Many people wish to make Willy Loman a tragic hero.
Unfortunately, he does not meet the criteria.
A king is a
man of elevated status. Because of his status he is responsible for not just his own
well being but the well being of the people the rules. As a result, the fall of a king
affects the whole society.
Is Will Loman a man of elevated
status? No, he is from the middle class and just trying to live the American dream. Is
his life tragic? Perhaps tragic is too strong a word. I would say it is sad and at
times pathetic but not tragic. His death affects only his
family.
A king was believed to be appointed by god who must
have believed that he was the best man for the job. Not even Willy's boss thinks Willy
is the best man for the job.
According to Arthur Miller
himself, his model as a playwright was Ibsen. His objective, like Ibsen's, was to
explore real problems experienced by real people. Willy Loman is like Everyman rather
then Oedipus.
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