Death of a Salesman is a drama that consists of a HISTORICAL background which is cardinal to understanding the drama. It was written in 1949. merely a few old ages after the World War ll was over. intending the United States. where the drama occurs. was traveling through many alterations. For illustration. the war caused an addition in industrial production markets and non-farming concern. For the poorest Americans. nevertheless. the economic state of affairs was non improved as America started holding high rising prices. doing jobs for the poorest citizens to buy the rudimentss. Besides. the authorities started to make policies which helped larger corporate husbandmans but non smaller husbandmans. Happy. a gross revenues clerk and Biff. a farm worker. had the lowest-paid occupations in the state. taking them to some problem in keeping self-respect in society. For Americans. self-respect and pride were really of import things. Due to their triumphs during the war. Americans felt proud and had a feeling of high quality over the universe. This lead to their demand of turn outing that capitalist economy was better than communism.
Because of this. Americans felt responsible for protecting their state from any influences from communist Soviet Union. This period of clip where Americans felt the duty to accomplish fiscal success in order to demo gratitude for the autonomy they had as a democratic society and besides to get the better of the Soviets is now called the Cold War epoch. During this period of clip. people like Willy relied excessively much on long-run recognition to demo they were financially successful and ended up holding problem in giving their households the rudimentss. In the drama. this Cold War attitude is shown by Willy’s preoccupation with his place in society and fiscal position. Willy’s concern besides represents some of the SOCIAL context in the drama as he fears non being accepted in society ; he wants to be “well liked” . American society changed after WWll. Before. people were motivated by ethical motives and regulations but after the Cold War epoch started. Americans became motivated bywhat others thought of them. Willy represents the people in American society who lost their individuality due to their demand to accomplish societal criterions.
This thought is reflected at the terminal of the drama where Biff says that Willy “didn’t cognize who he was. ” This societal alteration may hold been a cause of POLITICAL alteration because. as a consequence of The Great Depression. American authorities became more influential on citizens’ day-to-day lives. Because of this. and besides due to an addition in media communicating such as wireless and telecasting. Americans started to experience like they belonged to a big. connected society and along came a desire to be accepted by their equals in society.
Miller besides shows some of the CULTURAL background behind the drama through three of his chief characters: Willy. Ben and Biff as the three of them. similar to many Americans at the clip. show they are eager to accomplish “The American Dream” . Two versions of the American Dream are mentioned in the drama. One is represented by Willy. focused largely on money which was a manner Americans found to demo they had the “freedom and liberty” to buy material goods. The other version is shown through Biff and Ben with their “go West. immature man” mythology stand foring the dream of holding the autonomy for new escapades. Leticia Hosang
