7.2.2

Staging

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Stage Design

Miller changed his mind about the stage design of the play several times, finally deciding on Jo Mielziner's vision.

Original concept

Original concept

  • Miller’s initial idea for the stage design of the play which would become Death of a Salesman was highly original.
  • In order to compliment his initial working title, “The Inside of his Head”, Miller imagined “an enormous face” the height of the stage which would “then open up”.
Changing design

Changing design

  • As he drafted the play, both the title and the concept behind the stage design changed radically.
  • Miller now wanted a very minimal design with three simple black platforms used to signify different settings.
Mielziner's influence

Mielziner's influence

  • Miller was persuaded by his original set designer, Jo Mielziner, to once again change his ideas.
  • Mielziner argued that the Loman house should be “the most important visual symbol in the play” and that the stage design should reflect this.
Significance

Significance

  • The house dominates many of Willy and Linda’s discussions in the play and the play ends with Linda telling Willy’s grave that they have paid the final mortgage payment meaning that, after twenty-five years, the house finally belongs to them.
Stage design

Stage design

  • Mielziner wanted to give the house a physical reality and it is his design which is captured in the opening stage direction of the play: “we see a solid vault of apartment houses… the kitchen at centre… a kitchen table with three chairs, and a refrigerator etc.”

Props

Jo Mielziner, the stage designer, helped to create the illusion of realism through his use of props.

Choice of props

Choice of props

  • Although minimal, confined to just a few material objects, Mielziner decided to use objects and appliances that would be found in almost every lower-middle-class household of the time and took care to ensure that key props such as the refrigerator did not look brand new.
Socio-economic status

Socio-economic status

  • It was important that the Loman household looked lived in, and that it reflected the Loman's inability to buy top-of-the-range appliances.
Contemporary times

Contemporary times

  • Moreover, Miller uses real, contemporary brands and celebrity endorsements in his dialogue in order to make the world of the play as close as possible to that of his audience.
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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 Staging

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

  1. 1
    Who was Miller's original set designer?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    Features of the opening stage direction of _Death of a Salesman_:True / false
  3. 3
    Key features of the Loman household:True / false
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Introduction

Language