The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller is a play that sheds light on issues several individuals in America experience in their quest for the American Dream. The story’s protagonist, Willy Loman, is caught up in a web of self-denial, contradiction, and desperation. Like many individuals, he envisions living a comfortable life, providing for his family, and becoming a model for his followers. However, things do not go his way, and he decides to end his life because he cannot deal with his mental, emotional, psychological, and financial setbacks. Although Willy believes that he dies as a martyr for his family, his actions, personal values, and reasons for his death do not relate to martyrdom.
Willy Loman is not a martyr because his death is not motivated by a greater cause. Rather, it is encouraged by his failures in caring for his family and achieving the American Dream. According to Abbotson, a martyr is an individual willing to suffer and die for the greater good, societal advancement, and others’ benefits (p. 222). In other words, the cause of death should be greater than the individual. However, in Willy’s case, the cause of death is insignificant, as he wants to leave something for his family after he is gone. In the second act, Willy tells his wife, “I won’t have to take this anymore. You hear? I’m gonna win it for him” (Miller 100). Therefore, he did not sacrifice himself for better outcomes and prosperity. Instead, his actions were propelled by fear of ending up as a total failure despite working for several years to achieve his dream.
Willy’s act is not martyrdom as it is not heroic and does not entail struggles with a particular system or self-sacrifice. Martyrs are considered heroes because of their bravery and ability to reject the status quo (Cobb 91). However, Willy’s death is not heroic but a cowardly act of desperation. Contrary to dealing with and resolving his problems, Willy chooses an easy way out. Committing suicide suggests that Willy is selfish and only concerned about his status (Elhawa 26).
In addition, the play reveals that Willy’s suicide is motivated by his desire to be successful, which does not resonate with the principles of martyrdom because martyrs are selfless. Though he thinks life insurance will place his family in a better position, he neglects the negative implications of his death and ignores his role as the head of the family. Thus, his actions do not reflect martyrdom but instead shed light on misguided attempts to evade disappointments.
Willy is not a martyr, because unlike martyrs, who exhibit high moral standards and are admired by people, he was selfish, had low moral values, and mistreated his wife. His mistake of cheating on his wife haunted him for a long time and prevented others from perceiving him as the leader he once was (Abbotson 232). Additionally, he exhibited poor performance at work and lived a life of fantasy instead of working harder and focusing on his goals. Moreover, his behaviors toward his wife and sons do not resemble those of a martyr because he took out his desperation on them and abused them to relieve his frustration. Willy was unfair to his sons and disrespected their worldview (Miller 86). Similarly, he treated his wife like a slave and often spoke to her rudely. Thus, after dying, he did not leave behind a legacy that others would want to emulate.
Willy was not a martyr but rather a failed salesman trying to escape his reality. Hence, his death was not the result of an untimely prosecution. It was a conscious choice guided by his obsession for success. One of the characters, Charley, suggests,
“Nobody dast blame this man. You don’t understand: Willy was a salesman. And for a salesman, there’s no rock bottom to the life. He don’t put a bolt to a nut, he don’t tell you the law or give you medicine. He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake (Miller, Act II).
Thus, this quote suggests that Willy faced a harsh reality as a salesman and was at the point where he had hit rock bottom. Therefore, his death was a suicide that stemmed from the insecurities, pressures, and illusions he created, not an act of sacrifice.
Although Willy might have thought he was a martyr because of dying for his family’s benefit, his action of committing suicide, his immorality and tainted personal values, and the facts surrounding his death do not coincide with martyrdom. Willy, like many other Americans, was focused on achieving the American Dream and comfortably taking care of his family. However, his dream does not come true due to the diverse factors associated with individuals’ success and advancement.
Failing to achieve this dream can lead to several issues, as in the case of Willy. Nevertheless, his decision to end his life was not an act of martyrdom despite potentially securing his family reimbursement by life insurance. Rather, it was a cowardly act that allowed him to escape his harsh reality. A martyr is an individual who dies for a just cause, is prosecuted by a system, sacrifices himself for others, and exhibits admirable values. On the other hand, Willy has none of the mentioned attributes and is a man who chooses an easy way out. Therefore, his suicide does not make him a martyr, regardless of the outcomes.
Works Cited
Abbotson, Susan CW. “Viewing the Playwright Through a Different Lens: Miller’s Fiction and How It Connects to His Life and Drama.” Arthur Miller for the Twenty-First Century: Contemporary Views of His Writings and Ideas, 2020, pp. 219-236. Web.
Cobb, L. Stephanie. “Martyrdom in Roman Context.” The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom, 2020, pp. 88-101. Web.
Elhawa, Hidayat Abu. “Desire and American Dream in The Death of a Salesman.” Angloamericanae Journal, vol. 3 no. 1, 2018, pp. 18-28. Web.
Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. Penguin Books, 1998.