The Quest for Identity in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman
Keywords:
Identity Crisis, Death of a Salesman;, Willy LomanAbstract
The paper deals with Miller’s technique of presenting characters like Willy in his famous drama,
Death of a Salesman. The dramatist has projected the story of the central character, Willy Loman
who always wants to find his identity through the play. His faith in the myth is tested by harsh
realities which he alternately faces and flees. He fights to hold on to his identity. This means
holding on to his faith, and, in the name of faith, Willy lies constantly: about the gross sales he
has made, about the reaction of businessmen to his personality, about his boys' success and
importance, about his own prospects. These lies echo, not the drab reality about him, but the
shining hope he has. Willy must have hope because it sustains him; when identity is at stake
there are matters more important than facts and aspects.
References
Babson, Roger. Making Good in Business. New York: Penguin Books, 1921.
Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. New York: Viking Press, 1949.
Ong, W.J. Frontiers in American Catholicism. New York: Yale University Press, 1957.
Porter, Thomas E. Myth and Modem American Drama. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1979.
