In The Story Death Of A Salesman, How Might Willy Loman Be Considered As Heroic?

Willy doesn't have many of the characteristics of a classical tragic hero. He is of lowly status (his name Loman or "low man" reflects this), he doesn't seem to cause his own destiny but to be a victim of circumstance, and rather than being brought down by a "tragic flaw" in his own nature he is just generally weak.

However, Willy isn't a classical hero because his story isn't set in classical times. Willy shows a very modern type of heroism instead. He is a cog in a machine, something to be used by the system, but struggles all his life to remain human and individual. "A man is not a piece of fruit!" he protests when he is about to be discarded like a useless bit of "orange peel."

Against a system which squeezes out emotions and private loyalties, he struggles to retain affection for the wife he has betrayed and the two sons he has maimed with his unrealistic expectations. When Linda says that "attention must finally be paid to such a person" she is demanding respect for all the people like Willy, who work all their lives and own nothing; who are sold a shoddy version of the American dream and waste their lives making others rich.

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