An Ecological Study On Willy’s Death In Death Of A Salesman

Arthur Miller is one of the most famous American playwrights in the twentieth century, and the most representative one of the American theater in the1950s. His representative work, Death of a Salesman, generally recognized as a post-war American drama masterpiece, winning him Pulitzer Prize and many other important awards in the theater circle, has become a canon of the American theater. In this play, Arthur Miller, with skillful dramatic techniques, tells a tragic story on the stage about the dream pursuit and suicide of a salesman named Willy Lowman. Death of a Salesman has received extensive attention from the circle of critics since its publication. Scholars have analyzed and interpreted the work from multiple perspectives, with studies on the tragic spirits and disillusion of the "American dreams" of the protagonists in the play leading the way.This thesis, with the ecological approach, from the angles of the relationship between human beings and nature, the society, and their own spirit respectively, studies the causes for Willy’s suicide. Through the study, it is discovered that serious deterioration of natural ecology and the serious imbalance occurring in social ecology and spiritual ecology predetermines Willy’s pursuit of his dreams was in vain, and his suicide could not be avoided. Willy is a victim of such ecological imbalance represented by human’s distancing from nature, deterioration of human relationship, materialization and alienation of humanity.This thesis consists of introduction, body and conclusion.Introduction focuses on Arthur Miller, the plots of Death of a salesman, and the general studies on this play home and abroad.The body includes four chapters.Chapter One is the theoretical framework, which traces the concepts, development and definition of eco-criticism; and then introduces the three categories of ecology proposed by Lu Shuyuan:natural ecology, social ecology and spiritual ecology.Chapter Two analyzes the death of Willy from the perspective of natural ecology. Separation from the natural world and the worsening living environment rendered Willy an animal locked in a "cage". He could neither contact with the natural world nor enjoy the natural beauty. He feels anxious and suffocated everyday.Chapter Three analyzes the death of Willy from the perspective of social ecology. His life ideal of "being well-liked", narcissistic complex, problematic marriage, and his improper family education of his sons all make him feel disillusioned:things went against his will, beyond his expectation, and the life was beyond his control.Chapter Four analyzes the death of Willy from the perspective of spiritual ecology. High-speed urbanization, industrialization and commercialization led not only to the gradual alienation between human beings and the natural world, the human relationships between the beetle and the block, but also to the gradual alienation and materialization of human nature. Success and wealth are what people are competing for, which leads the kind humanity further and further away from human beings.The last part of the thesis is the conclusion. The ever-worsening natural and living environment, the callous social environment, and the more and more serious spiritual imbalance of the individuals, forced Willy to commit suicide who, in order to realize his dreams worked very hard all his life. His death liberated him from the world that he felt both crazy about and made him bitter and desperate most at the same time. Although Willy was a common man from the lower class, his death sounds the alarm for all human kind. Life is beautiful. In order to continue human life and the harmony of the earth our life rely on, we human race should discard the self-centered concept and craziness about desire and wealth, we should give up anthropocentrism and respect the environment, other people and our selves. Only in this way can our human life avoid Willy’s tragedy and enjoy more happiness.