As noted by the renowned film critic, Robert Ebert in his review of the film, The Crucible strikes "the wrong note" from its very first scene. (Ebert, 1996) It shows a scene that could never possibly have occurred in the Puritanical society of 17th century Massachusetts and never did
In his study on Miller's play, Lois Gordon emphasizes that for Willy, the American Dream has been the only religion, replacing the moral and the human values: "In the play Willy has no traditional religion; his religion has been the American Dream; his gods have been Dave Singleman, Ben, and his father, but they are now all dead -- to the world and as meaningful values for himself."(Gordon, 278) it is also evident that the American Dream is contradictory in itself
Willy thus meditates on his empty life, which had been nothing but a lie as he himself admits: "I realized what a ridiculous lie my whole life has been."(Miller, 94) All his life Willy believed in the core ideas expressed by the American Dream: to be liked in society and to live well is to be successful in business
He advises Francis Nurse not to worry, that his wife, Rebecca, will be vindicated by the court. He says, "Let you rest upon the justice of the court; the court will send her home, I know it" (Miller 67)
Early in the play, he describes his books as weighed with authority. He says of them, "They must be; they are weighted with authority" (Miller 34)
" The policy itself is another link to Willy's impending death, for why would it be mentioned unless it was going to be used? When Willy is first introduced, he is a salesman who is "down on his luck," and immediately there is tension from his wife, Linda. "Why? What happened? Did something happen Willy?" (Miller 1021)
"Willy's failure to achieve the American Dream is a personal one, this line of reasoning goes, not an inevitable result of the American economic system. The real truth is, Willy fails because he never understands what is really needed to succeed in business, insisting to the end that 'personality wins the day,' when, as Charley says, he ought to know from experience that 'all you have is what you can sell'" (Murphy 5)
Ben, his rich brother, could have helped the family, but he ignored them. In a dream sequence, he tells Willy, "With one gadget he made more in a week than a man like you could make in a lifetime" (Miller 748)
He explains to Linda, "The trouble was that three of the stores were half-closed for inventory in Boston. Otherwise, I woulda broke records" (Miller 1046)
He was never mistaken." Charles Baudelaire used to make his morning prayers to God and to Edgar Poe (Bloom 1)
" He sees the intense symbiosis between love and hatred. Love is rarely as simple or as happy as hoped" (Hoffman)
Since then, his works have resulted in uncountable want-to-bes and motivated artists, playwrights/screenwriters and composers. Commentators have seen foreshadowed in him William Butler Yeats, Walter de la Mare, Amy Lowell, Franz Kafka, Graham Greene, Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Satre (Wagenknecht 7)
Miller writes, "Biff: God Almighty, Mom, how long has he been doing this? Linda: Don't, he'll hear you. Biff: What the hell is the matter with him?" (Miller 1031)
Charley opined that Willy's death may have been triggered with Willy's discontentment with his life, and this is resounded by Charley's statement that "[n]o man only needs a little salary," and with Biff adding that his father "had the wrong dreams. All, all, wrong" (Miller 1949 137-8)
. I had the beginnings of all sorts of industries under way -- nuclei of future vast factories, the iron and steel missionaries of my future civilization" (Twain 61)
The suicide of Willy Loman has long been debated. Many believe he so because his dreams will never be reached, while others think he does so after Biff declares his love and Willy knows he has failed his son (Phelps pg 239)
Following the emotional clash between Biff and Willy in which Biff collapses in his father's arms declaring himself to be nothing, nothing at all Willy immediately begins to analyze the meaning of the exchange (Phelps pg 239). " Willy's immediate reaction to it is to conclude: "Biff - he likes me!" To which Linda and Happy quickly respond with enthusiastic reinforcement: "He loves you, Willy!" And "Always did, Pop" (Miller pg 133)
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Arthur Asher Miller was born on October 17, 1915, in New York City, to Augusta (Barnett) and Isidore Miller. His family was of Austrian Jewish descent.
Arthur Miller; Born: Arthur Asher Miller October 17, 1915 Harlem, New York City, New York, U.S. Died: February 10, 2005 (aged 89) Roxbury, Connecticut, U.S.