Tragedy and the Common Man by Arthur Miller Literature Essay

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August 9, 2018
A Tragic Hero in the Death of a Salesman
Arthur Miller wrote the Tragedy of the Common Man, to show the significant effect of tragedy in modern literature in bridging the gap between reality and fiction. Specifically, he argued that as most works have emphasized over the ‘heroic’ figure that embodies almost every good and noble qualities, readers today fail to find a persona that would reflect whom they are in reality. In response to the Death of the Salesman, Willy Loman represents the ‘tragic hero’ that has prioritized his pride and stubbornness over things that really matter. In turn, it led to a serious consequence that led to his downfall. Aside from this, other characters such as Linda and Biff would also satisfy Miller’s idea of a tragic hero. All in all, I believe that through an analysis of these ‘tragic heroes’ from the Death of a Salesman, we could then find a closer connection between our personal lives and the protagonist in the literature.
Throughout the story, it could be seen that Willy, is a man who continually aims for success and has achieved one in more ways than one. However, hungry as he is, it becomes an addiction that messed up his life, his relationships, and even his reputation. Nonetheless, as we focus on Willy’s career without looking at his imminent downfall, it reflects our acculturated belief that “we are often held to be below tragedy,” which then makes up empathize with nobilities and heroes (Willy) that seems to have suffered the same fate as we do.
However, as we empathize with the characters as they experience their own downfalls, we fail to realize that even ‘us’ the common man is similar to any character or persona regardless...