The language of the actors is very important to the play as poetical language, e.g. Shakespeare, would not be right because the play is set as a realistic play. The play will have been made realistic to make the audience feel involved in the play of the death of a salesman.
Willy wants his sons to do well in life, unlike him, even though he will never admit to being a failure, he says to Biff and Happy “Be liked and you will never want.” Willy always talks to Biff and Happy about himself being a success in life, even though he knows that he has failed in life and that he has chosen the wrong job. Willy says, “You take me for instance. I never have to wait in line to see a buyer, Willy Lowman is here, That’s all they have to know and I go right through.” This is almost the opposite case when Willy loses his job, he asks to do a different job, then Howard says “Willy, but there is no place for you.” Then later on Willy says, “I will go to Boston.” This shows that Willy is a failure, but he will not even admit this fact to himself.
Music is often used in this play to set the scene for the audience. The play starts with a flute, in the stage direction is written, “A melody is heard upon a flute.” Then the ending of the play is rounded off by music from a flute, In the stage directions is written, “Only flute left on darkening stage.” For each of these scenes the playing of the flute is used to show sadness. Music is also played when Ben enters to show the success of Ben’s life. In the stage directions is written “Now the music is heard, Ben’s music, first distantly, then closer, closer.”
Small props are also used in the play, even though the props are only small they are used in great depth. The car is used to show happiness in the past times, but then in the present time Linda is mending her stockings, then later on Willy gives away the stockings to the woman. This is very similar to Willy’s life because at first in Willy’s life he is successful, shown by the car. Then he isn’t so successful in life and he is trying to sort his life out, shown by the mending of the stockings. Then he gives up, which is shown by the giving away of the stockings to the woman. The rubber tubing is made a big prop as it is used all the way through the play until the requiem. Even though the prop is very small it is used a lot in the play to show the sadness of Willy.
The apron is used towards the end of the play when Willy is planting the seeds that he bought. I think that using the apron would help the audience understand the feelings of Willy more. It is used when in the stage directions is written; “the centre of the apron as Willy walks onto it”. The apron is again used at the end of the play in the requiem. I think that the apron is used at this point to make the audience feel like the congregation at the funeral of Willy Lowman. I think that this would help the audience to understand the feelings of Linda, Biff and Happy more.
When in the play Willy goes back in time this would help the audience understand the feelings of Willy and the other characters a lot more, this is because they understand their past times a lot more easily. The first time Willy goes back in time, it is written in the stage directions; “Willy is gradually addressing, (physically), a point offstage speaking through the wall of the kitchen, and his voice has been rising in volume to that of a normal conversation.” I do not think that the going back in time of the characters is a good idea because this gets rid of the complete realism of the play. Willy had a good life in the country and he is now having a bad life in the city, which seems to be showing the end of Willy’s life. Their feelings are shown well when Biff did not go back to summer school to succeed in life because he did not think that it would matter not going back to summer school. Bernard’s part is very well played because he tells Biff he should try, but Biff doesn’t and becomes a failure like Willy. Willy also does not think that Biff should listen to Bernard, but then later on Willy gets angry with Biff about not trying.
Willy is shows that he will be a failure when Willy is listening to Linda telling him what they have spent their money on, when this should have been Willy. He should be sorting out what they have bought anyway but even more so as he is a salesman.
Instead of doing this he works late for a little amount of money.
When at towards the end of act two Biff says to Willy “You fake! You phoney little fake! You fake!” This isn’t only true in this scene when he has an affair with the woman. This is also shown when Biff is trying to say that he didn’t see Oliver, but Willy will not accept this. Willy lies to even himself, that he has seen him. This is also shown when Willy gets sacked from his job, he ignores what Howard is saying, and lies to himself that he still has his job, saying “All right, I’ll go to Boston tomorrow.” Willy always seems to be lying to other people and himself, denying the true facts of life.
