Given Circumstances: Political and Social

by Amy Szerlong

Political

Given the time period in which the play is set, it is clear that the United States is in a strong position politically speaking. After the victory of World War II, the U.S. has a great deal of power and influence on the world stage. In the years after the war, Democrat and former Vice President Harry S. Truman is elected president in a historical election in which he narrowly beat Thomas Dewey, Republican.

This election is important in the world of Death of a Salesman based on Willy Loman's moral stance. Willy believes in independent achievement to rise to a position of distinction in the world, success by "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps." These philosophies are considered conservative, or traditionally republican in nature. This is important to realize since the current president is a democrat – signaling that Willy's views are considered "traditional" or possibly "old fashioned."

Social

There are three strong social circumstances in the play, mainly surrounding class, gender, and age.

Class:

As World War II ended so did a time of struggling and saving in order to "help our troops!" There were many initiatives in wartime that kept Americans from buying certain products, or encouraged them to grown their own vegetables and collect cans and bottles to go toward the war effort. Naturally then, in post-war America, there became a strong focus on materialism and wealth. It no longer was about the hard work or the struggle to succeed, but merely the benefits that wealth could afford you. This is completely evident in Death of a Salesman as well, as most of the characters that are considered Willy's peers are defined by what they own.

Most instances of this materialism are exhibited in Willy's discussions with or about Ben, Charley, and Howard. In the flashbacks with Ben, Billy's brother who "was a millionaire by the time he was twenty one" Willy often begs Ben to come and visit again to which Ben replies "I'll stop by on my way back to Africa." In a later scene Willy asks Linda, if she remembers when Ben "gave you a watch fob with a diamond in it?" To which Linda replies, "You pawned it." This is an illustrious description of Ben's class status as he is both able to travel to Africa as well as purchase a gift that had enough value to serve Willy's family.

Howard, Willy's boss, also provides subtle hints to membership in a higher class than Willy. In the beginning of the scene in which Willy goes to see Howard for a new position in the company, most of the scene is taken up by Howard showing off his new voice recorder. While he is playing back the tape, the tape stops to which he says, "The maid kicked the plug out." Clearly Howard has the ability to pay for a maid as well as recently developed piece of technology – while Willy is asking for fifty dollars a week to "get-by."

Charley though has the most vivid examples of his class status based on material goods. In the first scene Charley is in, Willy and Charley are playing cards. Willy asks him if he's seen the ceiling that he's put in, to which Charley replies, "To put up a ceiling is a mystery to me." But ultimately it's Willy talking about Charley that better articulates his class status. While Linda and Willy are discussing what payments need to be made, Willy gets frustrated. "Whoever heard of a Hastings Refrigerator? Charley bought a General Electric it's old and it's still good€¦once in my life I would like to own something outright before it's broken" (77). So although Willy's challenges in being able to pay for some of his purchased items articulates his economic circumstances it is the brands and types of items he actually owns that describe his class status when compared against his peers. In the context of the times, it is clear that everyone's wealth is defined by the items they own – in brand names and actual cost. Willy clearly cannot compete in this area when compared against his peers, putting him in a lower social class.

Gender:

What is most notable about the roles of gender in Death of a Salesman is that it is clear throughout the text that women are treated as second-class citizens. There are also only two types of women seen in the play, those that may be classified as "working girls" and mothers. The "working girls" referred to are those that Biff and Happy go after. While Biff and Happy are talking in the bedroom, Biff says "I'd like to find a girl – steady, somebody with substance" (25). It is clear at the play goes on then, that the girls the boys have been seeing are not the type of girls they bring home to mom. The girls in the restaurant that they pick up during their dinner with their father agree to go with them based on Happy's stellar pick-up line that he sells champagne. Happy then even goes as far to ask, "Do you sell?" which is a not-so subtle double entendre, and even though the girl says no, the fact that he even asks says a lot about him and the girl.

Similar to the women in the restaurant is the woman in Boston from Willy's past. This girl is urging Willy to open the door while they're in a hotel room together, and when Willy finally agrees to get the door, he says the following: "All right, stay in the bathroom here, and don't come out. I think there's a law in Massachusetts about it, so don't come out." There is nothing in the text to prompt the mention of a law, unless Willy is referring to the fact that SHE is against the law in Boston, i.e. is a prostitute.

Contrasting to all of these women is Linda, who is seen as the stereotypical housewife. Many women took jobs during the war to fill positions left by men who were fighting oversees, and although many were "sent back to the kitchen" when the troops returned, it began a chance for women to emerge in the working world. In the text there is no evidence that Linda was one of these women. However considering her family is in a financial struggle, it is interesting that she did not seek work while there was a movement for women to work outside the home. However there is evidence that shows that she is there solely to support Willy and her family, fulfilling her traditional gender role as the capable wife and mother.

Age:

Although this is a social issue that is somewhat easily overlooked in comparison with the other two, there are very strong examples of ageism in this play, mostly in regards to Willy. Toward the end of the play when Willy goes to see Howard and Charley he has two encounters that shows intolerance for the fact that he is aging. The most prominent example of this is in his discussion with Howard who is clearly delaying firing Willy. The reason he is firing Willy is because Howard feels that Willy "needs a good long rest." He asks Willy where his sons are and why can't they support him – even though it's clear that Willy still wants to be able to support himself. He states "I put thirty-four years into this firm, Howard, and now I can't pay my insurance! You can't eat the orange and throw the peel away – a man is not a piece of fruit!" This is probably the strongest example of the discrimination Willy faces due to the fact that he feels discarded. Although there is evidence that Willy has boasted about his accomplishments, Howard doesn't not contest the length of time Willy has worked for the firm, which leads to the conclusion that Willy is one of the oldest members of the company, and though Willy is in a rough state, firing him now still seems extreme.

Then when he goes to see Charley, there is a line that hints at this same issue though it is much more subtle. While he is waiting to see Charley, Willy talks with Bernard, his nephew who is around the age of Biff and Happy. During the discussion, Willy gets fairly emotional and Bernard tries to comfort him by saying, "Take it easy, kid." Although "kid" is used as a term of endearment here, it is a term that is usually used by someone older to someone younger. By Bernard using this term, it does not show much respect for his elder and shows that Bernard views him as child-like or possibly simply incompetent. Although this is a very minor example in comparison to the scene with Howard, the fact that it is used makes it sound like Bernard is talking down to Willy, implying a lack of respect for him.

Religious will be following…later.