Word/Play: Death of a Salesman

Abstract

In Timebends, Miller discusses the “liberating” effect that seeing Streetcar had upon his own writing, and particularly upon that of Salesman. One of the effects of this liberation of language upon Miller’s play is the incorporation into Salesman of plays on words that contribute substantially to the motifs and themes of the play. In this regard, “Word/Play” contributes to the ongoing interest in the careful and imaginative use of language in Salesman, which was neglected for so many years, by exploring comprehensively Miller’s use of wordplay, essentially arguing that he employs the device to such an extent that recognizing its presence provides an additional key to the understanding of the play’s many rich meanings.