Anxiety that Killed Millers Main Character - Essay Example

Anxiety that Killed Miller’s Main Character Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman tells about a family’s life during a not-so distant America. The family’s name is Loman, with Willy as the father; Linda as the wife and mother to two sons: Biff and Happy. Already in his old age, Willy still worked hard earning for a commission as a salesman. Linda is just a plain housewife who appeared to be erudite of his husband’s present mental and emotional health (which is already deteriorating). The two sons arrived home for a break. Both had their own life. While Happy’s life has been a good one at his own, Biff’s seems to be miserable. Biff was not able to finish high school. They have no stable or steady means of income. The play takes place in a suburban neighborhood in New York. It is in the period when the population in America is getting bigger, thus the demand of medium rise residences even in a relatively outskirt neighborhood in the city. The reader will be ushered in the perspective that of an impoverished family in the 1930’s (1930’s is also the period when Arthur Miller is said to have experience working in odd jobs). The reader will encounter the suffering and hardship of the life as a salesman–already old and whose loyal patrons were likely dead or retired–during the America’s Great Depression. Moreover, the reader is moved at the consequences of the Loman’s ambitious and assuming father. At the past, Willy was so assuming of his son, Biff. One time, when Biff was about to take a Math exam and has been constantly reminded by his friend and neighbor, Bernard, Willy was not worried. Consequently, Biff failed in his grade, and so his plans to go to college. The more disappointing event was when Biff, who wanted to save his grade and his university scholarship, went to Boston for his Father, only to catch him in an affair with a fair lady in a hotel room. Told by his dad to take a summer class in Math, Biff–to his consternation and hatred of his father’s infidelity–did not take the advice. There were also a number of recollections on the part of Willy especially when he is constantly visited by his late Brother Ben. The conversation, between Willy and Ben was lucid, even though Ben has passed away two weeks ago. In the conversation, Ben and Willy inquired about their parents. It is also sad to note that Ben has once invited Willy to work in Alaska. And, Willy has remembered when he wanted Ben to share to his two sons his principle, “to walk into the jungle” (Miller 36). One day, Biff and Happy went back to home and had stayed in their same room for a vacation. Biff, Happy and Linda had noticed Willy’s bitter disposition towards Biff early on when the four were together. They tried to oblige Willy to go easy and gentle on Biff, to no avail. So they devised a plan for Biff to owe money from Oliver, whom Biff had worked for in the past. They thought that this might comfort Willy because he doesn’t like Biff to be always a “philandering bum.” Also he wanted Biff to “cut down [his] life for spite” (Miller 96). Willy has to ask also his unappreciative boss, Howard Wagner, to allow him to work in New York so that he will not travel far places. On that same day, Happy and Biff invited their father for a dinner; this delighted the father, as well as, Linda. They thought that the recent progress can finally relieve them from anxiety of poverty. Just they thought that it would be altogether simple, they were wrong. When Oliver did not recognize Biff, and Howard did not allow Willy and has even fired him, the father and son were very frustrated. In the appointed dinner, the three were very disgruntled to hear the bad news. There at the restaurant, Biff and Happy left Willy alone–this disappointed Linda. In the house, the family had a quarrel until Biff has confessed how he cared for his Father. Then, it strikes a chord in his being a Father to Biff. Biff, Willy, Linda and Happy were very charged on that very evening, so they went to bed. But Willy did not–and has just assured Linda that he will shortly. And just shortly, Willy drove the car out of the garage and has sped away. The scene was followed by sad and mournful mood. Their neighbor, Charley, informed the family of the sad fate of Willy. Willy has crushed, which eventually killed himself. It appeared that since Willy has an insurance claim, this can give a good start to the bereaved family. The reader will notice that only the bereaved and their neighbor, Bernard and Charley were the ones who attended the funeral. And the emotion wrought in Linda’s face is liberating; this connotes the kind of personality of Willy. “We’re free and clear” (Miller 104), said Linda. Arthur Miller’s impressive play, The Death of a Salesman represents humanity’s love of family, financial security, importance of perseverance and understanding. The Intricate Tragedy of Hamlet Hamlet is one of the four major tragedies (with the other three as: Romeo and Juliet, Othello and Macbeth) of William Shakespeare. It tells about a royal family in Denmark which is involved in a highly elaborate web of intrigue and deceit. The play is starred by Hamlet, the prince of Denmark; Claudius, the King of Denmark; and Gertrude; the Queen. It is set in a royal castle where the family is residing. The former King of Denmark–the brother of Claudius and the previous husband to Gertrude–has died. The news was that the king was bitten by a serpent in the ear during his sleep. Hamlet doesn’t know that his Uncle and Mother had poisoned his father. Immediately, Claudius is enthroned as the King and has married his sister-in-law, Gertrude in no later than his father’s death. One evening when two officers whose names were Bernardo and Marcellus were on-duty as sentinels, a ghost mysteriously appeared which bore a resemblance to that of the late King of Denmark. Knowing this, a friend of Hamlet, whose name is Horatio–also a witness of the apparition–has opined that there is a looming “strange eruption to our state” (Shakespeare 3). Horatio, the next day has informed Hamlet of the apparition of the ghost which bore a resemblance to his Father. Claudius and Gertrude noticed already Hamlet’s madness towards other people. And he’s becoming bitter all the time. The Queen and the King thought that this is due to Hamlet’s great loss. “Do not for ever with thy [veiled] lids / Seek for thy noble father in the dust” (Shakespeare 8). It is the swiftness of the wedding after his Father’s death which upsets Hamlet. “She married. O most wicked speed, to post / With such dexterity to incestuous sheets” (Shakespeare 9). On the appointed evening, the ghost appeared before the eyes of Hamlet. The ghost even asked Hamlet to follow him. Hamlet obliged and went with his father’s ghost, although Marcellus and Horatio asked Hamlet not to follow the ghost. Marcellus cried out, “something is rotten in the state of Denmark” (Shakespeare 18). While the father’s ghost and Hamlet were together, the ghost has told Hamlet about his treacherous death. “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life / Now wears his crown” (Shakespeare 19). To this, Hamlet thought to himself that his uncle killed his Father. So Hamlet devised a plan to avenge the death of his Father. On their part, the couple devised also their plan for Hamlet to stop his bitterness towards them. They did know that the ghost of Hamlet’s father appeared and actually had a talk with Hamlet. They were also informed by Ophelia–attracted to Hamlet–that Hamlet the night before has entered her closet, “with his doublet all unbrac’d / no hat upon his head, his stockings foul’d / ungart’red… / Then goes he to the length of all his arm / And, with his other hand thus o’er his brow, / he falls to such perusal of my face… / At last, a little shaking of mine arm" (Shakespeare 26). To this, they surmised that perhaps Hamlet is madly in love with Ophelia. They did not know that Hamlet’s frightened in seeing his father’s ghost previously when he entered Ophelia’s closet. For Hamlet to irrefutably conclude that it was his Uncle who killed his Father, he staged a play with the plot similar to Claudius. If, Claudius and Gertrude will appear guilty of their own acts, Hamlet can easily notice this. Obviously during the play, Gertrude and Claudius had already recognized the clever scheme of Hamlet. Claudius decided to slay Hamlet to keep his furtive usurpation to Claudius and Gertrude alone. Thus, he wrote a letter to his friend in England. There, Hamlet will embark on a journey and the captain will hang Hamlet. When Hamlet intercepted the letter he rewrote it to mean that upon receiving the letter the captain is to hang the messengers. Hamlet stormed Gertrude and they had a torrid conversation. “O, speak to me no more! / These words like daggers enter in mine ears” (Shakespeare 68), said Gertrude. But the ghost appeared and has said, “Speak to her, Hamlet” (Shakespeare 68). Gertrude now concluded that he is mad due to her infidelity and his Father’s murder. And Hamlet has killed Polonius–the father of Ophelia. Knowing that his father has been murdered, Ophelia drowned herself in the river. The furious Claudius invited Laertes (son of Polonius and brother to Ophelia) and Hamlet for swordfight. Claudius prepared a cup of wine with poison so that if Hamlet will drink the wine after the fight, he will faint and die; he has also put a poison in Laertes’ sword, this unfortunately wounded Hamlet. In his rage, he stabbed Laertes, as well as the King. Tired and shocked from the sight of the battle, Gertrude, drank from the cup of wine with which Claudius has put a poison. At the end, Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Polonius and Laertes were all dead. Fortinbras, who is the prince of Norway, succeeded the throne of Denmark. The tragedy of Hamlet by William Shakespeare is very rhetorical. It explores the many facets of life’s dynasty, politics, corruption, love and faith. Perhaps, aside from the play’s entertaining qualities, it also imparts knowledge among people for the generations, typical of the plays, sonnets and poems of the great playwright, William Shakespeare. Work Cited Shakespeare, William. “Hamlet” UOregon.edu. 1604. Web. 16 Apr. 2011 . Miller, Arthur. “Death of a Salesman” MediaFire.com. 1949. Web 14 Apr. 2011 . Read More