FEMINISM in Death of a Salesman

In 1949 women were viewed as inferior to men in almost every aspect of life. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, women are portrayed in this same way. Linda Loman’s depiction as the typical housewife, the female role as objects of the males’ advancement, and the blaming of “The Woman” as the cause of the destruction of Biff’s and Willy’s relationship are the key elements used by Miller to confirm the traditional woman's role in society.

Through the character of Linda, Miller is constantly trying to put woman within a box. In the entire play, She is subjected to a repetitive cycle of taking care of Willy, laundry, protecting peace within the house, cooking and cleaning. Linda is constantly being talked down to and interrupted by Willy. During a conversation between Linda and Willy, Linda says “Willy he was just saying-” only to be interrupted by Willy who says, “I heard what he said!”.She knows more than most of the males in the play but is unable to speak out for herself. For example, she knows of the constant lies concerning suicide that Willy tells her but makes no moves to stop the problem. Linda is unable to speak up to Willy and tell him she knows.Linda asks Biff and Happy “How can I insult him in that way?. As a housewife, Linda does not feel it is her place to stand up to her husband. She would rather let him die then stand up to him and hurt his pride .By not allowing Linda to stand up for herself Miller confirms the traditional role of women in society.

In Death of a Salesman women are objectified and used as a measure of success in a man’s world. Biff and Happy use sex as a means to gain power .Happy looks at sex as a tool in his career. He sleeps with women who are engaged to his bosses then attends their wedding just so he can feel like he is superior to men in higher jobs.Happy and Biff even call them “creatures”.Willy also uses his mistress to gain access into certain business deals. When he sleeps with her she tells him “I’ll put you right through to the buyers”.

The Woman, a character not even worthy of a name in Miller’s eyes, is portrayed as the cause of the downfall of both Willy and Biff. The climactic moment of the play is when Biff in Boston hotel discovers that his father is having an affair. Although Willy is clearly at fault, it is clear that Miller wants the blame to be placed on The Woman. Willy asks “You picked me, huh?” and The Woman says “Sure. Because you’re so sweet. And such a kidder”. Not only does this place the blame of the affair on The Woman but it boosts Willy’s confidence once again.By placing the blame on The Woman, Miller places a double standard between the men and the woman.This confirms the idea that women are portrayed in a traditional light.

In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, women are portrayed as dependent pawns in a man's world. Miller depicts the few female characters as unable to stand up for themselves and willing to be used sexually by the males in the play.In Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller confirms the traditional role women in 1940’s society.