A Comparative Analysis of Sophocles' Opedipus the King and Arthur Miller's Death of A Salesman

Name of student Name of institution Name of instructor Date Due A Comparative Analysis of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman According to “the Tragic Vision”, a good tragedy is one with a person of stature and his demise affects an entire family, group or society. ("The "Tragic Vision"") In other words, a tragedy has a hero who is better than everybody else is. In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, Oedipus is a very smart person. In addition, he holds very high standing in the society. Oedipus is the only person capable of solving the Sphinx’s riddle. One of the elements of Tragic Vision is that suffering brings out the best and enhances the ability to accept moral responsibility. Oedipus case is a perfect example of this description. As an evidence of his recognition of truth and responsibility, Oedipus chooses not to depend on the gods, but rather rely on his ability as a riddle-solver. His exploits lead to great insights into the powers of the gods pertaining to fate. The story is generally the same in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman whereby the typical American family is depicted. This play showcases a family living in the midst of life’s problems. The problem is that Willy Loman, the main actor, is living in fantasy. His is a story of a person struggling to get happiness through any means possible. However, in all these struggles, he doesn’t lose sight of his role as a family man and his responsibility to provide for them. He therefore fits the description of a hero given in the “Tragic Vision.” In his quest to be the best salesman, and make his family comfortable during harsh economic times, Willie Loman does not get the expected results. This results in a tragedy in that he commits suicide. Comparing the two characters, there is a stark difference in their societal statuses. Willy Loman from “Death of a Salesman” is just a common man while Oedipus is from the high realms of the society. At the star...