Crucial role of women in Death of a Salesman by Artur Miller - Research Paper Example

Contrary to other women characters who live for money and personal benefits, Linda is a boss to her family. Linda takes the part of an instructor who guides the entire family with timely intervention. Even though the sons refuse to obey their father, they support their mother and recognize that she is an important part of their future and to the end of their lives. Linda is a devoted and conservative wife. She exudes love and sympathizes with her husband. The play opens with Willy cancelling his business trip abruptly and returns home in a noticeably tense state.

Instead of questioning him, Linda calmly asks him what led to his return and offers him a sandwich and cheese from the refrigerator and goes back to bed without worrying about anything (Miller, 11). She knows that the cause of his malady is deep rooted and that he is facing serious issues. Instead of dwelling on his mental derangement and a state of worsening health, she goes on to speculate on the vehicle’s condition by informing her husband that maybe the mechanic had not mend the steering wheel or that Willy ought to change his spectacles to assist him in seeing the road clearly.

She advises her husband to request his employer to retain him at the local office, that he was better off in New York rather than in New England as he cannot pain of long distance travelling at his age. Linda is loved by Willy. The moments when Willy reveals his devotion to his wife are persuasive in the play. Even though Willy turns away from the right norms, is lying and full of delusion, Linda never leaves his side and never punishes him for his sins. A self-sacrificing character due to remarkable forgiveness, Linda strengthens the bond between the family members.

She is aware of her husbands’ misgivings: that he is secretly borrowing cash from the neighbor Charley so as to manage bills, knows that Willy could possibly be having an affair, is aware of the rubber hose that is hidden behind the heater but she puts all these aside. She wants to protect her husband from himself and from the rest of the world. This is because her husband has attempted to take his own life several times before. She is afraid that he may try to asphyxiate himself with the rubber hose.

When Willy realizes this, he also strengthens his love for her and reaffirms his need for her in his life. Willy says “You’re the best there is, Linda, you’re a pal, and you know that on the road I would want to grab you sometimes and just kiss the life out of you” (Miller 37-38). Linda is kind to her sons. She speaks in defense of Biff to her husband when she says that “…it is natural for young people to seek company outside home”. Parents should gladly let off their mature sons and not to try to possess them.

She says that it requires a considerable amount of time for a young man to settle down. Biff is moved by her kindness. He often calls her ‘pal’. Happy on the other hand looks at her as an ideal woman. He says that he is looking for a woman of his mother’s character and ‘resistance’ to marry. Happy appears to be searching for a mother –figure or surrogate mother (Miller 37-38). Linda does not hesitate to admonish her sons when they misbehave. She frankly tells Biff that he should not be like a bird coming to the garden in spring and deserting it in winter.

She stresses the need for Biff to support his father in his old age. She emphasizes that he should either respect his father or stay away from home