Aristotle's Poetics : Death Of a Salesman

Tragedy I have studied during B.A. program and The tragic protagonist in that tragedy and it's hamartia..

-Bridge Course: Aristotle's Poetics assigned by Dilip Barad Sir

~'DEATH OF SALESMAN' as tragedy and the character of Willy Loman and the concept of hamartia.

  • Introduction:

'Death of a Salesman' is written by an American playwright Arthur Miller. This play is often considered as a modern tragedy in the Aristotelian tradition. It primarily is a portrayal of Willy Loman's downfall. The concept of hamartia is a centre to Death of a Salesman and is a key element of Aristotelian tragedy too. 

  • Death of a salesman: A tragic exploration of the American Dream:-                                                        

A Pulitzer Prize winning work that the author describes as "the tragedy of a man who gave his life, or sold it."
 
Firstly performed: 1949

Genre: Tragedy and A social commentary

Setting: The late 1940's

Themes: 1) The American dream 
               2) Abandonment 
               3) Betrayal

 


Willy Loman, an aging businessman, struggles to survive and maintain his self-respect. His life is in constant instability between the present and the past as he remembers times of fame and success he wanted from his young age. His wife Linda is a pillar of support and does her best to keep family together. His sons, Biff and Happy, are aimless and lost in their lives, reflecting their father's disillusionment with the American ideal. 

As the play moves ahead , Willy's mental state weakens. His inability to bond with his sons, along with his declining performance causes him to become depressed. The weight of his failures and unfulfilled dreams gets unbearable for him  that he often tries to commit a suicide. In desperation to provide his family, Willy commits suicide. The play ends with a powerful reflection on the destructive power of the American dream and the human cost of pusuing material success at all costs. 

  • Willy Loman as the tragic protagonist:
Willy is an individual who craves attention and is governed by a desire for success. He constantly refers to his older brother Ben who became an successful man and represents all the things that Willy wanted for him and his sons. He was mad for the reputation in society and for the life like American dreams. Although, his life was full of struggles and he didn't get success or the wealth he always wanted so he dreams for his sons to live the life he wanted but they seems aimless and it depresses Willy that led to his constant downfall. The downfall that drives him to commit suicide and makes the character of him as a tragic main character of the play. 

This downfall at the end of the play defines the play as a play that follows the Aristotelian literary tradition. 

  • Concept of hamartia in 'Death of a Salesman':
In Willy Loman's case, his hamartia is multifaceted and deeply ingrained in his character.Willy's obsession with success and his distorted view of reality constitute his hamartia, driving the tragic events of the play.
Willy's primary flaw is his unwavering belief in a distorted version of the American Dream. 
Willy is unable to face reality,constantly lying to himself and others about his success and importance.

Closely tied to his self-deception is Willy's refusal to accept his own failures and those of his sons.
 
1. Misplaced faith in the American Dream, 2. Self-deception, 3.Inability to accept failure, 4.Materialistic values, 5.Living in the past, 6.Misguided pride, 7.Transference of dreams are some of the aspects of Willy's hamartia drive the tragic action of the play. They lead to his proffesional failure, the breakdown oh his relationships with his family and ultimately his decision to commit suicide in a misguided attempt to provide for his family through his life insurance. 

  • Conclusion:
Willy's hamartia is not a simple character flaw, but a complex set of beliefs and behavious that are fundamentally part of who he is. This makes his tragedy all the more poignant, as his downfall stems from the very things that define him as a person. 

  • References:

Other references are from different AI tools.




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