Arthur Miller was considered as the most famous dramatist in America after the World War II, and his representative work Death of a Salesman was recognized as the best play in America during the post-war years. It was also considered to be one of the best three plays in the history of American drama; with A Streetcar Named Desire and Long Day's Journey into Night.Through the failure of two generations, this play addressed the painful conflicts within one family, and it also tackled greater issues regarding to Americans' national values.As an average person, Willy Loman had experienced hopes and pains, struggles and frustrations as well as dreams and disillusions, at last he chose to commit suicide. Based on the existent materials, the predecessor's researches as well as her own thinking, the author of this paper gives a brief analysis of the leading role's tragic fate, which mainly elaborates three important stages of Willy Loman's tragic life: disillusion of the American Dream, the abandonment and the betrayal, aiming to decode the root of Loman's tragedy from the perspectives of society, family and the protagonist's character. In conclusion, the paper tries to explore Arthur Miller's inner world and the resources of his creation as far as possible, hoping to give readers of this paper certain inspiration.
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