Social Tragedy: A Study of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

Man always remains in conflict with the social forces around him. Tragedy makes him aware of this conflict that goes on between an individual and the social forces that destroy him. Modern tragedy puts its concern with the issues that engage human dignity, survival and the presentation of authentic self. Plays of Arthur Miller are not deficient in social context. Each character in his plays fights for self respect and for respect for his community. Arthur Miller’s ‘Death of a Salesman’ is a modern tragedy that depicts an individual’s strenuous struggle for self fulfillment in social environment. It depicts the effects of society on human personality. This paper makes an attempt to understand and interpret the concept of tragedy and the impact of social forces on the characters of Arthur Miller’s ‘Death of a Salesman’.