Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller | Summary & Analysis

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Summarize videos instantly with our Course Assistant plugin, and enjoy AI-generated quizzes: https://bit.ly/ch-ai-asst Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman explained with section summaries in just a few minutes! Professor Kristen Over of Northeastern Illinois University provides an in-depth analysis of the plot, characters, symbols, and themes in Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman. Download the free study guide and infographic for Death of a Salesman here: https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Death-of-a-Salesman/infographic/ Arthur Miller’s play "Death of a Salesman" illustrates the literal and metaphorical death of salesman Willy Loman. This Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play is set in Brooklyn in the post-World War II era. Protagonist Loman, a traveling salesman, is disappointed by his life and appears to be slipping into senility. Fired from his job, he begins dwelling on his failures and reliving his sons' youthful successes. As his family frets about him, he slips further into despair; ultimately making a climactic decision that has been interpreted as a searing indictment of the American Dream. Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesmen was first staged on Broadway in 1949, only a few years after World War II ended in 1945 and within a decade of the end of the Great Depression (1929–1939). Both eras had a significant impact on the work of Miller and on Death of a Salesman in particular, which is set in the late 1940s in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Boston. The play contains many powerful themes, such as the American Dream, the anatomy of truth, and betrayal. Miller also uses symbolism throughout the play to support central themes. Symbols, such as distant lands, stockings, seeds and a flute support the visual nature of the work, which is intended to be viewed and experienced rather than read. Explore Course Hero’s collection of free literature study guides, Q&A pairs, and infographics here: https://www.coursehero.com/lit/ About Course Hero: Course Hero helps empower students and educators to succeed! We’re fueled by a passionate community of students and educators who share their course-specific knowledge and resources to help others learn. Learn more at http://www.coursehero.com. Master Your Classes™ with Course Hero! Get the latest updates: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coursehero Twitter: https://twitter.com/coursehero