deathofasalesman推销员之死英语详细分析

1、KeyFactsFULLTITLEDeathofaSalesman:AUTHOR?ArthurMillerTYPEOFWORK?PlayGENRE?Tragedy,socialcommentary,familydramasfinalconfrontationwithW川yathomeCLIMAX?ThesceneinFrank'sChopHouseandBiffPROTAGONISTS?W川yLoman,BiffLomanANTAGONISTS?BiffLoman,W川yLoman,theAmericanDreamSETTING(TIME)?"Today,thatis,the

2、present;eitherthelate1940sorthetimeperiodinwhichtheplayisbeingproduced,with“daydreams“intoW川y'spast;aikofctpeaaetiouringatwenty-four-hourperiodbetweenMondaynightandTuesdaynight,exceptthe“Requiem,"whichtakesplace,presumably,afewdaysafterWilly'sfuneralSETTING(PLACE)?Accordingtothestagedir

3、ections,"WillyLoman'inhBxuosikandandld.variousplaceshevisitsin.NewYorkandBostonFALLINGACTION?The"Requiem“section,althoughtheplayisnotreallystructuredasaclassicaldramaTENSE?PresentFORESHADOWING?W川y'sflutethemeforeshadowstherevelationofhisfather'soccupationandabandonment;W川y'

4、spreoccupationwithLinda'sstockingsforeshadowshisaffairwithTheWoman;W川yautomobileaccidentbeforethestartofActIforeshadowshissuicideattheendofActIITONE?ThetoneofMiller'sstagedirectionsanddialoguerangesfromsinceretoparodying,but,ingeneral,thetreatmentistender,thoughattimesbrutallyhonest,towardW川

5、y'splightTHEMES?TheAmericanDream;abandonment;betrayalMOTIFS?Mythicfigures;theAmericanWest;Alaska;theAfricanjungleSYMBOLS?Seeds;diamonds;Linda'sandthewomon'sstockings;therubberhoseAnalysisofMajorCharactersWillyLomanDespitehisdesperatesearchingthroughhispast,W川ydoesnotachievetheself-realiz

6、ationorself-knowledgetypicalofthetragichero.Thequasi-resolutionthathissuicideoffershimrepresentsonlyapartialdiscoveryofthetruth.Whileheachievesaprofessionalunderstandingofhimselfandthefundamentalnatureofthesalesprofession,W川yfailstorealizehispersonalfailureandbetrayalofhissoulandfamilythroughthemeti

7、culouslyconstructedartificeofhislife.Hecannotgraspthetruepersonal,emotional,spiritualunderstandingofhimselfasaliteral“loman"or"lowman.”W川yistoodrivenbyhisown-nessorperverswillyawillfulness“torecognizetheslantedrealitythathisdesperatemindhasforged.Still,manycritics,focusingonWillysentrenchq

8、uagmireoflies,delusions,andself-deceptions,ignorethesignificantaccomplishmentofhispartialself-realization.W川y'sfailuretorecognizetheanguishedloveofferedtohimbyhisfamilyiscrucialtotheclimaxofhistorturousday,andtheplaypresentsthisincapacityastherealtragedy.Despitethisfailure,Willymakesthemostextre

9、mesacrificeinhisattempttoleaveaninheritancethatwillallowBifftofulfilltheAmericanDream.Ben'sfinalmantra“Thejungleisdark,butfullofdiamonds”turnsW川y'ssuicideintoametaphoric;struggle,afinalskewedambitiontorealizehisfullcommercialandmaterialcapacity.Hisfinalact,accordingtoBen,is“notlikeanappointm

10、entatall“diartbandkearoughandhardtothetouch."Intheabsenceofanyrealdegreeofself-knowledgeortruth,Willyisabletoachieveatangibleresult.Insomerespect,Willydoesexperienceasortofrevelation,ashefinallycomestounderstandthattheproducthesellsishimself.ThroughtheimaginaryadviceofBen,W川yendsupfullybelievin

11、ghisearlierassertiontoCharleythat“afterallthehighways,andthetrains,andtheappointments,andtheyears,youendupworthmoredeadthanalive.”BiffLomanUnlikeW川yandHappy,Bifffeelscompelledtoseekthetruthabouthimself.Whilehisfatherandbrotherareunabletoacceptthemiserablerealityoftheirrespectivelives,Biffacknowledge

12、shisfailureandeventuallymanagestoconfrontit.Eventhedifferencebetweenhisnameandtheirsreflectsthispolarity:whereasW川yandHappywillfullyandhappilydeludethemselves,Biffbristlesstifflyatself-deception.Biff'sdiscoverythatW川yhasamistressstripshimofhisfaithinW川yandW川y'sambitionsforhim.Consequently,W川

13、yseesBiffasanunderachiever,whileBiffseeshimselfastrappedinW川y'sgrandiosefantasies.AfterhisepiphanyinBillOliveroffice,BiffdeterminestobreakthroughtheliessurroundingtheLomanfamilyinordertocometorealistictermswithhisownlife.IntentonrevealingthesimpleandhumbletruthbehindW川y'sfantasy,Bifflongsfor

14、theterritory(thesymbolicallyfreeWest)obscuredbyhisfather'sblindfaithinaskewed,materialistversionoftheAmericanDream.Biff'sidentitycrisisisafunctionofhisandhisfatherment,which,inorcfeeditollusionreclaimhisidentity,hemustexpose.HappyLomanHappysharesnoneofthepoetrythateruptsfromBiffandthatisburi

15、edinW川yheisthestuntedincarnationofW川y'sworsttraitsandtheembodimentofthelieofthehappyAmericanDream.Assuch,Happyisadifficultcharacterwithwhomtoempathize.Heisone-dimensionalandstaticthroughouttheplay.HisemptyvowtoavengeW川y'sdeathbyfinally"beatingthisracket“providesevidenceofhiscriticalpcon

16、ditoohasDrHalivedintheshadowoftheinflatedexpectationsofhisbrother,thereisnoescapefromtheDream'lies.Happy'sdiseasedconditionisirreparabfeelackseventhetiniestsparkofself-knowledgeorcapacityforself-analysis.HedoesshareW川y'scapacityfoteletfion,trumpetinghimselfastheassistantbuyerathisstore,w

17、hen,inreality,heisonlyanassistanttotheassistantbuyer.HedoesnotpossessahintofthelatentthirstforknowledgethatprovesBifflvatio'n.Happyisadoomed,utterlydupedfigure,destinedtobeswallowedupbytheforceofblindambitionthatfuelshisinsatiablesexdrive.LindaLomanandCharleyLindaandCharleyserveasforcesofreasont

18、hroughouttheplay.LindaisprobablythemostenigmaticandcomplexcharacterinDeathofaSalesman,oreveninallofMiller'swork.Lindaviewsfreedomasanescape,debt,therewardoftotalownershipofthematerialgoodsthatsymbolizesuccessandstability.W川yobsessionwiththeAmericanDreamseems,overthelongyearsofhismarriage,tohavel

19、eftLindainternallyconflicted.Nevertheless,Linda,byfarthetoughest,mostrealistic,andmostlevelheadedcharacterintheplay,appearstohavekeptheremotionallifeintact.Assuch,sherepresentstheemotionalcoreofthedrama.IfLindaisasortofemotionalprophet,overcomebytheinevitableendthatsheforeseeswithstartlingclarity,th

20、enCharleyfunctionsasasortofpoeticprophetorsage.MillerportraysCharleyasambiguouslygenderedoreffeminate,muchlikeTiresias,themythologicalseerinSophocles'Oedipusplays.WhereasLinda'sdiagnosisofW川y'srapiddeclineismadepossiblebyheremotionalsanity,Charley'sprognosisofthelogical,groundedfirml

21、yinpracticalreasonedanalysis.HerecognizesW川y'sfinancialfailure,andthejob(thatheextendstoW川yconstitutesacommonsensesolution.ThoughheisnotterriblyfondofW川y,Charleyunderstandshisplightandshieldshimfromblame.Themes,Motifs&SymbolsThemesThemesarethefundamentalandoftenuniversalideasexploredinaliter

22、arywork.TheAmericanDreamW川ybelieveswholeheartedlyinwhatheconsidersthepromiseoftheAmericanDreamthata"welllikedhd”“personallyattractive“maninbusinesswillindubitablyanddeservedlyacquirethematerialcomfortsofferedbymodernAmericanlife.Oddly,hisfixationwiththesuperficialqualitiesofattractivenessandlik

23、eabilityisatoddswithamoregritty,morerewardingunderstandingoftheAmericanDreamthatidentifieshardworkwithoutcomplaintasthekeytosuccess.W川y'sinterpretationoflikeabilityisshpecficiashlydislikesBernardbecauseheconsidersBernardanerd.W川yh'in虫blistUfEtedversionoftheAmericanDreamleadstohisrapidpsychol

24、ogicaldeclinewhenheisunabletoacceptthedisparitybetweentheDreamandhisownlife.AbandonmentW川y'slifechartsacoursefromoneabandonmenttothenext,leavinghimingreaterdespaireachtime.W川yfatherleaveshimandBenwhenW川yisveryyoung,leavingW川yneitheratangible(money)noranintangible(history)legacy.Beneventuallydepa

25、rtsforAlaska,leavingW川ytolosehimselfinawarpedvisionoftheAmericanDream.Likelyaresultoftheseearlyexperiences,W川ydevelopsafearofabandonment,whichmakeshimwanthisfamilytoconformtotheAmericanDream.Hiseffortstoraiseperfectsons,however,reflecthisinabilitytounderstandreality.TheyoungBiff,whomW川yconsidersthee

26、mbodimentofpromise,dropsW川yandW川y'szealousambitionsforhimwhenhefindsoutaboutWilly'sadultery.Biff'songoinginabilsucceedinbusinessfurthershisestrangementfromW川y.When,atFrankhopHouse,W川yfihasy2believesthatBiffisonthecuspofgreatness,BiffshattersW川y's川usionsand,alongwithHappy,abandonsthed

27、eludebabblingWillyinthewashroom.BetrayalW川y'sprimaryobsessionthroughouttheplayiswhatheconsiderstobeBiff'sbetrayalofhisambitions,W川ybelievesthathehaseveryrighttoexpectBifftofulf川thepromiseinherentinhim.WhenBiffwalksoutonW川y'sambitionsforhim,W川ytakesthisrejectionasapersonalaffront(heassoci

28、atesitwith“spite").W川y,afterall,isasalesman,andBiff-crushingrebuffultimatelyreflectsW川y'sinabilitytosellhimontheAmericanDreamtheproductinwhichW川yhimselfbelievesmostfaithfully.W川yassumesthatBiff'sbetrayalstemsfromBiff'sdiscoveryofW川y'saffairwithTheWomanabetrayalofLindaWhereasWill

29、yfeelsthatBiffhasbetrayedhim,BifffeelsthatWilly,a"phonylittlefake,"hasbhisunendingstreamofego-strokinglies.MotifsMotifsarerecurringstructures,contrasts,orliterarydevicesthatcanhelptodevelopandinformthetextthemes.MythicFiguresW川y'stendencytomythologizepeoplecontributestohisdeludedunders

30、tandingoftheworld.HespeaksofDaveSinglemanasalegendandimaginesthathisdeathmusthavebeenbeautifullynoble.W川ycomparesBiffandHappytothemythicGreekfiguresAdonisandHerculesbecausehebelievesthathissonsarepinnaclesof“personalattractiveness“andpowerthrough-ness;toeHiimsedleyseemtheveryincarnationoftheAmerican

31、Dream.W川y'smythologizingprovesquitenearsighted,however.W川yfailstorealizethehopelessnessofSinglemanlonely,on-the-job,on-the-roaddeath.TryingtoachievewhatheconsiderstobeSingleman'sheroicstatus,W川ycommitshimselftoapatheticdeathandmeaninglesslegacy(evenifW川y'slifeinsurancepolicyendsuppa)off,

32、BiffwantsnothingtodowithW川y'sambitionforhim).Similarly,nerthisrplpyfeiiodsupleadinganideal,godlikelife;whileHappydoesbelieveintheAmericanDream,itseemslikelythathewillendupnobetteroffthanthedecidedlyungodlikeWilly.TheAmericanWest,Alaska,andtheAfricanJungleTheseregionsrepresentthepotentialofinstin

33、cttoBiffandW川y.W川y'sfatherfoundsuccessinAlaskaandhisbrother,Ben,becamerichinAfrica;theseexoticlocales,especiallywhencomparedtoWillysbanalneighborhood,crystallizehowW川y'sobsthssioinwrtercialworldofthecityhastrappedhiminanunpleasantreality.WhereasAlaskaandtheAfricanjunglesymbolizeW川y'sfail

34、ure,theAmericanWest,ontlotherhand,symbolizesBiff'spotential.Biffrealizesthathehasbeencontentonlworfteigonfarms,outintheopen.HiswestwardescapefrombothW川y'sdelusionsandthecommercialworldoftheeasternUnitedStatessuggestsanineteenth-centurypioneermentalityBiff,unlikeW川y,recognizestheimportanceoft

35、heindividual.SymbolsSymbolsareobjects,characters,figures,orcolorsusedtorepresentabstractideasorconcepts.SeedsSeedsrepresentforW川ytheopportunitytoprovetheworthofhislabor,bothasasalesmanandafather.Hisdesperate,nocturnalattempttogrowvegetablessignifieshisshameaboutbarelybeingabletoputfoodonthetableandh

36、avingnothingtoleavehischildrenwhenhepasses.W川yfeelsthathehasworkedhardbutfearsthathewillnotbeabletohelphisoffspringanymorethanhisownabandoningfatherhelpedhim.TheseedsalsosymbolizeW川y'ssenseoffailurewithBiff.DespitetheAmericanDream'sformulaforsuccess,whichW川yconsidersinfallible,W川y'seffor

37、tstocultivateandnurtureBiffwentawry.RealizingthathisAmHericanfootballstarhasturnedintoalazybum,W川ytakesBiff'sfailureandlackofambitionasareflectionofhisabilitiesasafather.DiamondsToW川y,diamondsrepresenttangiblewealthand,hence,bothvalidationofone'lsilityDtor(andlife)andthe<passmaterialgoods

38、ontoone'soffspring,twothingsthatW川ydesperatelycraves.Correlatively,diamonds,thediscoveryofwhichmadeBenafortune,symbolizeW川y'sfailureasasalesman.DespiteW川y'sbelAmericanDream,abeliefunwaveringtotheextentthathepasseduptheopportunitytogowithBentoAlaska,theDream'spromiseoffinancialsecurit

39、yhaseludedW川y.Attheendoftheplay,BenencouragesW川ytoenterthe“jungle“finallyandretrievethiselusivediamondthatis,tokillhimsefforinsurancemoneyinordertomakehislifemeaningful.Linda'sandTheWoman'sStockingsW川y'sstrangeobsessionwiththeconditionofLinda'sstockingsforeshadowshislaterflashbacktoB

40、iffdiscoveryofhimandTheWomanintheirBostonhotelroom.TheteenageBiffaccusesW川yofgivingawayLinda'sstockingstoTheWoman.Stockingsasumeametaphoricalweightasthesymbolofbetrayalandsexualinfidelity.NewstockingsareimportantforbothW川y'sprideinbeingfinanciallysuccessfulandthusabletoprovideforhisfamilyand

41、forW川y'sabilitytoeasehisguiltabpoessittd5smiemoryof,hisbetrayalofLindaandBiff.TheRubberHoseTherubberhoseisastagepropthatremindstheaudienceofW川y'sdesperateattemptsatsuicide.Hehasapparentlyattemptedtokillhimselfbyinhalinggas,whichis,ironically,theverysubstanceessentialtooneofthemostbasicelemen

42、tswithwhichhemustequiphishomeforhisfamily'shhesEtltliiterdilcoeafdrtbyinhalinggasparallelsthemetaphoricaldeaththatW川yfeelsinhisstruggletoaffordsuchabasicnecessity.Act2SummaryWhenW川yawakesthenextmorning,BiffandHappyhavealreadyleft,BifftoseeBillOliverandHappytomulloverthe“Floridaidea“andgotowork.W

43、川y,inhighspiritswiththeprospectofthe“Floridaidehewouldliketogetsomeseedsandplantasmallgardenintheyard.Linda,pleasedwithherhusbandmood,pointsoutthatthereisnotenoughsun.W川yrepliesthattheywillhavetogetahouseinthecountry.LindaremindsW川ytoaskhisboss,Howard,foranon-travelingjobaswellasanadvancetopaytheins

44、urancepremium.Theyhaveonelastpaymentonboththerefrigeratorandthehouse,andtheyhavejustfinishedpayingforthecar.LindainformsW川ythatBiffandHappywanttotakehimtodinneratFrank'sChopHouseatsixo'clock.AsWillydeparts,movedandexcitedbyhissonsdinnerinvitation,henoticesastockingthatLindaismendingand,guilt

45、-riddenwiththelatentmemoryofhisadulterywithTheWoman,admonisheshertothrowthestockingaway.W川ytimidlyentersHoward'soffice.Howardisplayingwithawirerecorderhehasjustpurchasedfordictation.Heplaystherecordedvoicesofhisfamily:hiscloyinglyenthusiasticchildren(awhistlingdaughterandasonwhorecitesthestateca

46、pitalsinalphabeticalorder)andhisshywife.AsW川ytriestoexpressadmiration,Howardrepeatedlyshusheshim.W川yasksforanon-travelingjobat$65aweek.Howardrepliesthatthereisnoopeningavailable.Helooksforhislighter.W川yfindsitandhandsittohim,unconsciouslyignoring,inhisnervousandpatheticallyhumbledistraction,hisownad

47、vicenevertohandleortendtoobjectsinasuperiorsistheresponsibilityof“officeboys.lowerWIljnilsesaciaryrequest,explaininghisfinancialsituationinunusuallycandiddetail,butHowardremainsresistant.Howardkeepscallinghim"kid"andassumesacondescendingtonedespitehisyoungerageandW川y'sremindersthathehe

48、pteelrHiawianhim.'sIrealizedthatsellingwasthegreatestcareeramancouldwant.(SeeImportantQuotationsExplained)Desperate,W川ytriestorelateananecdoteaboutDaveSingleman,aneighty-four-year-oldsalesmanwhophonedhisbuyersandmadehissaleswithouteverleavinghishotelroom.Afterhediedthenoble“deathofasalesrthatelu

49、desW川y,hundredsofsalesmenandbuyersattendedhisfuneral.W川yrevealsthathisacquaintancewiththisvenerableparagonofsalesmanshipconvincedhimtobecomeasalesmanhimselfratherthanjoinhisbrother,Ben,onhisnewlypurchasedplotoftimberlandinAlaska.Singleman'sdignifiedsuccessandgraceful,respectepositionasanolderman

50、deludedW川yintobelievingthat“secinrewasithengceaiteswant”becauseofitslimitlesspotentialanditshonorablenature.W川ylamentsthelossoffriendshipandpersonalityinthebusiness,andhecomplainsthatnooneknowshimanymore.AnuninterestedHowardleavestheofficetoattendtootherpeople,andhereturnswhenW川ybeginsshoutingfranti

51、callyafteraccidentallyswitchingonthewirerecorder.Eventually,W川ybecomessodistraughtthatHowardinformshimthathedoesnotwantW川ytorepresenthiscompanyanymore.HowardessentiallyfiresW川y,withthevagueimplicationofreemploymentafteraperiodof"rest."HesuggeststhatW川yturntohissons(whoheunderstandablyassum

52、esaresuccessfulgivenW川y'sloudbragging)forfinancialsupport,butW川yishorrifiedatthethoughtofdependingonhischildrenandreversingtheexpectedfamilialroles.Heisfartooproudtoadmitdefeat,andHowardmustinsistrepeatedlyonthecessationofW川y'semploymentbeforeitsinksin.AnalysisBiff'sdecisiontoseekabusine

53、ssloanraisesW川y'sspirits,andthewayinwhichW川yexpresseshisoptimismisquiterevealing.ThefirstthingW川ythinksaboutisplantingagardeninhisyard;hethenmusestoLindathattheyshouldbuyahouseinthecountry,sothathecouldbuildguesthousesforBiffandHappywhentheyhavefamiliesoftheirown.Thesehopefulplansseemto川ustrateh

54、owill-suitedW川yistohisprofession,asitstifleshisnaturalinclinations.Indeed,thecompetitive,hyper-capitalistworldofsalesseemsnomoreappropriateforW川ythanforBiff.W川yseemshappiestwhenhedreamsofbuildingthingswithhisownhands,andwhenhisinstinctsinthisdirectionsurface,heseemswholeagain,abletoseeaglimmeroftrut

55、hinhimselfandhisabilities.W川y'swistfulfantasyoflivingintheforestsofAlaskastrengthenstheimplicationthathechosethewrongprofession.Hedoesnotseemtolikelivinginanurbansetting.However,hisfascinationwiththefrontierisalsointimatelyconnectedtohisobsessionwiththeAmericanDream.Innineteenth-centuryAmerica,t

56、heconceptoftheintrepidexplorerenteringtheunknown,unchartedwildernessandstrikinggoldwasdeeplyimbeddedinthenationalconsciousness.WiththepostwarsurgeofconsumerisminAmerica,this“wilderness"becamethebustlingmarketofconsumergoods,andthecapitalistreplacedthepioneerastheAmericanhero.Thesenewintrepidexp

57、lorersplungedintothejungleofbusinesstransactionsinordertofindanichetoexploit.Ben,whosesuccessinvolvedaliteraljungleinAfrica,representsoneversionofthefrontiernarrative.DaveSinglemanrepresentsanother.W川ychosetofollowSingleman'spath,convincedthatitwasthemodernversionandfutureoftheAmericanDreamofsuc

58、cessthroughhardwork.WhileW川y'sdissatisfactionwithhislifeseemsdueinparttochoosingaprofessionthatconflictswithhisinterests,itseemsalsodueinparttocomparingallaspects,professionalandprivatealike,ofhisownlifetothoseofamythicstandard.HefailstorealizethatBen'swealthistheresultofablindstrokeofluckra

59、therthanalong-deservedrewardforhardworkandpersonalmerit.Similarly,W川ymissesthetragicaspectofSinglemanstoryofsuccessthatSinglemanwasstillworkingattheageofeighty-fouranddiedonthejob.Mourningforhimwaslimitedtothesphereofsalesmenandtrainpassengerswhohappenedtobethereathisdeaththeephemeralworldoftransien

60、ce,travel,andmoney,asopposedtothemeaningfulrealmoflovedones.W川y'shumiliatinginterviewwithHowardshedssomelightonhisadviceforBiff'sinterviewwithOliveiadviceclearlyhasitsrootsinW川y'srelationshipwithhisboss.DespitebeingmuchyoungerthanW川y,HowardpatronizesW川ybyrepeatedlycallinghim"kid."W川yprovesentirelysubservienttoHoward,asevidencedbythefactthathepicksupHoward'slighterandhandsittohim,unabletofollowhisownadviceaboutsuchofficeboyjobs.W川y'srepeatedremindetoHowardthathehelpedhis