9.2.1

The Tragic Hero

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The Tragic Hero

Some have queried the ability of a character like Willy to be classified as a tragic hero. Miller wrote an essay in defence of this, clearly signifying his intention for Willy to occupy this space.

Aristotle

Aristotle

  • Aristotle argued that, for a tragedy to create the essential sense of pity and fear within the audience, the protagonist should be of a high rank or status in their society (e.g. king or governor).
  • Most of the debate around Death of a Salesman as tragedy has centred around Willy as the tragic hero.
Willy

Willy

  • As a burnt out travelling salesman at the end of his career, Willy has been viewed by some as too lowly and insignificant to be considered a proper subject for tragedy.
  • Willy is the archetypal ‘low man’ (‘Loman’) whose failure affects no-one outside of the Loman household: as Linda asks in the closing funeral scene, “Why didn’t anybody come?”
Miller's essay

Miller's essay

  • Arthur Miller himself entered this debate, writing an essay, Tragedy & the Common Man (1949), which defended Willy as a tragic hero. Miller bluntly stated that “the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were…”.
Miller's argument

Miller's argument

  • Miller argued that “the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing - his sense of personal dignity.”

Creating the Tragic Hero

Miller firmly believed Willy could be classified as a tragic hero and early audiences of Death of a Salesman agreed.

Miller's opinion

Miller's opinion

  • For Miller, any individual who battles to preserve his or her sense of self, to stand up for their beliefs is capable of becoming a tragic hero.
  • In the search for truth and justice, “the character gains ‘size’” and is able to powerfully affect audiences.
Audience response

Audience response

  • The first audiences of Death of a Salesman responded powerfully to Willy’s downfall.
  • In elevating Willy to a heroic status, Miller had in some sense elevated or dignified the lives of all ordinary American citizens.
Emotional response

Emotional response

  • For many in these audiences, Willy inspired fear and pity because he was such a universal figure: his fate could befall any of us.
Language

Language

  • Miller’s language in the play also helps to elevate his characters.
  • Biff calls his father “a prince” while Willy romanticises his sons as mythic heroes (“thank Almighty God you're both built like Adonises”), even referring to Biff as “Like a young God, Hercules…”
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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 The Tragic Hero

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

  1. 1
    What did Aristotle say about protagonists in tragedies?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What was the title of Miller's essay defending Willy as a tragic hero?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    Why did contemporary audiences respond powerfully to Willy?Fill in the list
  4. 4
    Reasons why contemporary audiences responded powerfully to Willy:True / false
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Introduction

The Tragic Flaw