A TRACE OF MODERN EUROPEAN LITERARY CURRENTS IN ARTHUR MILLER'S DEATH OF A SALESMAN

Abstract

In reading Arthur Miller's masterpiece Death of a Salesman, one can unmistakably observe the presence of many modern European literary currents that are working in the background of the play. Among these literary currents are expressionism and symbolism. It seems that Miller deliberately used these currents to achieve a specific purpose in the play. With their aid, Miller believes that he will be able to externalize, enlarge, and enhance the debacle that his main character is confronting. Miller strongly believes that expressionism and symbolism can add depth and profundity to the play. They can present the hidden forces of the individual by playing out these forces on the stage. With the employment of these two literary tides, the play becomes a deep-minded work. The use of expressionism made the play appear as a penetrating study of the inner workings of the human psyche as it struggles to cope with betrayal, failure, and a search for identity. And with the help of symbols, Miller dives into the psyche not floats on its surface. Death of a Salesman is a development of expressionism of an interesting kind. In this play, Miller has been attracted to the German socio-expressionists after World War I. The expressionistic elements of this play are consciously used by Miller. He has willingly employed expressionism but always to create a subjective truth, and this play seemed as though nobody had written it at all but that it had simply happened. The first expressionistic element to start with is the very setting of the play. The setting of Death of a Salesman is