Alienation of Willy Loman in Arthur Millers Death of a...

Willys Loneliness and Alienation in Death of a Salesman Willy Loman’s feelings of alienation and loneliness are direct psychological results of his interaction with society and the conditions that are found within it. Although, he does not necessarily have the ability or allow himself to have the ability to define his feelings as such, they are still very much a part of his everyday existence. This is evident in his constant bragging and attempted compensation. He does not feel that he is truly a part of society. Indeed, he is not. Miller himself seems to be saying that this is not necessarily a bad thing; this society is not that wonderful. Yet Willy still yearns to be like his brother, Ben, and the other men he sees making†¦show more content†¦Even the things he dreams of having for himself and for his family are shallow. He will never find relief from his search because even if he reaches his goals of modest financial success he would still be left wanting. Willy’s life teeters between these petty concrete objects and his grandiose verbal projections. In past, present, and fantasy, Willy expresses himself through clichà ©s and repetitions in a formulaic chant. However, he achieves neither popularity nor success as a salesman, and he fails as a gardener, mechanic, husband, father. (Martin 67) He cannot even achieve small goals. He has no real feeling of self-worth, and this lack of self-confidence is reinforced by society and Biff’s discovery of Willy’s infidelity. In speaking about his plays, Miller explained, â€Å"It is necessary, if one is to reflect reality, not only to depict why a man does what he does, or why he nearly didn’t do it, but why he cannot simply walk away and say to hell with it† (Eight ix). In the case of Death of a Salesman, it is Willy’s desperate hope of success that keeps him from committing suicide for so long. Eventually, however, he gives in to his feelings of depression and ends his life. It is the only viable solution he sees at this point. In another writing, Miller said, â€Å"My impulse isShow MoreRelatedDeath of a Salesman - Materialism Alienation1696 Words   |  7 PagesModern Tragedies deal with modern issues such as materialism, consumerism, procrastination and alienation. To what extent does Death of a Salesman show evidence of at least two of these issues, and how does Miller present them? Arthur Miller’s ‘Death of a Salesman’ is a modern tragedy; one that incorporates both the tragic genre presented in theatres for centuries as well as essences of the modern world we live in. Materialism is a modern phenomenon, something which possibly began due to the AmericanRead MoreArthur Miller s Death Of A Salesman1027 Words   |  5 PagesAn Analysis of Tragic Heroism of Biff Loman in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller This literary study will define the tragic heroism of Biff Loman in Arthur Miller’s play The Death of a Salesman. Biff is initially a victim of Willy’s continual harassment to make more money and find a better career. In this family unit, Biff must endure the unrealistic and fantasy-based elusions of his father in his fanatical pursuit of the American Dream. However, Biff soon learns of Willy’s extra-marital betrayalRead More Death of a Modernist Salesman Essay3513 Words   |  15 PagesDeath of a Modernist Salesman      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The modernist movement in writing was characterized by a lack of faith in the traditional ways of explaining life and its meaning.   Religion, nationalism, and family were no longer seen as being infallible.   For the modernist writers, a sense of security could no longer be found.   They could not find any meaning or order in the old ways.   Despair was a common reaction for them.   The dilemma they ran into was what to do with this knowledge.   Poet Robert FrostRead More Dehumanization in Death of a Salesman Essay example1245 Words   |  5 PagesDehumanization in Death of a Salesman      Ã‚   Alienation and loneliness are two of the frequently explored themes in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman.   Yet they can also cause other effects which are just as harmful, if not more so.   In Death of a Salesman, two of these other results are dehumanization and a loss of individual freedom.   This is a very complex web of emotions, but as Miller said, â€Å"Death of a Salesman is not, of course, in the realistic tradition, having broken out into quiteRead MoreEssay about The American Dream in Death of a Salesman1371 Words   |  6 PagesArthur Miller’s ‘Death of a Salesman’ is an examination of American life and consumerism. It relates the story of a common man who portrays this lifestyle. Other issues explored in the play include: materialism, procrastination and alienation. The play was set in 1948, in a time where The American Dream was highly regarded, despite the Depression. The American Dream was a belief that emerged in the late r half of the nineteenth century, that if you work hard you will achieve success and prosperityRead MoreEssay Death of a Salesman, Tragic Hero. Willy Loman.1503 Words   |  7 PagesTo what extent can Willy Loman be considered a tragic hero according to Aristotle’s rules? Arthur Miller presents his play ‘Death of a Salesman’ in the ancient form of a tragedy. Aristotle has defined his idea of the ‘perfect’ tragedy in his text, ‘Poetics’ (350 BC).Here he suggests that the protagonist must fall from an elevated social standing as a result of a â€Å"fatal flaw† within the character; the fall from the main character creates resolution to the play which is seen as just; finally, AristotleRead MoreNew York : A Cultural Melting Pot, And The American Dream2234 Words   |  9 PagesArthur Miller New York is a cultural melting pot, and the American Dream is intertwined with the identity of the city. Born on October 17,1915, Arthur Miller grew up in the vivacious immigrant neighborhoods of Harlem and Brooklyn (Rollyson and Sterling 1). Miller’s father withdrew from family life after his business failed in the Great Depression, and the image of a failed father figure scarred Miller’s psyche forever (Rosefeldt and Sherman 1). To Miller, the Great Depression was a watershed eventRead MoreWillys Tragic Flaw and the Effect it Has Upon his Sons in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller1510 Words   |  7 PagesTragic Flaw and the Effect it Has Upon his Sons in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Willys Tragic Flaw and the Effect it Has Upon his Sons Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller concerns itself with the fall of a simple man perpetually in a steadfast state regarding his own failure in a success-driven society. The protagonist of the play, Willy Loman, will follow a tragic trajectory that will eventually lead to his suicide. Arthur Millers tragic play is an accurate portrayal of the typicalRead MoreThe Changing Relationship Between Individual and Society in Modern Drama3272 Words   |  14 Pagesnonentity without rights outside the role of motherhood or marriage; In the 1930s and 40s, German-born writer Bertolt Brecht, produced a series of plays following ideologies common of Nihilist and later Marxist values; Following the second world war, Arthur Miller wrote to American audiences that individuals and their society are equally damning forces on one another. By following Ibsen, Brecht and Miller, three authors from three different countries, backgrounds and time frames, it is possible to witness

The Morality of Zoos Essay - 858 Words

The word zoo is a fairly broad term. Zoos are most commonly thought of as an attraction rather than a means for education. More importantly, they are rarely associated with the survival of the human race. While zoos are a form of entertainment for the public and a taxable industry for the government; most of them do in fact research the animals they have in their captivity. This research can be beneficial and life saving for humans and if it were not for this testing, we would not have many key vaccines that we have today. For the sake of this paper the term zoo can be applied to all animals in captivity. This includes those for entertainment, medical testing, and rehabilitation/protection. Tom Reagan wrote on if zoos are morally†¦show more content†¦To ascertain that they have the same rationalization powers as humans do on deciding if their actions are causing pleasure or pain, is to give their awareness too much credit. A good paper to prove this point, is Carl Cohen†™s Do Animals Have Rights? In it he responds to Regan’s theory that animals have rights. Cohen decides that Regan’s biggest error is associating two different versions of the broadly used term â€Å"inherent value† to formulate his conclusion. Regan claims that because animals have inherent value they are moral agents and should not be used in a fashion that makes them less important than humans. However, Cohen says that just because they have inherent value it does not mean they are moral beings. Surely because they feel pain it is immoral to cause them to suffer needlessly but this does not give them the same rights as humans. Animals live in an amoral world without respect or knowledge of other living thing’s rights. Since they are unaware of morals and rights, it seems absurd to hold them to the same moral standard as humans. It would appear then that when deciding on the moral legitimacy of zoos, it would be correct to separate human rights from the natural laws that animals live by. The natural world is based on survival. Animals kill other animals to survive and out of instinct. House cats torture their prey before killing it, and bears eat their prey alive. Animals act without the knowledgeShow MoreRelatedA Criticism of Tom Regans Argument794 Words   |  3 PagesZoos Morally Defensible? A Criticism of Tom Regans Argument In his essay Are Zoos Morally Defensible? Tom Regan uses utilitarian and rights approaches to argue that zoos are not morally defensible. However, the answer he reaches is a default answer. His actual argument is that it is impossible to acquire all of the information that one would need to answer the question of whether zoos are morally defensible, which leads him to the conclusion that they are not defensible. 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Renaissance Changed The Individuality Of Humans Essay Paper Example For Students

Renaissance Changed The Individuality Of Humans Essay Paper How the Renaissance Changed the Individuality of Humans The Renaissance changed how people viewed themselves from the Middle Ages when Christianity was so important. Human anatomy, mans temperament, mans role in the universe and people in art all show the decreased importance of Christianity and the increased importance of how individuals viewed themselves. The perception of human anatomy and its function from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance has changed greatly and diminished the importance of Christianity. The first theory, Zodiac Man, believed that each sign of the zodiac ruled a part of the odd. A zodiac is a constellation, which is part of the universe that God created. With the importance of Christianity, people in Europe at this time surely did believe that these constellations were controlling the body (Document H). Belgian physician, Andrea Vesuvius, who actually dissected the human body to better explain what actually happened, made another theory about how the human body worked. He discovered this hypothesis over 30 years after Johann; this new notion better explained how the body actually works and was more realistic (Document l). After the announcing of this new theory, the importance of how individuals viewed themselves were increased while people were starting to question how important Christianity really was. Mans temperament through plays showed how Christianity was all that the people of the Middle Ages could think about but then there is a gradual change of how Christianity was viewed in the Renaissance. Plays were conducted for people who were illiterate, this play is written by an unknown author at the start of the Renaissance but the lines of the play carry a meaning straight out of the Middle Ages. Many at this time knew that God was perfect and people felt that they also needed to be flawless in order to go to heaven and live an eternal life. The author starts the play off by saying that sin in the beginning is full sweet but in the end cachets thy soul to weep (Document D). The author is saying that people should not commit a sin otherwise they will go to hell. He also states that the individuals should listen to what God has to say in order to live a good life. Otherwise, Shakespeare states, what a piece of work is man (Document E). This line, along with the rest of he excerpt is dictating that men do make mistakes; they arent perfect because no one is. These two passages from the plays show the different perception of religion, the excerpt from the Middle Ages is stricter on Christianity and how it is perceived thane excerpt from the Renaissance, where how sin is morally accepted because of everyones imperfections. Mans role in the universe shrunk the importance of Christianity and amplified mans sense of individuality from the different drawings of the universe and how the two developed and changed peoples understanding it. Ptolemy developed a theory and that was that earth was the center of the universe. God, having created the universe and the world in which the nation lived, the scholars believed that it would be geocentric (Document F). A new concept came along by Copernicus; he believed that the sun was the center of the universe by only relying on mathematics (Document G). Since the universe had been noted as being heliocentric, people started relying less on Christianity and started trusting themselves as individuals. People in art developed more knowledge on paintings and developed new artistic Tyler at the time of the Renaissance, which caused them to lead off of Christianity in their paintings and focus more on people and how they are perceived. Faces in the paintings from the Middle Ages through to the end of the Renaissance changed, scenes became less biblical and more realistic. .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2 , .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2 .postImageUrl , .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2 , .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2:hover , .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2:visited , .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2:active { border:0!important; } .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2:active , .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2 .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ufc78feb7d5f717a592a25ad2404031c2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Renaissance video notesIn the Middle Ages, the painting was very religious. This biblical scene shows Mary and Jesus surrounded by angels, her face does not look accurate, especially not as accurate as a face that one would see in present time. Also, Jesus does not resemble a baby but looks more like a miniature an (Document A). With a drastic change, the Mona Lisa shocked many people with how realistic her smile is. Whenever in a room with this painting, the eyes will always follow which is a relatively new artistic style at this time (Document B). The real difference between these two paintings is that in the one from the Middle Ages, the artist does not know what Mary nor Jesus looks like because they lived in the biblical age, dying long before the Middle Ages therefore the artist trying to perceive the image of them is difficult. Contrarily, the Mona Lisa is a real model posing for the painting. In dad Vines work, there is no sign of a biblical scene in his objective. Leonardo portrait helped people in the Renaissance stray from Christianity and appreciate themselves as individuals. Literacy at the time of the Renaissance started to spread, more educated people started questioning the teachings of the Church. Humanism, a movement where people developed, praised the beauty and intelligence of the individual started to advance at this time. Humanism worked its way into the arts, literature, the sciences and medicine. It started to change the individuality of humans through the human anatomy and how the constellations that ere first controlling the body but have now learnt that humans are the ones to actually control themselves on what they do and say. Mans temperament and how plays taught people that sometimes people sin because no one is perfect. Mans role in the universe and the two different drawings show that the earth is not the center of the universe but the sun is. People in art drifted from biblical scenes and started to focus more on people and the realism in painting real figures. These things all show the decreased importance of Christianity and the increased importance of how individuals viewed themselves.