| Death of Salesman, in my opinion, is one of the worst tragedies you get to read during high school. It’s an unforgettable drama that trumps a melodramatic time. Though it has a much lower body count than the stomach-churning blood-boiling Elizabethan plays that accompany it in the curriculum (King Lear, anyone?) it is no less devastating.
But the surprising thing is that the true reason why Death of a Salesman is a tragedy is not agreed upon. It’s one that is not immediately obvious to some of us, particularly at the time we first encounter it. Looking back, there are a lot of reasons it’s a sad story, and it can be the hard to tell which reason is “the best”. The protagonist, Willy Lowman, has no shortage of character flaws, and his friends and family have them in great supply, too.
But it’s not simply Willy’s flaws altogether that make this a tragic story. Its one particular flaw he has that brings about his undoing, and it isn’t even hubris. What makes Willy tragic is not the fact he’s a loser. It’s not the fact he’s bad at his job. It’s not even that he lacked willpower, and it’s not even that he cheated on his wife. What made Willy tragic, more than anything else, is that he didn’t know himself.
Some of you will, upon reading that last line, immediately dismiss this blog, and probably dismiss me, too. You break my heart! No, but really. Most of you who think that this kind of ignorance isn’t fatal already know who you are, and likely always have. So I’m actually glad that you don’t get it.
I’d argue that, as those far more quotable before me have put it, a lot of misery comes from “things left unsaid.” Similarly, a lot of misery comes from actions untaken. Just as well, a lot of misery can come from only taking actions that would make someone else happy, which is what Willy did. He acted out the American dream rather than living his own. And nobody really gets there in time to stop him. Some of us have to learn to look out for ourselves, because quite obviously, no one else is going to do it for us.
In Willy’s case, the lesson is never learned. The ultimate consequence is death, which is fittingly theatrical and probably did a lot to keep people buying tickets. But the sad part is that many people in this situation really exist. And they don’t have the luxury of an early exit.
What makes great people great, and happy people happy, is really the same two things. The first is that great people – and happy people – have a knowledge of what they want. But it’s far more than simply knowing what they need: these people have the courage to risk it all to get they want. They realize opportunities. And because they’re not afraid, they seize them. And though some miss the stars they’re reaching for, they’re happier just for having tried.
In my far-too-long time on this planet, I’ve come to understand something. Two of the most highly sought after qualities a person can have are passion and dedication. In other words, we look for people who love what they do and work hard at it. These two qualities are enough to make someone a lover, and their absence is enough to make a mortal enemy. |
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