CONFLICTING WORLDS: THE POSSIBLE SUB-WORLDS OF THE LOMAN FAMILY IN DEATH OF A SALESMAN

Abstract: Possible worlds are manifested at various propositional attitudes

of the dramatic agents who speak through certain states of affairs. The verbal

indicators pertaining to the varying constructed hypothetical worlds of the

characters can be examined in any dramatic work of art. This paper deals with

conflicting sub-worlds of the members of the Loman Family in Arthur Miller’s

Death of A Salesman. The play is considered to be a challenge between fantasy

world and real world, for it presents the characters’ ambition to achieve the socalled American Dream in reality and the fantasy world that initially captures

them and eventually disappoints their expectations. This paper, therefore,

focuses, firstly, on Willy Loman who seeks to be a ‘well-liked’, successful salesman

and his sub-worlds set upon his ideals, secondly Linda Loman, who finds herself

living in and supporting the fantasy world that her husband, Willy, creates;

thirdly, Happy Loman, who obeys the rules of the fantasy world his father creates

although he knows things are different in reality, and lastly Biff Loman, the only

member of the Loman Family who rejects living in that fantasy world and

awakens the other family members with the expense of his father’s death.

Keywords: Death of a Salesman, Possible Worlds, Dramatic Logic, Arthur

Miller, Well-Liked