Death of a Salesman: Is Willy Loman a tragic hero or a tragic victim?

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Lara Jackman

12AA.

Mr. Roberts

Is Willy Loman a tragic hero or a tragic victim?

Centre No:49005

Candidate No:7244

The “quintessential American tragic hero1 or “a passive victim of

corrupted propagandist society2; this is just one example of the

conflicting views surrounding Arthur Miller’s Willy Loman in “Death of

a Salesman”. Consumed with a flawed vision of the American Dream,

this character is certainly a contemporary figure and his life remains

symbolic and relevant to this day with regards to the pitfalls of capitalist

values, as it was fifty years ago.  Indeed, Willy Loman is unique in the

sense that it is difficult to categorise him as one particular character

stereotype; it depends on the individual’s point of view. Some critics

argue that he is neither a tragic hero or victim, but rather a “victimizer of

himself and others3  and “a coward4. Certainly, there are numerous

interpretations that have been explored over the years and it is due to the

wide scope for analysis Willy offers that “Death of a Salesman” remains

a favourite to discuss amongst critics to the present day.

The idea of Willy Loman as a “tragic hero” has been the subject of

heated debate for decades. Some of the classic features of a tragic hero, as

determined by Aristotle, can undoubtedly be applied to Willy Loman and

therefore support the idea of a heroic character. Firstly, a tragic hero

should have a “magnitude or nobility5 about them. At first glance this

would seemingly exclude Willy from the status, however according to

Hardison, “noble” does not necessarily imply a high social status, but

rather a “larger than life”6  quality. The fact that Willy’s visions are of

such a great grandeur, especially where his sons are concerned, (“You

guys together could absolutely lick the civilised world.”) along with the

constant gesticulations that accompany his exclamations, all support the

idea that Willy Loman is indeed a “larger than life” character. Therefore,

it is not possible to dismiss him as a tragic hero on this basis.

A further accepted feature of the tragic hero is the possession of hubris 

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and hamartia; a tragic flaw and the mistakes caused by it. Hubris 

traditionally means a form of arrogance or pride and this trait is certainly

present in Willy: “Call out the name Willy Loman and see what

happens!” This excessive pride means that Willy believes himself

capable of accomplishing the American Dream to the point of delusion;

he cannot accept failure and becomes unhealthily obsessed, leading to an

inevitable downward spiral. Indeed, it is Willy’s pride that prevents him

from taking on Charley’s job offer: “ I ...

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Here's what a star student thought of this essay

The critical voice here is brilliant. Phrases such as "more importantly however" and "the only certainty" show the ability to evaluative interpretations and meanings to determine which are most significant. Referencing is done well, and the use of a variety of critical interpretations allows for a well researched argument. The structure is good, having an introduction which really engages with tragedy, and a conclusion which provides an insightful ending by drawing upon previous analysis. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are flawless.

The analysis here is strong. There is a sustained focus on tragedy, and the use of technical terms such as hubris and hamartia will be rewarded by examiners. I think when referring to the text, this could be done with slightly more sophistication. For example "Willy's comparison of his suicide to a diamond" could be better phrased as "Miller has Willy compare his suicide to a diamond" which allows a natural progression into discussion the techniques used. The one thing this essay lacks is a discussion of why Miller has constructed Willy as a tragic hero or tragic victim. By exploring how the audience respond to either traits, this essay would be reaching higher marks.

This essay is a superb example of how to tackle tragic discussions, looking closely at a number of critical interpretations whilst always staying focused on the text. I like this question as it forces you to engage closely with the characteristics of a hero and villain, and this essay manages this well through a strong knowledge of the text.