Character Profile in 150 words - Willy Loman

 

Character: Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman (1949) 
a stage play by American Playwright Arthur Miller 

 Illustration by artist, Debra Hall (2025)

Willy Loman had been travelling across New England in a sales role for years before his death. Once a top seller he was a popular guy, clients looked out for him and an extramarital affair fuelled his ego. Willy carried a chip on his shoulder about brother, Bernard who had made a lot of money very quickly, so in order to justify himself and his life choices, Willy preached to his sons that they had to put the time in to be successful.

As he aged however, Willy was in a poor mental state, at home he was getting forgetful, short-tempered and dismissive, yet always harping on about when life had its rewards and when he earned a salary and not commission only.

As Willy became more and more invisible in the working world, his stories began to rewrite history and reflected a certain self importance, son Biff fairly or unfairly called him a hypocritic.

REFERENCES

Death of a Salesman at Birmingham Repertory Theatre on Wednesday 12 March 2025 at 7.30pm 

The Birmingham Repertory Theatre (The REP) printed programme Death of a Salesmean

online https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/the-death-of-a-salesman/