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Death of a Salesman
When your whole identity is 'well liked', one bad day can take everything. Willy Loman needed someone to tell him he was enough. 💼
Who it's for
Willy Loman has built his whole identity on being well liked and successful, and the play shows that identity collapsing in a single day.
Feelings it meets
What it is
Death of a Salesman is Arthur Miller's tragic stage play, first performed in New York in 1949 and set in late-1940s Brooklyn. It follows Willy Loman, an ageing travelling salesman, who comes home exhausted from a failed trip and struggles with his sons Biff and Happy's lack of success while clinging to illusions about his own.
Where to find it
In print (Penguin), in libraries (Libby/Hoopla); full-cast audio recordings exist. Not public domain. Filmed versions include 1951 and 1985 adaptations.
Before you start
Heads up: A main character dies by suicide.
Age: Ages 14+
O Beauty, find thyself in love, not in the flattery of thy mirror.Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds, no. 28
