Death of a Salesman

In Greek theatre, the famous playwright, Aristotle defines tragedy to be reserved for an individual of noble stature. One would then be seen as a tragic hero. This person has a tragic flaw, which could lead to his or her eventual downfall. However, in modern theatre, playwrights such as Arthur Miller, believe tragedy applies not only to the nobility but also to the common people. In Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, he takes a low position family and exposes the idea of tragic heroes through the fatal flaws of Willy and Biff Loman. Willy, a traveling salesman, is the father of Biff. He believes that in order to be successful, one needs to be well liked, rather than hardworking. Willy is so stubborn that he fails to see anything beyond being prosperous through reputation. Biff accepts the same beliefs as his father until he realizes that he has no direction in his life. He comes to understand that he is a failure and is willing to change. So even though they both have a tragic flaw, Biff recognizes it yet Willy does not.

Willy’s tragic flaw is false pride. He lies to himself think