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.