3.1.5

Key Events 9&10

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Act Two: Key Event Nine

The confrontation between Biff and Willy is the climax of the play, bringing its central conflict out into the open.

Key event nine

Key event nine

  • Biff confronts Willy with the rubber tubing before breaking down in tears and, “exhausted”, heading upstairs.
Significance

Significance

  • The confrontation between Biff and Willy is the climax of the play, bringing its central conflict out into the open.
Quotation

Quotation

  • “WILLY: [He is choking with his love, and now cries out his promise] That boy - that boy is going to be magnificent!"
Explanation

Explanation

  • Willy’s realisation that Biff loves him leads to a moment of discovery and understanding.
  • However, this moment is short-lived.
  • Almost immediately, Willy falls back on his old dreams for Biff, where his son is like Hercules - a conquering hero.
Explanation cont.

Explanation cont.

  • Immediately after this line, Ben responds, “Yes, outstanding, with twenty thousand behind him”, showing how Willy links Biff’s golden future with the proceeds of his own life insurance policy.

Act Two: Key Event Ten - Requiem

Biff conducts a post-mortem analysis of his father's character, concluding Willy’s tragic flaw was his blindness to who he really was.

Key event ten

Key event ten

  • In the play’s short closing scene the Loman family, Charley and Bernard stand by Willy’s grave.
Significance

Significance

  • The requiem acts as a Chorus in Classical tragedy, allowing those present to comment on the tragic hero, Willy.
Quotation

Quotation

  • “He had the wrong dreams. All, all wrong.”
Explanation

Explanation

  • Biff’s short, emphatic sentences, and his use of monosyllables and repetition help to give these lines their power.
  • Biff, who has achieved some level of self-recognition, sums up Willy’s tragic flaw - his blindness to who he really was.
Jump to other topics
1

Introduction

1.1

Introductions

1.1.1Author1.1.2Historical Context1.1.3Setting1.1.4Social Issues
2

Act One

2.1

Key Events

2.1.1Staging2.1.2Key Events 1&22.1.3Key Events 3&42.1.4Key Events 5&62.1.5Key Events 7&82.1.6Key Events 9&102.1.7Key Events 11&12
2.2

Key Themes & Literary Techniques

2.2.1Foreshadowing, Flashbacks, Settings2.2.2Family, Reality, Fantasy
3

Act Two

3.1

Key Events

3.1.1Key Events 1&23.1.2Key Events 3&43.1.3Key Events 5&63.1.4Key Events 7&83.1.5Key Events 9&10
3.2

Key Themes & Links

3.2.1Pride3.2.2Metaphor3.2.3Self-Realisation
4

Extended Passage Analysis

4.1

Act One

4.1.1Staging4.1.2The Woman
4.2

Act Two

4.2.1In Howard’s Office4.2.2The Final Confrontation4.2.3The Requiem
5

Character Profiles

5.1

Willy & Linda Loman

5.1.1Willy Loman5.1.2Linda Loman
5.2

Biff & Happy Loman

5.2.1Biff Loman5.2.2Biff's Relationship with Willy5.2.3Happy Loman
5.3

Other Characters

5.3.1Uncle Ben5.3.2Charley5.3.3Bernard
6

Key Themes

6.1

Concepts

6.1.1The American Dream6.1.2Fathers & Sons6.1.3Nature & the City6.1.4Success6.1.5Men & Women
7

Writing Techniques

7.1

Structure

7.1.1Act One7.1.2Act Two
7.2

Realism

7.2.1Introduction7.2.2Staging7.2.3Language
7.3

Expressionism

7.3.1Introduction7.3.2Staging7.3.3Music
7.4

Symbolism

7.4.1The Garden / Seeds7.4.2Diamonds7.4.3Alaska & Africa
7.5

Motifs

7.5.1Introduction7.5.2Cars7.5.3Silk Stockings7.5.4Money7.5.5Mythological Figures
8

Historical Context

8.1

Historical Context

8.1.1Miller’s Family & The Great Depression8.1.2America’s Recovery
9

Literary Context

9.1

Tragedy

9.1.1Introduction
9.2

Applying Tragic Concepts

9.2.1The Tragic Hero9.2.2The Tragic Flaw9.2.3Recognition9.2.4Emotional Release9.2.5Chaos & Disorder9.2.6Revenge9.2.7Inevitability
10

Critical Debates

10.1

Introduction

10.1.1Introduction
10.2

The Marxist Reading

10.2.1Marxist Analysis10.2.2The Marxist Reading
10.3

The Feminist Reading

10.3.1Feminist Analysis10.3.2The Feminist Reading
10.4

The Eco-Critical Reading

10.4.1Eco-Critical Analysis10.4.2The Eco-Critical Reading10.4.3Post-pastoral
10.5

Other Debates

10.5.1The Play as Tragedy10.5.2The Critics
11

Recap: Main Quotes

11.1

Characters Quotes

11.1.1Willy Loman11.1.2Linda Loman11.1.3Biff Loman11.1.4Happy Loman11.1.5Uncle Ben11.1.6Charley11.1.7Bernard
11.2

Quotes by Act

11.2.1Act One: Key Events 1-3 Quotes11.2.2Act One: Key Events 4-6 Quotes11.2.3Act One: Key Events 7-9 Quotes11.2.4Act One: Key Events 10-12 Quotes11.2.5Act One: Stage Direction Quotes11.2.6Act One: The Woman Quotes11.2.7Act Two: Key Events 1-2 Quotes11.2.8Act Two: Key Events 3-4 Quotes11.2.9Act Two: Key Events 5-6 Quotes11.2.10Act Two: Key Events 7-8 Quotes11.2.11Act Two: Key Events 9-10 Quotes11.2.12Act Two: Howard's Office Quotes11.2.13Act Two: The Requiem Quotes

Practice questions on Key Events 9&10

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Who does Willy compare Biff to in the 'scene' of _Death of a Salesman_?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What does Willy claim Biff will be?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    Character's standing at Willy's grave in the Requiem:Fill in the list
  4. 4
    Which character states: __“He had the wrong dreams. All, all wrong.”__?Multiple choice
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Key Events 7&8

Pride