Willy dies and gives up his life but does not give up his dream, does not leave his values and his past. So, now with the course of time subjects of tragedy should be changed. Now these subjects look to us alien however today we have fear to lose position in society and to cause our ownself in the ocean of machines. Traditional subjects for tragedy were royal environment and war of achieving throne but now these subjects have no attraction for us. Miller shows the position of an ordinary man, his passions, feelings and dreams against machines and flat system where all relations have cost their meanings and importance. From this total examination of the “unchangeable environment comes the error and fear that is classically associated with tragedy”. So the concept that royal figures are necessary for tragedies should be changed according to the demands of time and age.īentley says this play evokes pity but not terror and if we watch it carefully we notice that it arises both pity and fear because the play shows individual against “the seemingly stable cosmos surrounding us”. Furthermore, a common man can also be the hero of a tragedy because common people also suffer like royal figures. So their modern presentation with ancient glorification will make the plays unrealistic. are not present with ancient pomp and show. First of all, they scrutinize Aristotle’s concept of tragedy and tragic hero and says that in modern world royal system is finished and kings, queens and princes etc. Now we consider the other side where Miller himself and certain other critics are clarifying all these charges. They say that the theme of “Death of a Salesman” is the little, man as victim and protagonist is too passive and too little to play the tragic hero. They think that the play cannot attain the stature of a guanine tragedy because of its extreme awareness, not it can be a social drama because it is inflated by its tragic aspirations. There are certain critic like Eric Bentley and Eleaner Clark who regard Miller’s socio-political philosophy. Therefore, it cannot be placed among great Sophoclean and Shakespearean tragedies. First of all they reject it on the basis of Aristotelian concept of tragedy and tragic hero and assert that, instead of being a king or prince, Willy Loman is a common man who remains unable to arise required tragic feelings. Arthur Miller calls it a tragedy and there are several critics who see eye to eye with him but these are sources of highly learned critics who bring certain allegations to prove that it falls far short of having the status of tragedy. “Death of a Salesman” is one of those great pieces of art which have been the subject of hotly debated controversy. “Death of a Salesman” is a beautiful example in this regard in which the protagonist of the play, Willy Loman, intensely desires an outstanding success for himself and for his sons but this desire is thwarted by powerful social and commercial forces which causes a tragic defeat of Willy Loman’s dreams. 9/10.Arthur Miller is a great modern American dramatist who keenly observes the ambitions and ideals of an individual as well as the internal and external forces which are responsible for the tragic failure of these ideals. A brilliant insight that has been perpetuated since WWII. Kurt Vonnegut once wrote that America is a prosperous nation because the poor will never admit they are poor, and therefore the elite classes have had less social responsibility since the Napoleonic era. A brilliant playwright, he addresses issue of the family, and struggling economy which today are still avoided. Arthur Miller has touched the reality of American life in the depression. Anyone who has read or seen the play will feel the desperation of Biff, and Happy, young men who witness their father's depression, and cannot alter the outcome. He will die as a salesman, bragging about sales which mean nothing, building up his sons into something they never were. Willy Loman has lived in ineffective and meaningless life. The cinematography is stark and unforgiving. It is an initial shock to see him as an aged man. John Malkovich and Gary Sinise are very real, as well as Dustin Hoffman. This film counts as one of those that are uncomfortable, well-acted, and disturbingly real.