The alienation of characters from their culture or society - Death of Salesman, Arthur Miller

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Miller further alienates Willy from his society with how old he is. He is over sixty years old, which is considered to be an age when people are planning for and looing forward to retirement, but not Willy. Willy at this point in his life still believes he has a chance of achieving his dreams; the American Dream. However, he has yet to make a sufficient amount of money for his family’s bills, be his own boss or even have a promotion. He is still working the same job he was twenty years ago and only seems to be declining in the productivity of his work. Most followers of the American Dream are between their late twenties and early forties. Miller therefore contradicted Willy’s age with where he is professionally. This shows Willy was socially and culturally determined to fit in, but he was not able to.

Anouilh further alienates Antigone with her age and also gender from her culture. She, at twenty, is attempting an unlawful act which most young girls would probably not even think about doing or would be too scared of the consequences of burying her unburied brother who was a traitor. This shows her cultural values to be different than that of a normal young lady in Greek times. She is also still treated child-like at home instead of a twenty year old. Her nanny takes care of her and has to make sure she is always in bed; she has no freedom to do as she pleases. She also refers to child rhymes and stories frequently.

In contradiction, Willy had almost paid off his house, one of the many goals of someone pursuing the American Dream. Willy’s cultural values, again, alienate him, as he constantly complains about “how boxed in” they are in their home now and how it was so much nicer before the apartment buildings were built. This shows he would rather be out of the city on a piece of free, open, spacious land than in the city alienating him from the society he lives in.

In conclusion, both playwrights, Miller and Anouilh alienated their protagonists in various ways from each of their cultures and societies to show their cultural and social values, which make the characters who they are. I find it interesting that it was both protagonists, which seemed to have the most alienation from culture and society.

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