10.5.1
The Play as Tragedy
The Play as a Tragedy
The Play as a Tragedy
There are three main competing views regarding the classification of Death of a Salesman as a tragedy.
Debate
Debate
- Since its first performances, critics and commentators (and Arthur Miller himself) have become embroiled in the debate over whether Death of a Salesman should be considered a tragedy.
Miller
Miller
- As there is no single, universal definition of what constitutes a tragedy, this is an argument that can never be settled.
- Miller has himself changed his mind on the matter several times while also arguing that it simply does not matter how the play is categorised, admitting, “I have often wished I had never written a word on the subject of tragedy”.
Different views
Different views
- The next section will introduce you to three competing views on Death of a Salesman as a tragedy.
1Introduction
1.1Introductions
2Act One
3Act Two
4Extended Passage Analysis
5Character Profiles
5.1Willy & Linda Loman
5.2Biff & Happy Loman
5.3Other Characters
6Key Themes
7Writing Techniques
7.1Structure
7.3Expressionism
8Historical Context
8.1Historical Context
9Literary Context
9.1Tragedy
10Critical Debates
10.1Introduction
10.2The Marxist Reading
10.3The Feminist Reading
10.4The Eco-Critical Reading
10.5Other Debates
Jump to other topics
1Introduction
1.1Introductions
2Act One
3Act Two
4Extended Passage Analysis
5Character Profiles
5.1Willy & Linda Loman
5.2Biff & Happy Loman
5.3Other Characters
6Key Themes
7Writing Techniques
7.1Structure
7.3Expressionism
8Historical Context
8.1Historical Context
9Literary Context
9.1Tragedy
10Critical Debates
10.1Introduction
10.2The Marxist Reading
10.3The Feminist Reading
10.4The Eco-Critical Reading
10.5Other Debates
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