Volker Schlondorff's Death Of A Salesman
“A narrow-mind and a wide mouth usually go together,” (Green). In the play “The Death of a Salesman”, Arthur Miller illustrates a narrow-minded man who believes one’s popularity is the path to success. This man’s insight fuels the theme of loss that is embedded throughout this play. Willy Lowman loses himself both literally and figuratively trying to find his idea of success for himself and his family. Miller had to take caution when creating the structure of the events that occur in this play because he shows the reader what is occurring in both past and present time at the same time. When producing a written play, the director must take advantage of the lighting, sound, and other technical aspects to fully emphasize the time tense of the
…show more content…
Miller created this play with enough detail and stage direction for the reader to picture this imagery. However, when directing a play, the director has the chance to create a spin off the author’s first intention. In 1985, Volker Schlondorff directs a more contemporary version of the play “The Death of a Salesman”. In the first scene, Schlondorff introduces the Lowman family just as Miller does in the written play, but he makes the family appear more likable to the audience. The costumes for each character are modern. Willy dresses in casual business attire, Linda in lively colors, and the sons in casual clothing, as well. Willy and Linda live in a modern-day home, in the suburbs. Linda has her makeup and hair fixed throughout the play. The lighting plays a crucial role because it allows for Willy’s flashbacks to fade in and out to help the play keep the past and present flowing instantaneously. The sound makes the audience aware of what is going on inside Willy’s mind. For example, you hear an echo of the woman Willy had an affair with in the back ground. As the sound fades in louder on stage, it sets forth the way for a visual flashback to occur. In the written play, the reader does not have the spotlight and audial visual. Where as in the 1985 play, visual and audial elements help the audience get a better insight on the director’s twist to the
Miller created this play with enough detail and stage direction for the reader to picture this imagery. However, when directing a play, the director has the chance to create a spin off the author’s first intention. In 1985, Volker Schlondorff directs a more contemporary version of the play “The Death of a Salesman”. In the first scene, Schlondorff introduces the Lowman family just as Miller does in the written play, but he makes the family appear more likable to the audience. The costumes for each character are modern. Willy dresses in casual business attire, Linda in lively colors, and the sons in casual clothing, as well. Willy and Linda live in a modern-day home, in the suburbs. Linda has her makeup and hair fixed throughout the play. The lighting plays a crucial role because it allows for Willy’s flashbacks to fade in and out to help the play keep the past and present flowing instantaneously. The sound makes the audience aware of what is going on inside Willy’s mind. For example, you hear an echo of the woman Willy had an affair with in the back ground. As the sound fades in louder on stage, it sets forth the way for a visual flashback to occur. In the written play, the reader does not have the spotlight and audial visual. Where as in the 1985 play, visual and audial elements help the audience get a better insight on the director’s twist to the