying demonstration of man’s perseverance, and the undying will to survive. Unlike other forms of writing, tragic compositions offer more than what is written solely on the page, extending into the very basis of what drives humanity. When one looks beyond the surface, what appears is essentially “…the belief…in the perfectibility of man” (Miller). This concept, while undeniably impossible for the majority of humanity, is absolutely vital to fuel progression. During the course of each day, individuals face adversities in their own right - strife and struggle is not associated with only one class of people. To persevere past these conflicts, should they be internal or external, man has to find the ability to perfect a certain flaw that would prevent the problem from being solved. This in essence is the lesson that tragic writings teach. If mankind begins to believe that they are already perfect, or that the idea is simply too unreachable, society will grind to a slow halt. Heroes will no longer exist, as enlightenment of a greater caliber will never be requested. These two concepts in part lead to the creation of plays such as Death of a Salesman, also written by Arthur Miller, which indeed embellish the very meaning of tragedy.
In this particular story, the protagonist - Willy Loman - is on the surface elevated no higher than a psychotic liar who often manipulates even those he loves the most. However, when looked upon through a harsher lens, the only thing that truly becomes obvious is that Willy himself is the archetype of a tragic hero. Lying to his family in friends, while in part cowardly, also questions the way in which a family could be defined as successful. Willy’s affair with another woman, while gross and unforgivable, allow others in the story to demonstrate the perseverance of love. In fact, it is throughout the entirety of Death of a Salesman that Arthur Miller uses his characters to question society, and then demonstrate their unwillingness to fall to adversity. Willy Loman, while indeed a pathetic man, falls through no weakness of his own
doing. Tragic writings are absolutely essential to society. They allow for brevity in surface ideas, while underneath, churns the very essence of humanity. In the modern age, little else is as important to the youth as freedom. Yet, look throughout history, and this same thirst to question even the uppermost echelons of society has come up time and time again. This in part is the argument that writers such as Arthur Miller use to justify why tragedy remains relevant in the contemporary era. Without plays such as Death of a Salesman, society would become complacent, unwilling to persevere through hardship and strife. With tragic writings, however, the very lowest of mankind is able to claw its way to the same level of those at the top. With tragic writings, the common man becomes astonishing.