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Marxism in death of a salesman by Arthur Miller
Arthur miller significantly criticizes the two social, economic theories, which are Marxism and capitalism in his play Death of a salesman (Sterling, 23). Capitalism can be defined as a situation where people or the private sector controls various factors of the economy, while Marxism is thought to be less of economic theory but more of a social one (Bigsby, 36). Even though the Marxism theory is closely related to communism and socialism, Marxism views society based on different economic classes.
Arthur miller came to America in 1949 some decades after the great depression. The great depression caused some horrific cultural and economic upheavals, which demonstrated how capitalism could be destructive and also challenged what was termed as the American dream. The American dream stated that hard work always brought economic and personal success (Sterling, 118). Miller noted that the American dream was impossible and a strategy by the rich to continue making the poor working class to work for them as they continued to get wealthier. Although the American dreamed seemed attainable, Arthur Miller stated that it was just a fantasy that had been fabricated by the rich. Arthur further argued that Marxism is the economic and social structure that is based on power and money. He also stated that the people at the top of the hierarchy who were referred to as bourgeois oppressed the poor who were referred to as proletariat (Bigsby, 108). In his play, Arthur miller talks of Willy Loman, who happens to be an unsuccessful salesman, and his life collapses while straining for the competition for wealth. Willy Loman strains to get material wealth, which Marxist termed as a critical flaw in capitalism and ends up losing his sanity while battling American free markets and the corruption within himself. However, miller did not condemn all the aspects of capitalism, but he was calling for some reforms in the systems that existed.
Work Cited
Bigsby, Christopher. Remembering Arthur Miller. , 2014. Internet resource.
Sterling, Eric. Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2008. Internet resource.
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