Social commentary: Minus the commenting?

"You don't understand: Willy was a salesman.  And for a salesman, there is no rock bottom to the life.  He don't put a bolt to a nut, he don't tell you the law or give you medicine.  He's a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine.  And when they start not smiling back- that's an earthquake.  And then you get yourself of spots on your hat, and you're finished.  Nobody dast blame this man.  A salesman is got to dream, boy.  It comes with the territory" (pg 1629).

This story comments on societal trends and beliefs in a variety of ways, but one way is very easy to notice.  Unfortunately, I am very poor at thinking of the correct terminology so the best way to describe it that I can think of is prejudice.  Everyone wanted to work their way up from being a salesman, even salesmen.  I guess this could be compared to a server today?  No body really wants to be one their entire life, but many can become trapped into being one for eternity life.  The play does not stop here though, it, much like Tom in The Glass Menagerie, has Biff who longs for adventure in his life and is not willing to be trapped into he pressures of modern society.  Willy's conflict is predominantly of the internal variety; however, the lack of respect that people had for him because of his work also contributed to his death.  I don't really know if Willy believed he was well liked or if people just put on a show for him, but both of these can be considered social commentaries.  Overall, it would appear that Miller wanted the reader to feel sympathetic towards Willy and then relay the emotions to the real world where they have other people that they belittle like people did to Willy.

Tragic hero or foreshadowed idiot?

"Funny, y'know?  After all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive" (pg 1603).

Okay, this was the point in the play that I stopped hoping that the first question was lying when it talked about Willy's suicide.  However, I do see quite a few symbols and ironies (and ironic symbols) dwelling within the confines of this quotation - I like to try to use a few big words in every post.

The first symbol that I notice is the mentioning of highways.  What drives on highways?  Cars.  See where I'm going with this Costello?  You see, I was trying to figure out what killed Willy and I tossed around three possible sources for awhile:

1. His work.
2. His pride.
3. His son.

But you see, his son had just told him that he loved him.  Unless the father had always dreaded the day to be loved by his son, I decided that that idea should be thrown out rather immediately.  Now, his pride and his work both have equal bearings of truth in this play for my taste, but I think that Miller threw us a symbol to show us which had greater bearing on the death.  Remember how Willy committed suicide?  Yes, by the same means that "drove" him to his death (pun 100% intended).

The irony in the statement was that Willy really did end up worth more dead than alive- wow, I feel like a... <insert noun of your choice here> for saying something like that.  Not only did he get fired from his job, but he even refused to take Charley's offer on a job.  At least now his family was able to pay off the house.

Plays are watched - not read.

"I made the last payment on the house today.  Today, dear.  And there'll be nobody home.  We're free and clear.  We're free.  We're free... We're free..." (pg 1630).

While I still don't see why every play has to have random background music tell me what the mood of the characters, the flute seems to be a common sound in this play.  I hesitate to say that it "obviously" shows the true sadness behind what Linda was telling he who turned her into a widow.

So the question asked about the irony in the requiem and I must return to bullet points for this part of my post.

• My above post points out the new freedom within the two; however, she makes it seem as though they are free in the same ways.  You see, Willy was free from himself, his pride and his stress, but Linda was not.  Linda was free from her worries about Willy and the financial burden that the family was under.  Granted, I am not truly sure whether Linda would rather have kept Willy around...
• The other is a dramatic irony.  Willy bragged multiple times about how when he had a funeral, people from all over New England would be coming to it because of how "well-liked" he is.  Not to copy an adjective from Bryan's blog, but "cocky" seemed like nice word choice (upside down chocolate cake, to steal Mrs. Sander's phrases).  Lucky Poor Willy was not even around to see how many few people came to his funeral.

The Requiem was a nice addition to the play to expound on Willy's tragic flaw.