Death of a Saleman

8/17/2019 Death of a Saleman

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Summary

The play begins on a Monday evening at the Loman family home in Brooklyn.

After some light changes on stage and ambient flute music (the first instance of a

motif connected to Willy Loman’s faint memory of his father !ho !as once a

flute"maker and salesman# Willy a si$ty"three"year"old traveling salesman

returns home early from a trip apparently e$hausted. %is !ife Linda gets out of

bed to greet him. &he asks if he had an automobile accident since he once

drove off a bridge into a river. 'rritated he replies that nothing happened. Willy

e$plains that he kept falling into a trance !hile drivinghe reveals later that he

almost hit a boy. Linda urges him to ask his employer %o!ard Wagner for a non"

traveling )ob in *e! +ork ,ity. Willy’s t!o adult sons Biff and %appy are visiting.

Before he left that morning Willy critici-ed Biff for !orking at manual labor on

farms and horse ranches in the West. The argument that ensued !as left

unresolved. Willy says that his thirty"four"year"old son is a la-y bum. &hortly

thereafter he declares that Biff is anything but la-y. Willy’s habit of contradicting

himself becomes uickly apparent in his conversation !ith Linda.

Willy’s loud rambling !akes his sons. They speculate that he had another

accident. Linda returns to bed !hile Willy goes to the kitchen to get something to

eat. %appy and Biff reminisce about the good old days !hen they !ere young.

Although %appy thirty"t!o is younger than Biff he is more confident and more

successful. Biff seems !orn apprehensive and confused. %appy is !orried

about Willy’s habit of talking to himself. Most of the time %appy observes Willy

talks to the absent Biff about his disappointment in Biff’s unsteadiness. Biff

hopped from )ob to )ob after high school and is concerned that he has /!aste0d1

his life.2 %e is disappointed in himself and in the disparity bet!een his life and the

notions of value and success !ith !hich Willy indoctrinated him as a boy. %appy

has a steady )ob in *e! +ork but the rat race does not satisfy him. %e and Biff

fantasi-e briefly about going out !est together. %o!ever %appy still longs to

become an important e$ecutive. %e sleeps !ith the girlfriends and fianc3es of his



superiors and often takes bribes in an attempt to climb the corporate ladder from

his position as an assistant to the assistant buyer in a department store.

Biff plans to ask Bill 4liver an old employer for a loan to buy a ranch. %e

remembers that 4liver thought highly of him and offered to help him anytime. %e

!onders if 4liver still thinks that he stole a carton of basketballs !hile he !as

!orking at his store. %appy encourages his brother commenting that Biff is /!ell

liked2a sure predictor of success in the Loman household. The boys are

disgusted to hear Willy talking to himself do!nstairs. They try to go to sleep.

Willy is lost in his memories. &uddenly the memories of his sons’ childhood

come alive. +oung Biff and %appy !ash and !a$ their father’s car after he has )ust returned from a sales trip. Biff informs Willy that he /borro!ed2 a football from

the locker room to practice. Willy laughs kno!ingly. %appy tries to get his father’s

attention but Willy’s preference for Biff is obvious. Willy !hispers that he !ill

soon open a bigger business than his successful neighbor 5ncle ,harley

because ,harley is not as /!ell liked2 as he is. ,harley’s son Bernard arrives to

beg Biff to study math !ith him. Biff is close to failing math !hich !ould prevent

him from graduating. Willy orders Biff to study. Biff distracts him by sho!ing himthat he printed the insignia of the 5niversity of 6irginia on his sneakers

impressing Willy. Bernard states that the sneakers do not mean Biff !ill graduate.

After Bernard leaves Willy asks if Bernard is liked. The boys reply that he is liked

but not /!ell liked.2 Willy tells them that Bernard may make good grades but

%appy and Biff !ill be more successful in business because they are /!ell liked.2

&till in his daydream of fifteen years ago Willy brags to Linda that he made

789:: in sales that !eek. Linda uickly figures his commission at over 79:: . Willy

then hedges his estimation. 5nder uestioning he admits that he grossed only

79:: . The 7;: commission is barely adeuate to cover the family’s e$penses. 'n a

rare moment of lucidity and self"criticism Willy moans that he cannot move

ahead because people do not seem to like him. Linda tells him that he is



successful enough. Willy complains that he talks and )okes too much. %e

e$plains that ,harley earns respect because he is a man of fe! !ords. %is

)ealousy of his neighbor becomes painfully clear. Willy thinks people laugh at him

for being too fat< he once punched a man for )oking about his /!alrus2 physiue. As Linda assures him that he is the handsomest man ever Willy replies that she

is his best friend in the !orld. =ust as he tells her that he misses her terribly !hen

he is on the road The Woman’s laughter sounds from the darkness.

The Woman is Willy’s mistress and a secretary for one of his buyers. 'n Willy’s

daydream they sit in a hotel room. &he tells him that she picked him because he

is so funny and s!eet. Willy loves the praise. &he thanks Willy for giving her

stockings and promises to put him right through to the buyers !hen she sees him

ne$t. The Woman fades into the darkness as Willy returns to his conversation

!ith Linda in the present. %e notices Linda mending stockings and angrily

demands that she thro! them outhe is too proud to let his !ife !ear an old pair

(Biff later discovers that Willy has been buying ne! stockings for The Woman

instead of for Linda#. Bernard returns to the Loman house to beg Biff to study

math. Willy orders him to give Biff the ans!ers. Bernard replies that he cannot do

so during a state e$am. Bernard insists that Biff return the football. Lindacomments that some mothers fear that Biff is /too rough2 !ith their daughters.

Willy enraged by the unglamorous truth of his son’s behavior plunges into a

state of distraction and shouts at them to shut up. Bernard leaves the house and

Linda leaves the room holding back tears.

The memory fades. Willy laments to himself and %appy that he did not go to

Alaska !ith his brother Ben !ho acuired a fortune at the age of t!enty"one

upon discovering an African diamond mine. ,harley having heard the shouts

visits to check on Willy. They play cards. ,harley concerned about Willy offers

him a )ob but Willy is insulted by the offer. %e asks ,harley if he sa! the ceiling

he put in his living room but he becomes surly !hen ,harley e$presses interest

insisting that ,harley’s lack of skill !ith tools proves his lack of masculinity. Ben



appears on the stage in a semi"daydream. %e cuts a dignified utterly confident

figure. Willy tells ,harley that Ben’s !ife !rote from Africa to tell them Ben had

died. %e alternates bet!een conversing !ith ,harley and his dead brother. Willy

gets angry !hen ,harley !ins a hand so ,harley takes his cards and leaves. %eis disturbed that Willy is so disoriented that he talks to a dead brother as if he

!ere present. Willy immerses himself in the memory of a visit from his brother.

Ben and Willy’s father abandoned the family !hen Willy !as three or four years

old and Ben !as seventeen. Ben left home to look for their father in Alaska but

never found him. At Willy’s reuest Ben tells young Biff and %appy about their

grandfather. Among an assortment of other )obs Willy and Ben’s father made

flutes and sold them as a traveling salesman before follo!ing a gold rush to

Alaska. Ben proceeds to !restle the young Biff to the ground in a demonstration

of unbridled machismo !ielding his umbrella threateningly over Biff’s eye. Willy

begs Ben to stay longer but Ben hurries to catch his train.

Willy’s shouts !ake Linda and Biff !ho find Willy outside in his slippers. Biff asks

Linda ho! long he has been talking to himself and %appy )oins them outside.

Linda e$plains that Willy’s mental unbalance results from his having lost his

salary (he no! !orks only on commission#. Linda kno!s that Willy borro!s fiftydollars a !eek from ,harley and pretends it is his salary. Linda claims that Biff

and %appy are ungrateful. &he calls %appy a /philandering bum.2 Angry and

guilt"ridden Biff offers to stay home and get a )ob to help !ith e$penses. Linda

says that he cannot fight !ith Willy all the time. &he e$plains that all of his

automobile accidents are actually failed suicide attempts. &he adds that she

found a rubber hose behind the fuse bo$ and a ne! nipple on the !ater heater’s

gas pipea sign that Willy attempted to asphy$iate himself. Willy overhears Biff

%appy and Linda arguing about him. When Biff )okes !ith his father to snap him

out of his trance Willy misunderstands and thinks that Biff is calling him cra-y.

They argue and Willy maintains that he is a /big shot2 in the sales !orld.



%appy mentions that Biff plans to ask Bill 4liver for a business loan. Willy

brightens immediately. %appy outlines a publicity campaign to sell sporting

goods< the business proposal !hich revolves around the brothers using their

natural physical abilities to lead publicity displays of sporting events isthenceforth referred to as the />lorida idea.2 ?veryone loves the idea of %appy

and Biff going into business together. Willy begins offering dubious and

some!hat unhelpful advice for Biff’s loan intervie!. 4ne moment he tells Biff not

to crack any )okes< the ne$t he tells him to lighten things up !ith a couple of

funny stories. Linda tries to offer support but Willy tells her several times to be

uiet. %e orders Biff not to pick up anything that falls off 4liver’s desk because

doing so is an office boy’s )ob. Before they fall asleep Linda again begs Willy to

ask his boss for a non"traveling )ob. Biff removes the rubber hose from behind

the fuse bo$ before he retires to bed.

When Willy a!akes the ne$t morning Biff and %appy have already left Biff to

see Bill 4liver and %appy to mull over the />lorida idea2 and go to !ork. Willy in

high spirits !ith the prospect of the />lorida idea2 mentions that he !ould like to

get some seeds and plant a small garden in the yard. Linda pleased !ith her

husband’s hopeful mood points out that there is not enough sun. Willy repliesthat they !ill have to get a house in the country. Linda reminds Willy to ask his

boss %o!ard for a non"traveling )ob as !ell as an advance to pay the insurance

premium. They have one last payment on both the refrigerator and the house

and they have )ust finished paying for the car. Linda informs Willy that Biff and

%appy !ant to take him to dinner at >rank’s ,hop %ouse at si$ o’clock. As Willy

departs moved and e$cited by his sons’ dinner invitation he notices a stocking

that Linda is mending and guilt"ridden !ith the latent memory of his adultery !ith

The Woman admonishes her to thro! the stocking a!ay.

Willy timidly enters %o!ard’s office. %o!ard is playing !ith a !ire recorder he

has )ust purchased for dictation. %e plays the recorded voices of his family@ his

cloyingly enthusiastic children (a !histling daughter and a son !ho recites the



state capitals in alphabetical order# and his shy !ife. As Willy tries to e$press

admiration %o!ard repeatedly shushes him. Willy asks for a non"traveling )ob at

7 a !eek. %o!ard replies that there is no opening available. %e looks for his

lighter. Willy finds it and hands it to him unconsciously ignoring in his nervousand pathetically humble distraction his o!n advice never to handle or tend to

ob)ects in a superior’s office since that is the responsibility of /office boys.2 Willy

keeps lo!ering his salary reuest e$plaining his financial situation in unusually

candid detail but %o!ard remains resistant. %o!ard keeps calling him /kid2 and

assumes a condescending tone despite his younger age and Willy’s reminders

that he helped %o!ard’s father name him.

I realized that selling was the greatest career a man could want.

(See Important Quotations Explained )

Cesperate Willy tries to relate an anecdote about Cave &ingleman an eighty"

four"year"old salesman !ho phoned his buyers and made his sales !ithout ever

leaving his hotel room. After he died the noble /death of a salesman2 that eludes

Willy hundreds of salesmen and buyers attended his funeral. Willy reveals that

his acuaintance !ith this venerable paragon of salesmanship convinced him to

become a salesman himself rather than )oin his brother Ben on his ne!ly

purchased plot of timberland in Alaska. &ingleman’s dignified success and

graceful respected position as an older man deluded Willy into believing that

/selling !as the greatest career a man could !ant2 because of its limitless

potential and its honorable nature. Willy laments the loss of friendship and

personality in the business and he complains that no one kno!s him anymore.

An uninterested %o!ard leaves the office to attend to other people and hereturns !hen Willy begins shouting frantically after accidentally s!itching on the

!ire recorder. ?ventually Willy becomes so distraught that %o!ard informs him

that he does not !ant Willy to represent his company anymore. %o!ard

essentially fires Willy !ith the vague implication of reemployment after a period

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/salesman/quotes.html#CHDIDBDC

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/salesman/quotes.html#CHDIDBDC



of /rest.2 %e suggests that Willy turn to his sons (!ho he understandably

assumes are successful given Willy’s loud bragging# for financial support but

Willy is horrified at the thought of depending on his children and reversing the

e$pected familial roles. %e is far too proud to admit defeat and %o!ard mustinsist repeatedly on the cessation of Willy’s employment before it sinks in.

After %o!ard leaves Willy immerses himself in memories of a visit from Ben.

Ben asks Willy to go to Alaska and manage a tract of timberland he has

purchased. Linda slightly afraid of Ben says that Willy already has a nice )ob.

Ben departs as Willy tries desperately to gain a !ord of approval from him

comparing the intangible success of the honorable Cave &ingleman to the

concrete possibilities of timber. Bernard arrives to accompany the Lomans to the

big football game at ?bbets >ield. %e begs Biff to allo! him to carry his helmet.

%appy snaps and insists on carrying it. Biff generously allo!s Bernard to carry

his shoulder pads. ,harley ambles over to tease Willy a little about the immature

importance he is placing on the football game and Willy gro!s furious.

'n the present the gro!n"up Bernard is sitting in his father’s reception room

!hen his father’s secretary =enny enters to beg him to deal !ith Willy. 4utside

Willy still immersed in his memory argues !ith an invisible ,harley from the past

about Biff’s football game. Bernard converses !ith Willy and mentions that he

has a case to argue in Washington C.,. Willy replies that Biff is !orking on a

very big deal in to!n. Willy breaks do!n and asks Bernard !hy Biff’s life seemed

to end after his big football game. Bernard mentions that Biff failed math but !as

determined to go to summer school and pass. %e adds that Biff !ent to see Willy

in Boston but after he came back he burned his sneakers !ith the 5niversity of

6irginia’s insignia. Attempting a candid conversation !ith the !ounded Willy

Bernard asks him !hat happened in Boston that changed Biff’s intentions and

drained his motivation. Willy becomes angry and resentful and demands to kno!

if Bernard blames him for Biff’s failure. ,harley e$its his office to say goodbye to

Bernard. %e mentions that Bernard is arguing a case before the &upreme ,ourt.



Willy simultaneously )ealous and proud of Bernard is astounded that Bernard

did not mention it.

'n his office ,harley counts out fifty dollars. With difficulty Willy asks for over a

hundred this time to pay his insurance fees. After a moment ,harley states that

he has offered Willy a non"traveling )ob !ith a !eekly salary of fifty dollars and

scolds Willy for insulting him. Willy refuses the )ob again insisting that he already

has one despite ,harley’s reminder that Willy earns no money at his )ob.

Broken he admits that %o!ard fired him. 4utraged and incredulous he again

mentions that he chose %o!ard’s name !hen he !as born. ,harley replies that

Willy cannot sell that sort of thing. Willy retorts that he has al!ays thought the

key to success !as being !ell liked. ?$asperated ,harley asks !ho liked =. D.

Morgan. %e angrily gives Willy the money for his insurance. Willy shuffles out of

the office in tears.

%appy banters !ith the !aiter &tanley. %appy is flirting !ith a pretty girl named

Miss >orsythe !hen Biff arrives to )oin him. After she responds to his pick"up line

by claiming that she is in fact a cover girl %appy tells her that he is a successful

champagne salesman and that Biff is a famous football player. =udging from

%appy’s repeated comments on her moral character and his description of her as

/on call2 Miss >orsythe is probably a prostitute. %appy invites her to )oin them.

&he e$its to make a phone call to cancel her previous plans and to invite a

girlfriend to )oin them. Biff e$plains to %appy that he !aited si$ hours to see

4liver only to have 4liver not even remember him. Biff asks !here he got the

idea that he !as a salesman for 4liver. %e had actually been only a lo!ly

shipping clerk but someho! Willy’s e$aggerations and lies had transformed him

into a salesman in the Loman family’s collective memory. After 4liver and the

secretary left Biff recounts he ran into 4liver’s office and stole his fountain pen.

%appy advises Biff to tell Willy that 4liver is thinking over his business

proposition claiming that eventually the !hole situation !ill fade a!ay from their



father’s memory. When Willy arrives he reveals that he has been fired and states

that he !ants some good ne!s to tell Linda. Cespite this pressure Biff attempts

to tell the truth. Cisoriented Willy shouts that Biff cannot blame everything on him

because Biff is the one !ho failed math after all. ,onfused at his father’s cra-edemphasis on his high school math failure Biff steels himself to forge ahead !ith

the truth but the situation reaches crisis proportions !hen Willy absolutely

refuses to listen to Biff’s story. 'n a fren-y as the perilous truth closes in on him

Willy enters a semi"daydream state reliving Biff’s discovery of him and The

Woman in their Boston hotel room. A desperate Biff backs do!n and begins to lie

to assuage his frantic father. Miss >orsythe returns !ith her friend Letta. Willy

insulted at Biff’s /spite2 furiously lashes out at his son’s attempts to e$plain

himself and the impossibility of returning to 4liver. Willy !anders into the

restroom talking to himself and an embarrassed %appy informs the !omen that

he is not in fact their father. Biff angrily tells %appy to help Willy accusing him of

not caring about their father. %e hurries out of the restaurant in a vorte$ of guilt

and anguish. %appy frantically asks &tanley for the bill< !hen the !aiter doesn’t

respond immediately %appy rushes after Biff pushing Miss >orsythe and Letta

along in front of him and leaving Willy babbling alone in the restroom.

5pon his sons’ departure from >rank’s ,hop %ouse Willy is immersed in the

memory of the teenage Biff’s visit to see him in Boston. 'n his daydream it is night

and he is in a hotel room !ith his mistress !hile in the present he is presumably

still in the restroom of >rank’s ,hop %ouse. Biff is outside knocking on the hotel

room door after telephoning the room repeatedly !ith no result. The Woman

!ho is dressing pesters Willy to ans!er the door. &he flirtatiously describes ho!

he has /ruined2 her and she offers to send him straight through to the buyers

!hom she represents the ne$t time he visits Boston on business. Willy !ho is

clearly nervous about his surprise visitor finally consents to her appeals to

ans!er the door. %e orders her to stay in the bathroom and be uiet believing it

may be a nosy hotel clerk investigating their affair.



Willy ans!ers the door and Biff reports that he failed math. %e asks Willy to

persuade the teacher Mr. Birnbaum to pass him. Willy tries to get Biff out of the

room uickly !ith promises of a malted drink and a rapid trip home to talk to the

math teacher. When Biff mockingly imitates his teacher’s lisp The Woman laughsfrom the bathroom. &he e$its the bathroom !earing only a negligee and Willy

pushes her out into the hall!ay. %e tries to pass her off as a buyer staying in the

room ne$t door !ho needed to sho!er in Willy’s bathroom because her room

!as being painted. Biff sits on his suitcase crying silently not buying his father’s

lies. Willy promises to talk to the math teacher but Biff tells him to forget it

because no one !ill listen to a phony liar. %e resolves not to make up the math

test and not to attend college effectively negating his contracted role in Willy’s

inflated version of the American Cream. %e deals the most serious blo! by

accusing Willy of giving Linda’s stockings a!ay to his mistress. Biff leaves !ith

Willy kneeling and yelling after him.

&tanley pulls Willy out of his daydream. Willy is on his knees in the restaurant

ordering the teenage Biff to come back. &tanley e$plains his sons’ absence and

Willy attempts to tip him but &tanley stealthily slips the dollar bill back into Willy’s

coat as he turns. Willy asks him to direct him to a seed store and he rushes outfrantically e$plaining that he must plant immediately as he does not /have a thing

in the ground.2

Biff and %appy return home later that night !ith a bouuet of roses for Linda. &he

knocks the roses to the ground and shouts at them to pack and never come

back. %appy claims that Willy had a great time at dinner. Linda calls her sons a

variety of names and accuses them of abandoning their sick father in a

restaurant bathroom. %appy incredulous and defensive denies everything but

Biff accepts the )udgment and !holeheartedly endorses his o!n degradation and

status as /scum of the earth.2 After searching the house for Willy Biff hears him

outside and Linda e$plains that he is maniacally planting a garden regardless of

the darkness. 4utside Willy discusses a guaranteed 79: ::: proposition !ith



Ben. Ben !arns that the insurance company might not honor the policy. Willy

retorts that since he has al!ays paid the premium the company cannot refuse.

%e says that Biff !ill reali-e ho! important he is once he sees the number of

people !ho attend his funeral. Ben !arns that Biff !ill call him a co!ard and hatehim. Willy is of course contemplating suicide !hich !ould allo! his family to

cash in on his life insurance policy.

Why am I trying to become what I don’t want to be . . .

(See Important Quotations Explained )

Biff tells Willy that he is leaving for good and that he !ill not keep in touch. Biff

!ants Willy to forget him. Willy curses his son and declares that Biff is thro!ing

his life a!ay and blaming his failures on him out of spite. Biff confronts Willy !ith

the rubber hose. Biff states that he has stolen himself out of every )ob since high

school and that during the three"month period !hen he !as completely out of

touch !ith his family he !as in fact in prison for stealing a suit. %e reproaches

Willy for having filled him !ith so much hot air about ho! important he Biff !as

that he !as unable to take orders from anyone. >urther he accuses the family of

never telling the truth /for ten minutes in this house.2 %e e$poses %appy’s

e$aggeration of his position%appy is not the assistant buyer as he claims but

rather one of t!o assistants to the assistant buyerand he says that he does not

!ant to do anything but !ork in the open air. Biff is determined to kno! !ho he is

and for his father to kno! like!ise !ho he is. %e urges Willy to accept their o!n

commonnessthey are both /a dime a do-en2 not destined for leadership or

!orthy of pri-es. ,rying and e$hausted Biff trudges upstairs to bed. &uddenly

happy Willy mutters that Biff must like him because he cried and his o!ndelusions of his son’s success are restored in light of this meager proof. Linda

and %appy tell him that Biff has al!ays loved him and even %appy seems

genuinely moved by the encounter. ?veryone retires to bed e$cept Willy. %e

urges Linda to sleep and promises that he !ill )oin her soon. Willy converses !ith

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/salesman/quotes.html#CHDCIJEE

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/salesman/quotes.html#CHDCIJEE



Ben predicting that Biff !ill go far !ith 79: ::: in his pocket. &uddenly Willy

reali-es he is alone< Ben has disappeared. Linda calls from upstairs for him to

come to bed but he does not. %appy and Biff listen. They hear the car start and

speed a!ay.

To Linda’s considerable chagrin and be!ilderment Willy’s family ,harley and

Bernard are the only mourners !ho attend Willy’s funeral. &he !onders !here all

his supposed business friends are and ho! he could have killed himself !hen

they !ere so close to paying off all of their bills. Biff recalls that Willy seemed

happier !orking on the house than he did as a salesman. %e states that Willy

had all the !rong dreams and that he didn’t kno! !ho he !as in the !ay that Biff

no! kno!s !ho he is. ,harley replies that a salesman has to dream or he is lost

and he e$plains the salesman’s undaunted optimism in the face of certain defeat

as a function of his irrepressible dreams of selling himself. %appy becomes

increasingly angry at Biff’s observations. %e resolves to stay in the city and carry

out his father’s dream by becoming a top businessman convinced he can still

/beat this racket.2 Linda reuests some privacy. &he reports to Willy that she

made the last payment on the house. &he apologi-es for her inability to cry since

it seems as if Willy is )ust /on another trip.2 &he begins to sob repeating /We’refree. . . .2 Biff helps her up and all e$it. The flute music is heard and the high"rise

apartments surrounding the Loman house come into focus.

Analysis

Death of a Saleman

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Transcript of Death of a Saleman