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Oedipus vs Willy Loman

            A literary tragic hero comes in different forms. In Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Oedipus was a mythological character who experienced intense personal battles since the day he was born. He was cursed at his birth from his ancestor's wrong doings. On the other hand, in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Willy worked towards his tragedy in a sense. Willy chose his own fate and he had the option to change his life for good. Willy Loman was a low-middle class working man who worked his whole life and ended up in tragedy; whereas Oedipus's tragedy was placed upon him at birth which ultimately made him work his whole life to try to counteract it.
             A tragic hero is one who evokes a feeling of pity or fear in the audience. Aristotle believed that any man of power can be a tragic hero, such as Oedipus. Oedipus was particularly tragic because he was cursed at birth. Aristotle's theory is supported by Oedipus the king because Oedipus shows that even those of high power experience fatal tragedy. Miller's theory of tragedy was the opposite of Aristotle's. Miller believed that any man could be a tragic hero. Miller's paradigm was Willy Loman a common man who experienced tragedy through wealth. Miller's use of Willy as a paradigm shows that Miller suggested that no matter whom you are or what you do, tragedy will follow you. He thinks that every person has a different level of tragedy. This contradicts Aristotle because he believed that only certain people were able to be considered "tragic".
             Oedipus and Willy Loman were both significant tragic heroes with different cases of tragedy. Out of the two, Willy Loman would have to be less tragic because Willy chose the tragedy he suffered. Willy Loman had the wrong aspirations since the beginning. He wanted to be well liked by everyone. He wanted to ultimately achieve the "American Dream" to help his family. Willy's idea of achieving this dream was to acquire more than enough money to pay off all the bills.


Essays Related to Oedipus vs Willy Loman

1. Oedipus, Macbeth, and Willy Loman?

Oedipus, Macbeth, Lear, Hamlet, Othello "or Willy Loman. ... Willy Loman is indeed a pathetic and tragic hero of Death of a Salesman, for his problems stem from his own delusions, not unlike Oedipus. ... Both Willy Loman and Oedipus suffer from a major flaw in their character, which is the primary factor in drawing the course of their respective fates. ... Willy Loman is incapable of discerning what is real from what is not. ... Willy Loman speaks not of "success," so much as of being "well liked" (Miller 1324). ...

  • Word Count: 1343
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

2. An analysis of willy

Willy Loman made everything in his life much harder than it really was. ... Willy Loman never even set the first foot in the doorway towards Biffs school. ... This was when Willy Loman was both on salary and commission. ... A few editors also came up with an opinion of Willy's identity also, like when they say, The whole question of Willy's hidden identity is curiously like that in Oedipus. ... Willy Loman made everything he did much harder than it really was. ...

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3. willy loman's dream

In the play, Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Willy Loman is like many people today. ... For example, the other workers do not accept Willy Loman at his workplace. ... Willy Loman states: I'm fat. ... Willy Loman had one chance in his life to become successful. ... In conclusion, Willy Loman tries his best to gain wealth. ...

  • Word Count: 840
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4. Willy Loman: Tragic Hero

Willy Loman believes that, even at the age of 63, he is still handsome, respected and liked. ... Call out the name Willy Loman and see what happens! ... "Willy Loman is here!' ... In the case of Willy Loman, events transpire around his love life that cause his inevitable, tragic end. ... Willy Loman only hears what he wants to hear, in a manner of speaking. ...

  • Word Count: 1230
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5. Tragedy of Death of A Salesman

Although Willy Loman does not fit the classic definition of a tragic hero of Greek or Shakespearean times, he does constitute as a tragic hero according to Arthur Miller. ... Despite possessing "high-bred character," Willy Loman can be considered a tragic hero like Macbeth or Oedipus because he expierienced a tragic fall as well. ... Willy Loman proves to also to create sympathy within the audience much like the classic heroes, perhaps more, because modern audiences can empathize with Willy Loman, because he was the "common man," a man trying to achieve a simple dream through hard work and ded...

  • Word Count: 546
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

6. Death of Sales Man - Willy Loman

At the very outset of my essay, I will you to get to know Willy Loman. ... Willy Loman is a traveling salesman who grew up inspired by the success of his salesman father, who left his family for Alaska. ... But in fact, there are two Willy Lomans in the play. There is the Willy Loman, how we met him at the beginning of the Book, as an exhausted man, which life is soon at the end. And on the other side, the young and self-assured Willy Loman, who appears in Willy's flashbacks and fantasies. ...

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7. Willy Loman - Death of a Salesman

In Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman," Willy Loman struggles to find success and be the role model that his sons look up to him as. ... Witt explains that "Miller himself has created a very big ad for the dysfunctional Willy Loman and its effect is not altogether unlike the effect of the Hastings refrigerator ad on Willy Loman " (Witt 213). ... Witt, though, misses Miller's purpose for Willy Loman. ... To begin with, after getting home from work, Willy and Linda are discussing Willy's position within his company. ... Willy's suicide is the ultimate act of anti-...

  • Word Count: 1301
  • Approx Pages: 5
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8. Willy loman: a tragic hero

Willy Loman: A Tragic Hero A tragic hero is a character exhibits traits of good moral, but possess a fatal flaw that brings upon his or her own downfall. In Arthur Miller's drama, Death of a Salesman, the protagonist and tragic hero, Willy Loman, although somewhat corrupted by material desires, is a man with good morals and noble qualities, but possesses a tragic flaw, which sees him to his inevitable downfall Though a seemingly unsuccessful and emotionally unstable character, Willy Loman has good noble qualities, a characteristic of a tragic hero. ... - In this conversation with...

  • Word Count: 608
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9. Willy Loman in The death of a Salesman

Willy Loman to this day is one of the hardest characters for an actor to act out in a play. ... Willy Loman falsely believes he needs nothing more than to be well liked to make it big. ... How Biff has affected Willy was in a big way. ... How Willy attempts to solve this situation was suicide. ... No one is present at Willy Loman's funeral. ...

  • Word Count: 532
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  • Grade Level: High School

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