Death of A Salesman : Characters
Death of A Salesman is a notable literary work by Arthur Miller. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of Death of A Salesman.
Characters
Major characters
Willy Loman: (Unsuccessful/ ambitious father)-He is a sixty-plus (60) traveling salesman. He is the tragic character and protagonist of the play. He has been serving in a company as a traveling salesman for nearly 36 years, but he has not been given a salary because of his poor performance in product selling. He earns from selling commissions that are insufficient for leading a standard life. He is basically the paradigm of failure of the American dream of quick success.
Linda: (Good/loyal wife)- She is the decent and dutiful wife of Willy Loman. She supports her husband whatever the matter is. She is the center of the moral of the play.
Biff Loman: (good but unsuccessful)-He is the thirty-four (34) )-year-old adult elder son of Willy Loman. He does not have a specific job. He is rejected from twenty to thirty jobs. It is the belief of his father that his will has been chaotic because of his father.
Happy Loman: (Bad and unsuccessful)- He is the thirty-two (32) years old younger son of Willy Loman. He is basically a womanizer. He has an apartment, a car, and a pretty good job but he is not happy in his position at all.
Charley: (Good and successful)- He is a neighbor and the best friend of Willy Loman. He is a very successful businessman. He helps Willy Loman by giving loans and, in any crisis, but Willy Loman cannot accept Charley’s job proposal in his company because of his pride.
Bernard: (Good and successful)-He is the intelligent son of Charley. He is now a successful lawyer. He was Biff’s classmate in high school, but Biff could not pass even high school because he failed math.
Minor characters
Ben: He is the dead brother of Willy Loman. He is not a real character in the play. He comes to hallucinations of Willy Loman again and again.
Dave Singleman: He is not a real character in the play but Willy Loman’s inspiration. He was one of the most famous salesmen in America and at his funeral, national and international people came to show glowing tribute to him. Willy Loman wanted to be a rich and reputed salesman like Dave Singleman but he could not be.
Howard Wagner: (Bad and materialistic)- He is the present boss of Willy Loman. He is thirty-six years old.
Frank Wagner: (Materialistic) -He is the father of Howard Wagner. After his death, his capable son, Howard Wagner runs his company.
Bill Oliver: (Bad and cruel)- He is the ex-boss of Biff Loman. Biff goes to him for a loan to start a sporting products business, but he is neat and clean and rejected by Bill Oliver to provide any loan. In fact, Bill could not even recognize Biff.
Jenny: Jenny is Charley’s secretary.
Letta: A prostitute who meets Biff and Happy at Frank’s Chop House.
Miss Forsythe: A prostitute who meets Biff and Happy at Frank’s Chop House.
Stanley: Stanley is a waiter at Frank’s Chop House, where the Loman men plan to dine.
The Woman: Years in the past, Willy Loman had an affair with a woman; when his son Biff discovers the affair, the father-son relationship is compromised forever.