The Roles of Women in Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller

In his play Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller uses â€Å"the common man as a fit subject for tragedy in the highest sense† (Lawrence, Trudeau and Ross Vol. 1) and failure in the accomplishment of the American. The play tends to recline more in the direction of masculinity where men’s sole role is to get a job and support the family and the woman be seen and ordered which brings out the idea of traditional gender roles at its best. Though this is the case, it is very evident that women played an important role in this play. Although every character in the served and had a main purpose, women served a major role not only as subjects of submission and satisfaction who helped define who the men really were in the 1940’s but also as elements of support and wisdom. Let’s first consider how the main character Willy viewed women and how this contributes to his character development. Willy Loman the head of the Loman family, is known to treat his wife Linda like a minor who can neither think nor make decisions on her own. From the beginning to the end of the play, he is seen as a person who hates to be objected but always wants Linda to be on his side regarding matters. An example of women’s role is seen when Linda and Willy were talking about their elder son Biff: LINDA: You shouldn’t have criticised him, Willy, especially after he just got off the train. You mustn’t lose your temper with him. WILLY: When the hell did I lose my temper? I simply asked him if he was making any money. IsShow MoreRelatedWomen’s Treatment in Death of a Salesman1463 Words   |  6 PagesWomen’s treatment in Death of a Salesman December 11, 2012 Abstract In our today’s men and women hold equal rights, however, in times prior to the 1950’s the majority of people would agree men held favorable positions and were said to be superior over women. 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