Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

Curiously, most critics seem to accept at face value the assumption that at the conclusion of Arthur Miller's classic drama Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman determines to commit suicide because his older son Biff has at last openly and unequivocally declared his 'love' for his father (e.g., Aarnes 104; Bigsby 123; Hynes 286; Dukore 39). Yet a close examination of this crucial scene and the subsequent Requiem reveals a far greater degree of ambiguity than has been …

…Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1988. 84-110. Bigsby, C. W. E. 'Death of a Salesman: In Memoriam.' Modern Critical Interpretations. Ed. Harold Bloom. 113-128. Dukore, Bernard F. Death of a Salesman and The Crucible. Atlantic Highlands, N.J.: Humanities Press International, 1989 Hynes, Joseph A. ''Attention Must be Paid . . .'' Death of a Salesman: Text and Criticism. Ed. Gerald Weales. New York: Viking, 1967. 280- 289. Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. New York: Viking Compass Edition, 1958.