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  • Essay / Willy Loman as the Coward in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller...

    Willy Loman as the Coward in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Everyone feels the penetrating presence fear throughout his life. However, people's reactions to this fear separate the brave souls from the cowards. Mark Twain once said, “Courage is resistance to fear; the mastery of fear, not the absence of fear” (Twain 6). In the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Willy Loman fears being rejected by his son Biff and the business world. His fears dominate him, creating in him a fantastic world of life like eighteen years ago. Willy's avoidance of reality and his suicide show his cowardice. However, his focus on financial success prevents him from realizing the consequences his suicide would bring. Willy's refusal to face reality and accept responsibility shows that he is a coward. According to Gordon Hitchens, Willy "broke the first commandment of American business... [which is] to be successful" (Hitchens 81). He fails not only as a businessman, but also as a father. He feels particularly disappointed by the bitter state of his relationship with his son, Biff. However, instead of facing his dilemmas, Willy cowardly escapes to a fantasy world in which he relives happier times. Additionally, Biff's animosity towards his father comes from his discovery of Willy's affair. When he was eighteen, Biff visited his father in Boston and found him with a companion. After receiving this shock, Biff's ambition and confidence, once supported by his father, diminishes. Biff's childhood friend Bernard notices this change and eventually asks Willy what happened in Boston to cause it. Willy becomes defensive and angry. He asks Bernard: “If a boy goes to bed, is it my fault? (Miller 1257). He refuses to accept responsibility... middle of paper......illy cannot control his fears. He allows money and financial success to control his actions. In doing so, he widens the gap between him and Biff. Willy's dishonesty and denial also add to the tense situation in the Loman household. Willy's fears of rejection and failure do not make him a coward. His reaction to these anxieties earned him the label of coward. The belief that his actions are for the good of the family does not reconcile the lack of courage he displays. Works Cited Hitchens, Gordon. It's Worth Paying Attention: A Study of Social Value in Four Plays by Arthur Miller. Columbia University. 82-104. Miller, Arthur. “Death of a Salesman.” Discovery of literature: stories, poems, plays. Ed. Hans P. Guth and Gabriele L. Rico. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1997. 1209-1283. Twain, Mark. Outward Bound Voyageur School Readings. 48.