Death of a Salesman Context Essay

Death of a Salesman is a play that consists of a HISTORICAL undercoat which is key to understanding the play. It was write in 1949, just a few years after the world War ll was over, meaning the United States, where the play occurs, was going through numerous heightens. For example, the war caused an increase in industrial production markets and non-farming business. For the poorest Americans, however, the economic pip was not improved as America started having high inflation, causing problems for the poorest citizens to purchase the basics. Also, the government started to create policies which helped larger corporate farmers but not little farmers. Happy, a sales clerk and Biff, a farm worker, had the lowest-paid jobs in the country, jumper lead them to some trouble in maintaining dignity in conjunction. For Americans, dignity and self-respect were very important things. Due to their victories during the war, Americans matte proud and had a mite of superiority over the w orld. This lead to their need of proving that capitalism was better than communism.Because of this, Americans felt responsible for protecting their nation from any influences from communist Soviet Union. This end of time where Americans felt the obligation to achieve financial success in order to express gratitude for the improperness they had as a democratic society and besides to defeat the Soviets is now called the Cold War period. During this period of time, citizenry like Willy relied too much on long-term credit to show they were financially successful and ended up having trouble in fully grown their families the basics. In the play, this Cold War attitude is shown by Willys absorption with his position in society and financial status. Willys worry also represents some of the SOCIAL context in the play as he fears not being genuine in society he wants to be well liked. American society changed after WWll. Before, people were make by morals and rules but after the Col d War era started, Americans became motivated bywhat others thought of them. Willy represents the people in American society who befuddled their identity due to their need to achieve affable standards.This idea is reflected at the end of the play where Biff says that Willy didnt know who he was. This social change may have been a cause of POLITICAL change because, as a result of The Great Depression, American government became more(prenominal) influential on citizens daily lives.Because of this, and also due to an increase in media communication such as radio and television, Americans started to feel like they belonged to a large, connected society and along came a desire to be accepted by their peers in society.Miller also shows some of the CULTURAL background behind the play through three of his main characters Willy, Ben and Biff as the three of them, similar to many Americans at the time, show they are dullard to achieve The American Dream. Two versions of the American Dream are mentioned in the play. One is represented by Willy, focused mostly on money which was a way Americans found to show they had the freedom and liberty to purchase material goods. The other version is shown through Biff and Ben with their go West, young man mythology representing the dream of having the liberty for new adventures. Leticia Hosang