The Tragic Hero in Death of a Salesman: Analysis of Who is the Tragic Hero
Willy Loman is a traveling salesman down on his luck, but that is not what makes him the tragic figure in this drama. He dies in the end, but that does not make him tragic, either. The true tragedy of his character is that first, his family did not understand him. When he dies, Linda, his wife says, "It seems to me that you're just on another trip. I keep expecting you. Willy dear, I can't cry" (Miller 1054). She cannot accept that Willy is dead, but she never understood the man she was married to for over 30 years, and so, that makes him a tragic figure, living with a family who really has no clue about him or his needs. Biff is the only one who understands some of his father. He says near the end of the play, "He had the wrong dreams. All, all wrong" (Miller 1054). But Biff turned away from him when he learned he had an affair, and Hap is a no-account who will never amount to anything. Willy, tragic father, passes his ineffectual life on to his sons, who will probably never amount to anything either, and that makes Willy the most tragic member of this tragic drama.
A critic writes, "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). Willy is a failure that everyone tries to protect. He is certainly the tragic hero in this drama. This is what makes Willy such a tragic hero to his family and the audience. Biff: What the hell is the matter with him?" (Miller 1031). Characteristically, Biff talks to his mother, rather than facing Willy, who will only deny there is anything wrong. This is just another clue that Willy is the tragic hero in this play; his own son cannot stop the inevitable, and will not be able to stop the inevitable in the future, either. The family sees Willy separating from them, but does not know how to deal with it. Biff is the only one to voice what they all know, which shows how much Willy's lying and secrecy has affected the family, it is his legacy, again showing how tragic he is. The sons are alienated from their family and ill prepared for the real world. Biff says, "He's going to kill himself, don't you know that?" (Miller 1047). She says, ""Why? What happened? Did something happen Willy?" (Miller 1021). Yet, Biff does nothing to stop him, showing his alienation from his father. No one really communicates in this family, and that is because Willy keeps secrets and is not honest, a tragic flaw. His wife does not understand either.
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