"He was so wonderful with his hands."
"He had the wrong dreams. All, all, wrong."
Requiem. 1629
The Requiem of the play draws a conclusion that may have otherwise been overlooked had it not been in context of the passing of Willy. Biff, Charley, and Linda realize how well Willy completed manual tasks such as repairing a ceiling or pouring cement. The irony that Willy could have found his financial stability and importance in a job he never considered makes me consider what caused Willy to favor business life over manual labor. Because he was greatly affected by the notion that notoriety in life stems from a great reputation, he never considered a job in which the socialization is minimal. This also made me think that maybe the world was smarter than Willy and saw right through him, which is another irony. Willy was obvioiusly caught up with the task of building rapport among his clients. However, maybe this society-wide notion was far too immature for his buyers, who realized his self-seeking nature and found it hard to come to like Willy despite his jokes. I also found it ironic when Biff comes home to find Willy planting the seeds in the small garden he has plotted beside the house. There is some allusion in this scene, because earlier in the play, Willy explains to Linda how he has tried to grow plants in this area and nothing will grow. Now, Willy is desperate to create something that will provide for his family. The dramatic irony in this occurence is that the reader can sense earlier in the play that none of Willy's ambitions will come to fruition, but he himself does not come to this conclusion until the end of the play.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Opposites of Willy Loman
"Why, boys, when I was seventeen I walked into the jungle, and when I was twenty-one I walked out. And by God I was rich." I. 1570
It's not hard to believe that individuals within the play contrast sharply with Willy Loman in regards to personality and actions. Willy's brother's Ben is one of these foil characters, because he has made something of his life, unlike Willy who lives paycheck to paycheck. Willy has worked to exhaustion over his sixty years and has little security or peace of mind to show for it, but Ben, as indicated by the quote above, got lucky at a young age and found his security early in life. Charley, a character portrayed as somewhat of friend to Willy, also comes across as a foil to Willy. Willy explains how Charley doesn't have the same social attributes as him and he is not as well liked as Willy. Charley also seems to be much more altruistic and benevolent for the sake of others rather than himself, because he offers Willy a job several times when Willy is struggling to make ends meet. He, like Biff, tries to show him the error of his motivations, but ultimately he cannot crack Willy from his unrealistic dreams. The main difference between Charley and Ben originates from their respective effects on Willy. Ben, because of his success, fuels Willy's blindness to the disappointment his children have in him. Ben also goes along with and encourages Willy's thoughts, such as at the end of the play, which only serves to reinforce Willy's resolve to be highly regarded despite the consequences.
It's not hard to believe that individuals within the play contrast sharply with Willy Loman in regards to personality and actions. Willy's brother's Ben is one of these foil characters, because he has made something of his life, unlike Willy who lives paycheck to paycheck. Willy has worked to exhaustion over his sixty years and has little security or peace of mind to show for it, but Ben, as indicated by the quote above, got lucky at a young age and found his security early in life. Charley, a character portrayed as somewhat of friend to Willy, also comes across as a foil to Willy. Willy explains how Charley doesn't have the same social attributes as him and he is not as well liked as Willy. Charley also seems to be much more altruistic and benevolent for the sake of others rather than himself, because he offers Willy a job several times when Willy is struggling to make ends meet. He, like Biff, tries to show him the error of his motivations, but ultimately he cannot crack Willy from his unrealistic dreams. The main difference between Charley and Ben originates from their respective effects on Willy. Ben, because of his success, fuels Willy's blindness to the disappointment his children have in him. Ben also goes along with and encourages Willy's thoughts, such as at the end of the play, which only serves to reinforce Willy's resolve to be highly regarded despite the consequences.
The Tragedy of Real Life
"Why must everybody like you? Who liked J.P. Morgan? Was he impressive? In a Turkish bath he'd look like a butcher. But with his pockets on he was very well liked." II.1602
One of the review questions at the end of the play and a common thread throughout the entirety of the dialogue concerns the categorization of the play as a tragedy or otherwise. As the book points out, the argument hinges on the perception of Willy as a character who either posesses a tragic flaw or simply behaves in a constantly detrimental manner. I believe to answer this question, one must dive into a quasi-comprehensive characterization of Willy. Throughout the play, Willy is chiefly concerned about his perception in the eyes of others and the financial stability that follows such favorable perceptions. While reading, I did encounter a slight sympathy for Willy, because he seems to have a mental condition which is never discussed or diagnosed. This condition leads Willy to recollect the pivotal moments in his life regarding his quest for a chance to make it big. Another point was made in the book about the natural behavior or Willy in response to his surroundings and his profession. In fact, Charley tells the audience not to blame Willy in the Requiem because selling is a heartbreaking business based on how well one likes someone, and not the substance or intelligence of a man. Willy constantly searches for some sort of fulfillment in his life, and he sees that manifested in money or status. Willy is extremely misguided by the common desires of society. However, I would not catgorize him or this play as a tragedy because he is too vain to have his motives be considered altruistic, ie "-that boy will be thunderstruck, Be, because he never realized-I am known!" (1622) Indeed he does want to give his son his life insurance money to make something of himself, but his reason is to improve his image postmortem. Someone who is worried about his/her image after their death has an inferiortity complex and not a tragic flaw.
One of the review questions at the end of the play and a common thread throughout the entirety of the dialogue concerns the categorization of the play as a tragedy or otherwise. As the book points out, the argument hinges on the perception of Willy as a character who either posesses a tragic flaw or simply behaves in a constantly detrimental manner. I believe to answer this question, one must dive into a quasi-comprehensive characterization of Willy. Throughout the play, Willy is chiefly concerned about his perception in the eyes of others and the financial stability that follows such favorable perceptions. While reading, I did encounter a slight sympathy for Willy, because he seems to have a mental condition which is never discussed or diagnosed. This condition leads Willy to recollect the pivotal moments in his life regarding his quest for a chance to make it big. Another point was made in the book about the natural behavior or Willy in response to his surroundings and his profession. In fact, Charley tells the audience not to blame Willy in the Requiem because selling is a heartbreaking business based on how well one likes someone, and not the substance or intelligence of a man. Willy constantly searches for some sort of fulfillment in his life, and he sees that manifested in money or status. Willy is extremely misguided by the common desires of society. However, I would not catgorize him or this play as a tragedy because he is too vain to have his motives be considered altruistic, ie "-that boy will be thunderstruck, Be, because he never realized-I am known!" (1622) Indeed he does want to give his son his life insurance money to make something of himself, but his reason is to improve his image postmortem. Someone who is worried about his/her image after their death has an inferiortity complex and not a tragic flaw.
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