Review for Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller!
Quick View Review
Overall Rating: **** (4.4/5)
Amazon Rating: **** (4.2/5)
One Sentence Review: This is a classic play that takes on the American Dream in an awakening, relatable story with intricate, tragic heroes as the main characters.
Full Review
Willy Loman is an unsuccessful, traveling salesman with a dysfunctional relationship with everyone in his family. When Biff returns home with no job prospects and seemingly a lazy attitude, the tension between the characters builds.
I had to read this for school, but even if you don't, you can see why this play is so popular. Personally, it's not like I'm in love with this book, like I am with page turners such as Between Shades of Grey and A Court of Mist and Fury. Though after discussing this book in my class, and finding the deeper meanings beside the obvious that skim the surface, I truly began to appreciate the characters and their struggles. I also feel like this is a play that if you read it several times over the course of your life, each time you will find a different meaning. Also, it's a classic, and just one of those plays that you should get around to reading. The book centers around the perceptions of the American Dream, but that's only the beginning of the different shades and themes that this play covers. Some other topics include human weakness, the tragic flaw, tragic heroes, tragedy in of itself, the hope and optimism of Miller’s take on tragedy, and how in order for a character to be a tragic hero, according to Miller, they must have an indestructible will and a need to regain their self dignity when they lose it. Although I didn't particularly like the characters, there is something about them that's so raw and relatable, it's a different type of ‘characters coming to life’. Of course the dialogue is brilliant, as it must be for a play to be successful, but honestly without constant description really doesn't take anything away from the story. Overall, this is a classic, must-read play that will truly make you rethink your life, values, dreams, and morals, and I recommend it to people who like to think and evaluate other people as well as themselves.
Make sure to come back next Wednesday for a new review!
Happy reading!
Xoxo,
Zoe
