阿瑟·米勒 篇1
"Death of a Salesman"written by Arthur Miller in 1948 attempts to give the audience an unusual glimpse into the mind of a Willy Loman, a mercurial sixty-year-old salesman, who through his endeavour to be"worth something", finds himself struggling to endure the competitive capitalist world in which he is engulfed.Arthur Miller uses various literary techniques to gradually strip the protagonist down one layer at a time, each layer revealing another truth about his distorted past.By doing this, Miller succeeds in finally exposing a reasonable justification for Willy's current state of mind.These techniques are essential to the play, as it is only through this development that Willy can realistically be driven to motives of suicide.Miller's craftsmanship in this play is indisputable of being on the level of a masterpiece.Every aspect of the play is done magnificently well.Symbolism, in particular, is one of the greatest aspects of the play, for it is vital in communicating the significance of the central theme of failure within a success--oriented society.Indeed, Miller created the genre when he penned the tale of Willy Loman, the sad, struggling average Joe who just cannot make his life succeed.Numerous and clearly defined examples of symbolism helped to make this play a successful and accepted tragedy.These symbols gave the play a depth that allowed it to reach its audiences on a more personal level.Just as one of his critics states, "Miller writes ingeniously, conveying the message that'if the proper study of mankind is man, man's inescapable problem is himself[1].'"Miller accurately puts into words what every person thinks, feels, or worries about, but often has trouble expressing.By using symbolism, Miller portrays Willy's (along with the other Lowmans') problems with family life, the society, and himself in Death of a Salesman.
2 Analysis of symbols in Death of a Salesman
"Death of a Salesman"by Arthur Miller is a play full of symbolism and themes that are intertwined with one another throughout the entire play.Some symbols are symbolizing something that cannot be had, or something that is wanted but simply cannot be reached, others are used to expand on issues concerning each of the characters.
The symbols particularly used in this play to have the first function are seeds and Linda's stockings, both of which are either not obtained or simply used to leave a legacy.
Seeds:Willy knows of his soon death and wants to leave something behind.His desperate, nocturnal attempt to grow vegetables signifies his shame about barely being able to put food on the table and having nothing to leave his children when he passes away.Willy feels that he has worked hard but fears that he will not be able to help his offspring any more than his own abandoning father helped him."Oh, I'd better hurry.I've got to get some seeds.I've got to get some seeds, right away.Nothing's planted.I don't have a thing in the ground." (Death of a Salesman, Act 2) .Willy leaves the restaurant with an anxious need o seeds in order to go home and plant to leave behind something tangible for his family and others to show the worth of his labor Seeds, on one hand, represent for Willy the opportunity to prove the worth of his labor, both as a salesman and a father.On the other hand, they symbolize Willy's sense of failure with Biff.Despite the American Dream's formula for success, which Willy considers infallible, Willy's efforts to cultivate and nurture Biff went awry.Realizing that his all-American football star has turned into a lazy bum, Willy takes Biff's failure and lack of ambition as a reflection of his abilities as a father.
Stockings:There are references to stockings.These references have a narrative and psychological function in the play Stockings symbolize Willy's guilt.Willy gives new stockings to the woman as a present while his wife has mended for her old stockings.Stockings make Willy nervous and his reaction is sudden."Will you stop mending stockings?At least while I am in the house.It gets me nervous." (Death of a Salesman, Act 2) In addition, Willy's strange obsession with the condition of Linda's stockings foreshadows his later flashback to Biff's discovery of him and the woman in their Boston hotel room.The teenage Bif accuses Willy of giving away Linda's stockings to the woman Stockings assume a metaphorical weight as the symbol of betrayal and sexual infidelity.New stockings are important for both Willy's pride in being financially successful and thus able to provide for his family and for Willy's ability to ease his guilt about, and suppress the memory of, his betrayal of Linda and Biff.
Upon a close study of the symbols mentioned above, one can easily conclude that they are closely related to family life and society.In addition to them, Miller uses symbolism to expand on issues concerning each of the characters.Not only do numerous symbols exist in the play that relate to each of the characters but the characters themselves often represent something as well.
To start off, Linda Loman stands for many things, but mostly as Willy's supporter and"security symbol."While the reader sees Willy slowly losing control of his life, Linda stands as his loving housewife who is always there to clean and cook for him, and to love him unconditionally;in other words, some sort of stability Although she is the strongest supporter of Willy's dreams, one o the critics claims that she is the one who prods Willy to his doom by loving him, but not knowing him well enough to help him[3].
Another significant character is Ben, Willy's dead brother who he often talks to in his illusions.Ben is Willy's hero in that Ben is his ideal of economic and personal success;Willy always regrets not taking up Ben's offer to come with him to Alaska and become rich.On the other hand, Ben also represents false standards of conduct.His character leads Willy away from realistic ideals[4].Another significant scene in the play is the garden scene where Willy is"talking"with Ben.Here, they are contemplating whether Willy should commit suicide or not.Willy believes tha the insurance money his family will receive from his death wil provide for Biff's"magnificent future."This scene with Ben obviously signifies Willy's unstable mentality[5].Critics say tha Willy's need for Ben sometimes conflict with his need for Linda because Linda symbolizes something stable and certain, while Ben represents something unrealistic[6].
Lastly, Willy stands as the most significant character in Death of a Salesman.Miller uses various symbols in the play to expand on Willy's role.One of the first symbols readers encounter is the flute music.The music shows the transitions from past to present (and vice versa) in Willy's mind.Furthermore, the music also represents an unknown musical father;Willy can'quite remember him, but he wants and is in need of his guidance[7].Next, the car stands as a symbol.A car, in its American origin symbolizes individual mobility, freedom and social status.However, the car has not always been a staple of living in America In the 1940s, a family with a car was considered well-to-do, as well as wealthy and hard-working.It is during this time period that Arthur Miller's play, Death of a Salesman, is set.By using cars in a negative and ironic manner, Miller gives the reader a glimpse into the life of Willy Loman, and in doing so provides an intriguing insight into the common American family of the time Willy Loman is the everyman, constantly pursuing the"American Dream."Part of the"American Dream"constitutes owning a car which the Lomans do.However, the importance of the car in this play reaches far beyond ownership.In the very beginning of the play Willy comes home exhausted with driving.His exhaustion with driving symbolizes his tiredness from life.The car is going out of control.This symbolism gets its final intensity in the climax of the play when Willy drives his car out of the house into darkness and death.A similar symbol is the rubber hose tha Linda and Biff find in the basement.The rubber hose is a line attached to the gas main in Willy's house which allows him to sniff the gas.He has apparently attempted to kill himself by inhaling gas, which is, ironically, the very substance essential to one of the most basic elements with which he must equip his home for his family's health and comfort—heat.This action can be seen as Willy's suicide wish, and escape from the realities o life, as seen in the loss of his job and his failure to succeed.
3 Conclusion
Through the above analysis, one can easily see that Miller is really a craftsman in utilizing symbolism to develop his stories.I other plays signaled the arrival of Miller as a most promising playwright, Death of a Salesman raised him to the rank of major American dramatist.And it cannot be denied that Arthur Miller is one of the most renowned and important American playwrights to ever live.
参考文献
[1]http://www.directessays.com.
[2]Death of a Salesman, Act2
[3]Bliquez, 321-2
[4]Dusenbury, 317
[5]Rollyson, 1341
[6]Bliquez, 322
阿瑟．米勒告别人生舞台 篇2
在蜚声美国剧坛之前，阿瑟·米勒曾饱尝了生活的艰辛和贫困的滋味。米勒１９１５年出生于一个没落的犹太商人之家，中学毕业后，因交不起学费辍学，做些零工赚钱，点滴积累起来的钱使他得以到密执安大学新闻系读书，后转入英文系，开始创作剧本，但一直默默无闻，直到１９４７年，其社会道德剧本《全是我的儿子》一举获得成功，初步奠定了他在美国戏剧界的地位。真正使他在美国剧坛持久立足的是１９４９年首次搬上舞台的《推销员之死》。这一“现代美国悲剧”轰动了美国戏剧界，创下了连演７４２场的记录，奠定了他在美国戏剧界的大师地位，并为他一举赢得了三项大奖：“普利策戏剧奖”、“纽约戏剧评论界奖”和美国舞台成就最高奖项“托尼戏剧音乐奖”。
主人公威利·洛曼做了一辈子的推销员。兢兢业业的他虽然尽心竭力地做着本职工作，却由于工作不利遭到老板解雇，“成功”的梦想破灭了，事业已经山穷水尽，威利步入了人生的低谷。他一度把希望寄托在儿子身上，儿子们却让他伤心透顶。大儿子比夫曾是他的骄傲。中学时，比夫是校橄榄球队的队长，倍受同龄人崇拜，在纽约最著名的球场参加过全市锦标赛，有三家大学争着让他到自己学校，但是，比夫却因为数学不及格连中学都没毕业。自此，他破罐子破摔，自甘堕落，到处游荡，至今无一份固定工作。二儿子哈利则四处拈花惹草，吹牛混世。一家人只有妻子林达理解、关心和体贴他，时时给他一丝活下去的勇气。工作和生活的双层重压使他身心疲惫、精神恍惚，眼前时常出现幻觉，仿佛十年前故去的富翁哥哥就在他身边，时时和他对话，他的精神总是处于不正常的亢奋状态。父亲对儿子的失望和儿子对父亲反常举止的指责使父子开始激烈争吵，林达在极度痛苦中不得不告诉儿子们：威利每月都向朋友借钱假装工资拿回家里；他几次故意把车开向河里企图自杀，还在煤气灶下另接一根橡皮管。受到震撼的儿子们良心发现，试图振作起来安慰父亲。第二天，威利去找老板，企图用自己一辈子对公司的奉献精神打动老板给自己一份固定工作和薪金，老板断然拒绝了他每个星期４０美元的最低请求。比夫去找过去的老板借钱出无功而返。哈利在请父亲吃饭时又勾引一个女人，抛下了父亲。回家后，父亲和儿子几乎大打出手，盛怒之下，比夫拿出橡皮管揭穿父亲，自己却情不自禁痛哭流涕。猛然间，威利欣喜若狂地意识到儿子依然爱着自己，他义无反顾地断然将自己酝酿已久的计划付诸了实施：制造一起撞车事故，给儿子留下大笔保险金。事态炎凉，他生前的商界朋友没有一人参加他的葬礼，他没能像生前希望的那样永远活在朋友心中，最后一个梦想也破灭了。
故事仅仅发生在２４小时之内，米勒却运用倒叙的手法展示了威利的一生事业生涯。在生命的最后的一天，他时刻在寻找着自身和儿子失败的答案，思索中，他总是把哥哥本作为衡量自身成就和行为的标准。本是美国西进运动的先驱，１７岁迈进西部的原始森林、２１岁即成为大富翁，他是实现美国梦的原型，集先驱者的冒险精神和勇敢、坚毅于一身。而威利与本截相反，他梦想“成功”，却又又不愿冒险。当年，本曾邀他一起去西部，他却举棋不定。恍惚中，他仍然感觉到本在劝说自己到西部发展，林达却一直设法阻止他，最后，林达战胜了本，威利决定留在东部城市，但他又不安于过平淡的生活，“成功”的梦想一直在遥远的地方频频向他招手。他涉世之初之所以选择做推销员，是因为他认为这一职业能给他带来巨大的成功感，像他的一个前辈，在８０岁高龄还能去二、三十个城市，死时几百人都来参加他的葬礼，“一连好几个月火车上都是一片伤心景象。”工作并非如他所愿，“成功”迟迟没有到来，而且，由于上了年纪，推销不利，又遭到了解聘的下场，“梦”破灭了。希望寄托到了儿子身上，比夫中学没能毕业的事实给了他致命的打击。事实上，“比夫梦”破灭的症结却在自己身上。在波士顿一家旅馆，比夫撞见父亲和别的女人在一起，一度属于母亲的丝袜套在了其他女人腿上，父亲在自己心目中的高大形象轰然倒地，比夫自此失去了对未来的幻想，并自甘堕落。威利承受着双重梦想破灭的双重痛苦，他恍惚、梦呓，生活在幻觉世界中，清醒带来的只是失败感。
剧作中，米勒精心地将现实主义和表现主义手法结合起来。舞台上，时空界限被彻底打破，灯光的切换表现着时空的转移，甚至不同的时空同时出现，整个舞台梦幻般变换不定。米勒取消了假想中的墙壁，“现实”场景里的人循规蹈矩，“过去”场景里的人物则穿越墙壁自由行动。威利潜意识中的哥哥本随时随地在舞台上出现，打断“现实”人物的对话，牵引他们的思路，这样，威利不停地以内心独白和自言自语的方式与代表着自己分裂意识的本进行交流，宣泄着内心的苦闷与压抑。通过这种表现主义手法，威利头脑中的活动成功地展现在舞台上，观众了解到人物的过去、现在和梦的开始、破灭，意识到了主人公在家庭和事业中的尴尬处境。
继《推销员之死》之后，１９５３年在百老汇上演的米勒另一力作《炼狱》，进一步巩固了他在美国剧坛的地位。该剧作取材于１６９２年清教统治时期发生在马萨诸塞州的驱巫案，影射和讽刺了２０世纪５０年代麦卡锡主义在反共狂潮中的兴风作浪及其所造成的血雨腥风和人人自危、惶惶不可终日的局面。
阿瑟.米勒中文介绍 篇3
阿瑟.米勒
阿瑟.米勒出生于曼哈顿北部，在纽约布鲁克林区（林肯高中）受到了良好教育。米勒十三岁时，其父所经营的一家外衣制造厂宣告破产，次年证券市场濒临崩溃。其后全家搬迁到布鲁克林的贫民区，很多评论家认为米勒的此次搬迁激发了他的创作才能。从事两年的低贱工作后，米勒于1934年前往密歇根大学深造。大
二、大三期间，连续获得Avery Hopwood创作奖，大四时，其剧本荣获二等奖。1938年获得密歇根大学文学硕士学位。他的第一部剧作《吉星高照的人》在百老汇上演四场后就宣告闭幕，可谓彻底失败。他的第二部剧作《全是我的儿子》（1947）深受观众青睐，该剧上演了328场，并获得纽约戏剧评论奖。此剧讲述一位制造劣质军需用品的不法商人，最终导致他儿子在二战中死去的故事。剧情夸张、伤感，但也深刻反映了作者想要表达的主题：道德社会究竟代表着什么？个人的失败应该由个人承担或确立个人的正直标准。《推销员之死》（1949）被公认为他的代表作，上演742场，并一举获得纽约戏剧评论奖、托尼奖、普利策戏剧奖。该剧确立了他在战后美国戏剧上的地位，使他成为美国主要的代言人之一。该剧刻画了一个现代普通人的悲剧，主人公威利.洛曼代表着所有想要发财的美国人。他梦想着他和他的两个儿子都能受人欢迎并在物质方面取得成功。《推销员之死》包含了不同的风格，既有现实主义传统，又有明显的表现主义色彩，因此观众既能对剧中主人公以及他的家庭所遭受的社会悲剧产生共鸣，又能将其视作一项心理方面的研究。虽说《推销员之死》是米勒最受欢迎的剧作，但《炼狱》（1953）中“巫师”的再次上演，被公认为其不朽之作。议员约瑟夫.麦卡锡曾称某些美国人为共产主义颠覆分子（左翼分子），并冠以他们“巫师”的称号。剧中主人公与巫师的共同点是不容忽视的，米勒很自然地将十七世纪与自己所处的年代进行了类比。《桥头眺望》（1955）再次以因违背自身社会价值而痛苦挣扎，备受折磨的人为题材。主人公Eddie Carbone,是一位爱上自己女儿的码头工人，由于一非法移民向其女儿求爱而与之发生争执，最终Eddie将其告发，并要求警察将其逮捕，此事还涉及到他的一些曾是共产主义的朋友。1956年，米勒与玛丽琳.梦露结婚后不久，便受到众议院非美活动委员会传讯。他承认出席了共产党会议但拒绝说出其他与会者。次年，被判“藐视国会罪”，直到1958年经上诉才撤销原判。米勒与梦露的婚姻随之告急，最终于1961年宣布离婚。第二年，梦露便与世长辞。《堕落之后》（1964）直接大肆鼓吹发动冷战来反对共产主义。同《桥头眺望》一样，《堕落之后》也通过叙述者来讲述整个故事。这样的处理技巧在米勒的一些作品中也有体现，这也更有利于指引观众注意到他剧中所传达的信息。评论家们对米勒的后期剧作褒贬不一，除了《代价》（1968）。这一剧作以结构严谨而深受好评，讲述了两兄弟因寻求自身生命的意义以及家族史而厮杀的故事。《创世纪及其它》（1972）是根据亚当和夏娃的故事改编的喜剧，该剧和描述美国经济大萧条的《美国钟》（1980）以及The Ride Down Mt.Morgan（1992）一样并没有激起人们的兴趣，虽说后者在英国深受好评。《碎玻璃》（1994）作为百老汇最新上演的新米勒剧，最终因为题材老套，以米勒一贯夸张、伤感的风格对大屠杀的黯淡描述而失败。1957年，米勒出版其《戏剧全集》，并在1981年出版第二卷，后者包括米勒的电影剧本《不合时宜的人》（1961）。该剧是一部有关克拉克.盖博和梦露的影片。1945年，米勒出版了《焦点》，这是一部有关反闪米特主义的小说。他的短篇小说包括《我不再需要你》（1967）、《平凡的女孩儿，生命及其他故事集》（1995）。他的纪实文学作品包括几部穿插了他妻子英格.克拉斯照片的游记：《在俄国》（1969）、《在乡间》（1977）以及《中国偶遇》（1979）。1984年，他写了一部有关中国出版他最著名剧本的回忆录，《推销员在北京》（1984），1987年，米勒出版了他的回忆录，《时间弯道：生命》。