Struggles and tensions within the lives of characters and the situations they face are crucial for the development of the plot and keeping the audience engaged in drama. In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman and August Wilson’s Fences, the main characters confront challenges that propel the plot forward, generating anticipation and excitement. Both Willy and Troy grapple with internal and external struggles imposed by society. While Willy contends with a failing business, Troy experiences feelings of segregation from society. Additionally, both men encounter conflicts in their marriages and relationships with their sons. These struggles permeate the entire play and are exemplified through various instances. Consequently, conflicts and tensions within these plays contribute to an engaging and captivating storyline.
Both Willy and Troy, characters from Death of a Salesman and Fences respectively, experience societal obstacles. In Death of a Salesman, Willy is an aging salesman who can no longer meet the demands of his job. He becomes aware that he lacks the mental and physical capabilities necessary to fulfill his duties, which others also start to notice. Willy confides in his wife, Linda, about how his colleagues mock him behind his back. The audience witnesses Willy’s struggle with his profession as he acknowledges his challenges and compares himself to other men who appear to have an easier time. He believes that he talks excessively and admires his friend Charley for being reserved since Charley earns respect for being succinct.
In this dialogue, Willy feels the need to work harder than others to survive in business. He is facing feelings of worthlessness as his entire life has revolved around his job and creating a financially secure home. Maintaining a steady income has become a struggle for Willy. He recognizes society’s focus on the significance of a profitable employee. According to Linda, “A small man can be just as exhausted as a great man. He works for a company for thirty-six years this March, opens up unheard-of territories to their trademark, and now in his old age they take his salary away.” Willy has dedicated his entire life to a stable job, but suddenly it is threatened. This situation intensifies Willy’s internal battle with feelings of unworthiness caused by his job predicament. In an interview with the Paris Review, Miller reveals that Willy believes a man who experiences “failure in society and in business has no right to live” (2035).
In her work titled Marxism and the Early Plays of Aurther Miller, Helge Nilsen argues that human beings are victims of economic interests in ways that are both immoral and criminal (2038). This heavy emphasis on a person’s economic status creates immense struggles for Willy, as he becomes a victim of “the free play of economic forces,” which is a significant conflict theme in the play. Similarly, in Fences, the character Troy also faces conflict with society, though not specifically related to economic problems. Instead, his conflicts stem from a sense of injustice caused by the white race. Troy believes that white men are out to destroy black men. This attitude is evident in his statement: “I told that boy about that football stuff. The white man ain’t gonna let him get nowhere with that football. I told him when he first come to me with it. Now you come telling me he done went and got more tied up in it. He ought to go and get recruited in how to fix cars or something where he can make a living.”
Troy dissuades his son, Cory, from participating in football due to his belief that sports will not lead to success in life. He holds the view that white society discriminates against black individuals based on his own personal experiences. Troy contends that Cory can only achieve success through obtaining a conventional job. He comments, “They have a person of color on the team but they don’t utilize him. It’s as if they don’t have any black players at all. All of those teams are the same.” Troy believes that society has confined the black community by limiting their opportunities. Frank Rich concurs with this perspective, asserting that “social and economic equality is more of a legal principle than an actuality” (1991). Troy feels isolated from society and perceives little hope for change. Both Willy and Troy encounter obstacles within society.
Both characters in the play also experience difficulties within their marriages. Despite being loved and respected by his wife, Willy often behaves rudely toward Linda. These instances foreshadow a significant conflict that exists in their marriage. Biff expresses his frustration, saying, “Stop making excuses for him! He always, always treated you poorly. He never had any respect for you.” Linda endures Willy’s impoliteness, unaware that he has been unfaithful to her. The fact that Willy had an affair with a woman from one of the towns he visited is a clear and evident struggle and conflict within their marriage. Willy confesses to Biff, “She means nothing to me, Biff. I was lonely, terribly lonely.” This revelation indicates to the audience that Willy was unhappy and alone in his relationship with Linda, leading him to seek companionship elsewhere.
In John Lahr’s Making Willy Loman, he notes that Willy struggles in his marriage with Linda and feels resentment towards her forgiving nature, suspecting hidden hatred. Similarly, Troy Maxson in Fences faces a similar struggle in his marriage to Rose. Throughout the play, Troy exhibits rudeness and disrespect towards Rose, and it is later revealed that he too has been unfaithful. In Fences, Troy dismissively states to Rose, “What you worried about what we getting into for? This is men talk, woman”. This behavior reveals the conflicts within their marriage. Ultimately, it is revealed that Troy has also cheated on his wife, which becomes the central struggle. Troy himself later acknowledges that Rose has given him a different understanding of himself.
Troy expresses his desire to escape the pressures and problems he feels in his marriage to Rose, saying, “I can step out of this house and get away from them pressures and problems.” Frank Rich, in his review of Fences, describes Rose as having “planted herself in the hard and rocky soil of her husband,” but never blooming, leading to frustration and betrayal in their marriage (1991). Willy and Troy both encounter challenges in their marriages, evident in their treatment of their wives and eventual acts of infidelity.
Both characters in the play also struggle with their relationships with their sons. Willy constantly argues with and disrespects his son, Biff. Willy is frustrated that Biff hasn’t found a proper job and questions, “How can he find himself on a farm? Is that a desirable life?”. Although Biff desires to work on a farm and be outdoors, Willy believes it’s not a respectable career for his son. When Biff is at home, tension builds and Willy becomes angry. The tension between the two is evident when Willy mentions, “When you write you’re coming, he’s all smiles, and talks about the future, and -he’s just wonderful. And then the closer you seem to come, the more shaky he gets, and then, by the time you get here, he’s arguing, and he seems angry at you. I think it’s just that maybe he can’t bring himself to- to open up to you.”
According to Miller (1712), the reason for the animosity between them is unclear. Both Willy and Troy are facing difficulties in their relationships with their sons. In Fences, Troy also encounters challenges with his son, Cory, that resemble those faced by Willy. Like Willy, Troy believes Cory is lazy and worthless because he lacks a legitimate job. Despite Cory’s passion for football, Troy prohibits him from playing due to his negative perception of how society views African Americans in sports. Expressing his opinion, Troy states, “The white man isn’t going to let you achieve anything with that football anyway. Focus on your education so you can excel at a job like working at A&P or fixing cars or building something, acquire a skilled trade.” As a result of his own bitterness about his past experiences, Troy vents his frustrations onto his son. Rich observes that Troy’s “deep-seated disappointment from long ago propels him to envision an alternate future for his son” (1991). The conflicts between these men and their sons are clearly evident throughout these plays.
Both Death of a Salesman and Fences feature prominent struggles. Firstly, Willy and Troy confront the challenges imposed by society. Both men experience a sense of isolation and struggle to cope with these emotions effectively. Secondly, Willy and Troy encounter difficulties within their marriages. Both plays illustrate instances where the husbands demean and undermine their wives. Additionally, both men engage in infidelity throughout the course of the play. Thirdly, Willy and Troy encounter obstacles in their relationships with their sons. Both individuals criticize their sons’ career choices and engage in constant arguments on this topic. Despite being from separate plays, these men face similar struggles in various aspects of life. These conflicts contribute to the plot’s development and add excitement to the narrative.
