Counterexample To Aristotles Characterization Of Tragedy

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

It has been questioned whether Willy Loman is a tragic hero or whether Death of a Salesman is a tragedy. Dramatic tragedy was invented and defined by the Greeks. Aristotle said play has to go through a concept of catharsis to qualify as a tragedy: 1) noble or impressive characters 2) the main character's discovery or recognition of a truth or fault in himself 3) poetic language 4) the ability to arouse and then soothe the audience's pity and fear. A tragic hero is someone with the dedication to die for a belief, but also someone who has a tragic flaw or limitation that defines him as a character and makes the tragedy happen but mainly one of noble birth. However, Arthur

Miller argued that times have changed- "we no longer live in an era dominated by kings and queens- and so maybe our definition of tragedy should change, too."  The changing ideas on the qualities of a "modern tragedy" mean also changing the qualities of a "modern tragic hero".

Though he is a common man or a Low-man as his name suggests, Willy was described by Miller as "a very brave spirit who cannot settle for half but must pursue his dream of himself to the end." Though Willy did not have great intellectual powers, the first of Aristotle's qualities, he did experience self-awareness- otherwise he would not have killed himself when he realised his life was meaningless. The question of why Willy commits suicide is of course central. The forces that drove Willy to kill himself were perhaps; escape, from the empty and bitter reality of his life; revenge,

for his sons' disrespect and resentment; power, in taking action when everything seems hopeless; courage, to lay down his life; victory, finally being able to make a profitable deal, and, by redeeming his life insurance policy, giving his son a fortune, understanding, that he went wrong. So Willy Loman wreaks havoc on his own life and on that of his sons. The blight of his own confusion is visited upon them. His final attempt to make a legacy for Biff and Happy is his suicide, which he feels will earn the $20,000 of his insurance policy.

Willy wants to make an impression, to be remembered after his death, to "give something" to Biff and Happy, and his inability to do any of these haunts him. Once he realises his life has been futile: he is old, has achieved little, and is scorned by his peers and his sons. Willy comes to face, the absurdity of life, and it is for this reason that "attention must be paid." As Linda says "A small man can be just as exhausted as a great man," this reinforces the idea that a tragic hero must no longer be a man of high moral stature, he need not have the power or largeness of a King but he can be an ordinary "Lowman" to be influential on an audience and because Death of a Salesman is also a criticism of the moral and social standards of contemporary America, not merely a record of the particular plight of one man. And, also, it presents Willy as a victim of the deterioration of the "American dream".

I agree however with the belief that Willy Loman was a tragic hero due to the fact that the American Dream has long turned sour for him. At the beginning of his life, he remembers travelling in a wagon going westward. His parents conquered the new frontier and succeeded. His brother Ben went "into the jungle at 17 and came out rich at age 21". For a while, the American Dream was alive in Willy too. He helped stake out new territory by selling his goods, his son Biff was going to go to university with a scholarship and he had a home with no apartments closing on him. But now, he was forced to work on commission at an old age and was fired later by his godson.  His favoured son Biff had wandered about the country doing odd jobs for many years, his friend's son Charlie was successful and his home was now surrounded by apartment buildings which blocked out the sunlight. He was not a success in selling, he failed to raise his sons and his beliefs were just delusions. Only through hard work and perseverance would he achieve his goal of success but he decided to go along the lazy route and failed.

I believe his own delusions are a result of his failure to succeed in life. He still believes he is popular, respected and good looking. But at age 63, he is none of these. Nobody liked him that much since very few people came to his funeral. His delusion was that there would be people across the country coming to the funeral. However, in those moments that he begins to realize the truth, his wife Linda while understanding his situation, supports his delusion. She says to him that "you're the best looking man in the world". But the truth is that being popular and good looking is not how you would succeed in the world now. It would be through hard work and perseverance. Willy Loman was a sad man who's only dream was burned in front of his eyes and held to haunt him the rest of his life.

Howard knew that the road job for Willy was very tiring as shown when he put Willy on commission. However, when Willy went in to see Howard about getting a desk job, Willy was met with disrespect and greed. Howard's explanation to his reason is."... you gotta admit, business is business." (Act II 60) This quote shows clearly that because Willy wasn't producing anything he was of no worth to the company. However, we know that Howard has the means by which to employee Willy through his references such has having a maid and his recent purchase of the tape recorder. Howard's greed leads him to ignore the fact that Willy has worked for this company for 34 years and has never asked for a favour before. Thus the individual, Willy, was shown no compassion because of Howard's greed and was fired because of it.

The idea of `the harder you work the more you will succeed' is proven wrong by Willy through his attempts at success. As seen throughout the play Willy has always tried his hardest. He was willing to wake up early and drive hundreds of miles by himself, to attempt to get a sale. However, lately we have come to find out that Willy hasn't been making any sales. He has been borrowing $50 a week from his neighbour, Charley, to pay for his expenses. We know that Willy is exhausted from driving when he says, .".. I absolutely forgot I was driving... I went on again--and five minutes later I'm dreaming' again and I nearly--[He presses two fingers against his eyes.]" (Act I 3) Willy would be going on these trips and would never completely rejuvenate his energy. It could even be seen while reading when he presses his fingers to eyes as representations of how tired he is from working so hard.

In the business world people are seen as expendable once they outlive their usefulness. Willy having worked for the company for 34 years has put a great deal of time and effort and yet is tossed away. It seems as if because he isn't the biggest and the best that he is worthless and that is exactly how he was treated. Howard showed little to no respect for Willy when they were meeting. Willy comments to Howard that, " You can't just eat the orange and throw the peel away--a man is not a piece of fruit!" (Act II 62) Willy attempts to show Howard that he can't just have him when he was in his prime, you have to take him for who is not who he was. However, Howard chooses otherwise and fires him; putting Willy out of work unable to produce an income for his family, leading towards Willy killing himself.

Willy Loman was a sad man who's only dream was burned in front of his eyes and held to haunt him the rest of his life.  He was a loving but horrible father and unfaithful husband, who in the end only measured himself and his family up to what they had become and seeing no reason to go on took the easy way out and killed himself.