Review: ‘Death of a Salesman’

by Tara Bell

Characteristic of my family, we went to London over the Christmas holidays. Stereotypically, my Mum had the desire to browse a variety of shops (or stare at the same dress for an hour in contemplation, as my Dad and I perceived it). This gave us the opportunity to go to see Death of a Salesman in the Piccadilly Theatre, an Arthur Miller play we were both intrigued by. The reviews were amazing, and the idea of an all-black cast attracted us further; It implicitly established a new meaning to the traditionally white casting, as racial hierarchy became a central theme. It explored ideas and desires for cultural, economic and social progress. 

The play was focalised around the Loman family - an African American family in 1940s New York. Demands for industrialisation in the twentieth century provoked the ‘great migration’ – many black families travelled North with the desires to escape poverty and pursue a greater life: the ‘American dream’. The possibilities and limitations of this desire are showcased through the experience of the Loman Family and their endeavours to defy societal restrictions.

I viewed mental health to be a key theme as the character of Willy Loman progressed into madness. He believed that money was indicative of honour and success, so that he prioritised his ambition over achieving psychological stability. His anguish was increased by gendered expectations - stress was inflicted upon him to support his family, hence his desire to prosper as a salesman and achieve success. This introduces a wider theme of pressured masculinity and subsequent loss of identity, as Willy attempts (and fails) to progress through the hierarchy and become ‘well-known’ as a salesman. The cast adaptation suggests this to be overtly due to racial discrimination; African Americans were susceptible to lower wages and potentially put out of work due to the scarcity of jobs following the Great Depression. Willy’s skill as a salesman wasn’t the ultimate problem.

The Lomans’ inability to cope with Willy’s mental illness aided his mad behaviour. His wife’s unconditional love proved to be her weakness. His son’s struggles to live up to their father’s expectations formed conflict in the family. It showed Willy to be naïve, as his sons, given their race, would have been unable to prosper as salesmen – exemplified by Willy’s failure

Following this context, I viewed the play as a commentary on America’s social hierarchy and unequal chances. The Loman’s reflected the wider society; they desired a secure future and a sense of cultural and familial belonging, similar to all African American’s of 1940s America. However, Willy was unable to fulfil this dream: his salary was taken away; his sons failed to get respectable jobs, and he betrayed his wife by having an affair. These events contributed to his eventual suicide, making the play more tragic than I expected.

Due to the typicality of most English Dads revelling in the idea of being early, I had time enough to appreciate the minimalist stage setting, a feature which added depth to the play’s story. Mostly made of stone, it defied the appearance of a generic family home; this linked to Willy’s misconceptions of his future. It displayed the characters to be fragile; they were overshadowed by the tall stone walls in the same way the uncertainty of the future and the expanding society eventually posed as a threat to the Loman’s feelings of security. Lights were portrayed as brighter in Willy’s flashbacks as his memory was a place of safety when his identity was strong and vivid, unlike the present in which cold lighting was used.

Being amongst a predominantly adult audience, I was wrongly sceptical as to how much I would enjoy or connect with the play. Wendell Pierce’s performance as Willy Loman was amazing, and, instead of a story merely about a failing salesman, it was an emotional story about integrity, opportunity, family, and the intersectionality of race and class.